Could the United States be in for another outside billionaire turned political contender? Reportedly, former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is considering a run for the highest office in 2020. And while Schultz describes himself as a life-long Democrat, he’s looking to run as an Independent.
Why an Independent bid? Schultz believes that both the Republican and Democratic parties have grown too extreme and that he can be the man to restore “centrism.” That’s also why he wants to run as an Independent. Despite having supported Democrats for years, he believes the party has moved too far to the left.
Among other things, Schultz believes that Democrats are getting too extreme in their push for Medicare for All, which would extend healthcare to every American, paid for through taxes and by the government. According to Schultz, the United States can’t afford it, noting: “What the Democrats are proposing is something that is as false as the wall. And that is free health care for all, which the country cannot afford.”
Currently, the United States spends more on healthcare per capita than any other country. In fact, the United States spends about double what most industrialized countries spend: Over $10,000 per year per person.
Experts disagree on whether or not Medicare for All would save or cost the United States more money than the current system. However, the libertarian Mercatus Center found that Medicare for All would save the United States $2.6 trillion dollars over 10 years.
Democrats are having none of it, warning that if Schultz runs as an independent, it’ll make Trump’s path to reelection all that much more viable.
A split vote could doom the Democratic Party. Just as Ross Perot helped Bill Clinton beat George W. Bush, a liberal independent candidate would make it very difficult for Democrats to beat Trump. And with over $3 billion dollars in the bank, Schultz could fund his own campaign for as long as he wants.
