No way out

September 13, 2017

Warren. Harris. Booker. Gillibrand. Merkley. Manchin.

This is the who’s who of Democratic Party leadership (and likely 2020 contenders) who have come on board with Bernie Sanders’ $32 trillion single-payer program in the past few weeks.

Today, as Sanders formally kicks off his push to make this socialist pipe dream a reality, Ami Bera & Ruben Kihuen are standing astride the Democratic party’s mad rush to the left and saying no.

That’s all well and good, but their base is making them pay – Amy Vilela and Brad Westmoreland have already announced primary challenges to Kihuen and Bera on this very issue. This means these Members get to spend time taking slings and arrows from their base while Republicans prepare to take them out.

Bera & Kihuen are in a no-win situation: either cave to this plan making little financial sense and presenting massive political liabilities, or stand firm and face eroded support from their base.

The walls are closing in: it’s time for Bera & Kihuen to get on record and make a choice.