OPINION: Different Party, Same Result - Losing the Narrative

By Jay Brock
GUEST COMMENTATOR

Photo by Chela B. on Unsplash

Last year it was the Democrats who lost the narrative and thus the election. This year, by every indication, it seems to be the Republicans who are losing it.

A bit of context: Most folks are plain unhappy with the status quo. With good reason: the American system just isn’t working for too many Americans. The bottom 90% own only 1/3 of the nation’s wealth (and the bottom half own only 2.5% of it, the same amount owned by the three richest people in the country). The bottom 60% live paycheck to paycheck. Last year, after inflation, unaffordable healthcare costs were the most important kitchen table concern for most Americans—3/4 Americans worry they won’t be able to afford to pay their medical bills if they get sick.

During last year’s presidential election, Democrats failed to adequately address unaffordable healthcare, patting themselves on the back for reducing the price of a handful of medications over four years for a small sliver of the population but not addressing the real worries of everyday voters. Meanwhile, Donald Trump, with his “Make America Great Again” slogan, at least acknowledged how difficult it was for most Americans to navigate an America that doesn’t work for most Americans. Winning the narrative helped him win the election.

But it’s now the Republicans who have lost their way. Let’s look at three issues.

First: Trump has broken longstanding alliances that have helped make America wealthy and powerful. NATO looks at the U.S. with distrust. Trump has appeared eager to throw Ukraine under the bus. He threatens Canada—Canada! Republicans are losing the narrative.

Second: Trump has committed a huge unforced error with his massive, unpredictable, on-again off-again, largely untargeted tariffs that tanked the stock market and threaten a recession or worse. Tariffs are a tax, in this case one of the harshest tax hikes in decades (the average American family would spend $3,800/year on these tariffs). The burden would fall disproportionately on lower income families—the ones the American system is already failing: Republicans are losing the narrative.

Third: Republicans, rather than disparaging it, should pay attention to the massive peaceful “Hands Off” protests on April 5, where millions of Americans rejected, among other policies, planned cuts for Medicaid. Republicans seem intent on losing this narrative as well.

How? Medicaid cuts as initially proposed would be especially painful for much of Trump’s base, as they would disproportionately affect Red states where many hospitals might close if they lose Medicaid funding. Cuts would also affect a multitude of voters who would lose their Medicaid lifeline to healthcare: Medicaid covers some 80 million Americans. Some estimates called for 20 million being thrown off Medicaid rolls—and they’re not all Democrats. Republicans have somewhat modified their plans, but millions might still lose their insurance: Republicans are losing the narrative.

Seniors on Medicare might not escape the Trump cuts: look for him to completely privatize Medicare by eliminating Traditional Medicare entirely and forcing its 30 million enrollees onto a Medicare so-called “Advantage” plan. Unlike not-for-profit Traditional Medicare, a public good where healthcare comes first, “Advantage” plans tend to be fully privatized, for-profit, and a private good where insurance company profit, not your healthcare, is most important.

So-called “Advantage” plans have some very serious drawbacks: limited networks of providers that might force you to give up your current physicians; and your care is ultimately “managed” not by your physician but by an insurance company overseer who can delay or outright deny paying for care your physician thinks is in your best interest. This “prior authorization” process is widely despised by patients and providers and accounts for the surprising sympathy accorded the alleged shooter of a major health insurance CEO last year.

The end result: 30 million more Americans unhappy with a system that doesn’t work for them. Republicans are losing the narrative.

At least one Republican Virginia elected official disparaged the April 5th “Hands Off” rallies around the country as an attempt by “liberals” who had nothing better to do than impede traffic with their “outrage” protest. This ignores the huge number of voters, Democrats and Republicans, who will be adversely impacted by Trump’s policies—and don’t like it one bit. Many of them were among the 5 million voters who participated in these rallies. Dismissing their real concerns is one more way Republicans are losing the narrative.

A better tack for politicians this election year in Virginia, where feelings of disappointment in our government and many of our national institutions—including indifferent politicians—are also widespread, would be to acknowledge that most people have real kitchen table issues and that unaffordable healthcare is one of them. And then fix them.

That advice goes to both parties. If they don’t want to lose the narrative.

Sources

Trump tariffs to hit working class the hardest, costing an average family $3,800 a year - MarketWatch

'A lot of MAGA': 20 million Americans could lose health coverage under new GOP bill - Alternet.org

House Republicans release Medicaid cuts proposal - Becker's Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis

Everything to know about Medicaid, the largest US public health insurance program - ABC News

Wealth distribution U.S. 2024| Statista

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