Health care is a hot topic on the campaign trail this year, nationally and in Michigan. This should come as no surprise — health care is highly relatable. We all need it, we all use it, we all hope for high quality and low cost.
The problem with treating health care as a campaign topic is we lose that connection to how it affects us all. Instead of "we are all in this together, so let's figure the best way forward," it's more, "we need to come to some agreement on pre-existing conditions, so let's trade that for building a border wall." Health care improvements get disconnected from what will actually improve health care.
And so it has gone in America, especially the past 10 years.
In Michigan's 2nd Congressional District, the whole reason Dr. Rob Davidson decided to run against incumbent Bill Huizenga was to reconnect us to a health care solution. Davidson is proposing Medicare for All. Huizenga is proposing, well, not that, which as near as I can tell is the Republican default answer to anything about health care.
Good heavens, Republicans, don't you think it's time to give us something to work with here?! Can you please offer something more substantial than an occasional "HSAs are nice?" We know you can do it — Republicans came up with the whole Affordable Care Act concept (before you decided to call it Obamacare and work against it).
John Auchter is a freelance political cartoonist. His views are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of Michigan Radio, its management, or its license holder, the University of Michigan.
