# The dangerous politics of Medicare For All

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dangerous-politics-of-medicare-for-all/837922>\
**Category:** Politics & Elections\
**Created:** [July 31, 2019, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dangerous-politics-of-medicare-for-all/837922 "2019-07-31T11:19:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 84

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**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2019, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dangerous-politics-of-medicare-for-all/837922/84 "2019-08-03T12:07:02Z")

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I will add an anecdote that does not necessarily reflect terribly well on me, but is illustrative of the psychology I am talking about. At the place where I got my IVAPS machine, the woman in charge of billing pulled up my insurance and exclaimed “Wow, you have such a low deductible! I wish mine was this low.” I have to admit, I took a lot of satisfaction out of that. And I never really thought “oh it’s too bad she doesn’t have the same thing: I wish everyone did”. Instead, I felt that little _frisson_ of satisfaction you get when everyone is envious that you have a nicer car or TV or whatever then they do. It’s not pretty, but it’s human nature and we have to take it into account.

ETA: And rereading what I just wrote, I can’t help but have a feeling of pride, like “hey, awesome: now all these people on the board know I have great insurance”. It’s ridiculous, it’s petty, it’s awful really, but it’s psychologically very powerful.

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