Culinary Union vs. Bernie Sanders

WASHINGTON, DC – Across
the country and social media, Senator Bernie Sanders – the Democratic
frontrunner for president – has been talking about single payer,
universal health care dubbed "Medicare for All." It’s an
incredibly misleading name; this policy proposal would not only
eliminate Medicare and people's choice, but would also take away
employer or union sponsored healthcare that millions of Americans enjoy.


Medicare for All by the numbers:

1. 
   158 million (at least) - That's how many Americans would lose their employee or union sponsored health care
   
2. 
   2 million - Almost 2 million jobs would be lost if universal health care is put in place
   
3. 
   $30 to $40 trillion- Estimated cost over 10 years of Sander's plan
   

Forcing people to give up their employer or union sponsored health care, which some have bargained for years or decades to have, to replace it with one-size-fits all health care would be unfair. Incredibly unfair. Unions like the Culinary Union in Nevada know this all too well. The union of about 60,000 members have worked for years - including bargaining and going on strikes - to have the health care benefits they have today. The Wall Street Journal editorial board reported on one of the union's fliers that said:
“We have fought for 85 years to protect our healthcare. Why would we let politicians take it away?” 
Most Americans want improvements to their health care - like lowering costs and ending surprise medical billing - not a complete overhaul of it. A new POLITICO-Harvard poll shows 80% of polled - including both Republicans and Democrats - say "taking steps to lower the cost of health care" is "extremely" or "very important."

Now that Bernie Sanders is the Democratic presidential candidate to beat, his socialism is drawing fresh scrutiny—and not merely from capitalists. With Nevada’s caucuses coming on Feb. 22, the state’s powerful Culinary Union is pointing out that Mr. Sanders wants to abolish the health benefits it has spent years bargaining to get.

The Culinary Union has about 60,000 members. Its affiliated health center in Las Vegas provides many services free and has doctors, dentists, optometrists, a pharmacy and urgent care. Mr. Sanders, one union flier warns, would “End Culinary Healthcare” and “Require ‘Medicare For All.’” The flier explains that Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar and Joe Biden would “Protect Culinary Healthcare.”

Another flier doesn’t mention names: “We have fought for 85 years to protect our healthcare. Why would we let politicians take it away?” Some candidates might promise higher wages, but they “have never sat at our bargaining table or been on a 24/7, 6 years, 4 months, and 10 days strike line—like we have to make an employer pay for healthcare.”

(SOURCE) - WSJ and House Energy & Commerce Committee Republicans