Chuck Todd

Hello there. Happy Wednesday. It's Chuck Todd. Another episode of the Chuck Todd cast. So as some of you know, I have a new weekly sub stack. It's basically a weekly call. And this week I used... I use that space to talk about two issues that I actually get a lot of questions about that I don't talk a lot about here because, frankly, they're what I call dead rail issues.

Hello there. Happy Wednesday. It's Chuck Todd. Another episode of the Chuck Todd cast. So as some of you know, I have a new weekly sub stack. It's basically a weekly call. And this week I used... I use that space to talk about two issues that I actually get a lot of questions about that I don't talk a lot about here because, frankly, they're what I call dead rail issues.

Hello there. Happy Wednesday. It's Chuck Todd. Another episode of the Chuck Todd cast. So as some of you know, I have a new weekly sub stack. It's basically a weekly call. And this week I used... I use that space to talk about two issues that I actually get a lot of questions about that I don't talk a lot about here because, frankly, they're what I call dead rail issues.

And what do I mean by a dead rail issue? Well, as you know, we talk about third rail issues in politics a lot. And what do we mean by a third rail? Well, it goes back to the whole idea of electrified rail and subway systems. It's an issue that you're not supposed to touch or it will literally electrocute you, politically speaking.

And what do I mean by a dead rail issue? Well, as you know, we talk about third rail issues in politics a lot. And what do we mean by a third rail? Well, it goes back to the whole idea of electrified rail and subway systems. It's an issue that you're not supposed to touch or it will literally electrocute you, politically speaking.

And what do I mean by a dead rail issue? Well, as you know, we talk about third rail issues in politics a lot. And what do we mean by a third rail? Well, it goes back to the whole idea of electrified rail and subway systems. It's an issue that you're not supposed to touch or it will literally electrocute you, politically speaking.

So for a long time, the most famous third rail issue was Social Security. You touch it, you die politically. I would argue Medicare has joined that club. And I think after the 2026 midterms, We will say Medicaid is also a part of that, that Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are all now third rail issues. But we'll get a final confirmation on Medicaid after the 2026 midterms.

So for a long time, the most famous third rail issue was Social Security. You touch it, you die politically. I would argue Medicare has joined that club. And I think after the 2026 midterms, We will say Medicaid is also a part of that, that Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are all now third rail issues. But we'll get a final confirmation on Medicaid after the 2026 midterms.

So for a long time, the most famous third rail issue was Social Security. You touch it, you die politically. I would argue Medicare has joined that club. And I think after the 2026 midterms, We will say Medicaid is also a part of that, that Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are all now third rail issues. But we'll get a final confirmation on Medicaid after the 2026 midterms.

They're untouchables. They're basically popular across the board. They got 60 to 70 percent acceptance rates with the public. They're seen – if you want to call them entitlements, safety nets, but they're seen as things that – they're no longer nice-to-haves. They're must-haves as far as the public is concerned.

They're untouchables. They're basically popular across the board. They got 60 to 70 percent acceptance rates with the public. They're seen – if you want to call them entitlements, safety nets, but they're seen as things that – they're no longer nice-to-haves. They're must-haves as far as the public is concerned.

They're untouchables. They're basically popular across the board. They got 60 to 70 percent acceptance rates with the public. They're seen – if you want to call them entitlements, safety nets, but they're seen as things that – they're no longer nice-to-haves. They're must-haves as far as the public is concerned.

And any serious talk about reform usually ends up with somebody losing an election because reform for many people is code for cutting back, and that is one – And look, on Medicaid, I think the reason why this has become such a popular issues, you know, when it first came about, it was thought of as just welfare for the poor, that this was was health care for poor people.

And any serious talk about reform usually ends up with somebody losing an election because reform for many people is code for cutting back, and that is one – And look, on Medicaid, I think the reason why this has become such a popular issues, you know, when it first came about, it was thought of as just welfare for the poor, that this was was health care for poor people.

And any serious talk about reform usually ends up with somebody losing an election because reform for many people is code for cutting back, and that is one – And look, on Medicaid, I think the reason why this has become such a popular issues, you know, when it first came about, it was thought of as just welfare for the poor, that this was was health care for poor people.

Medicaid is a lifeline for a lot of people now. At the end of life, you've run out of money. There's Medicaid. You're you're you're. You're in the middle-aged brackets, if you will, in your 50s. You've got kids in college. You've got parents that are aging. You can't afford to support them all, and so Medicaid is an important safety net for a lot of people.

Medicaid is a lifeline for a lot of people now. At the end of life, you've run out of money. There's Medicaid. You're you're you're. You're in the middle-aged brackets, if you will, in your 50s. You've got kids in college. You've got parents that are aging. You can't afford to support them all, and so Medicaid is an important safety net for a lot of people.

Medicaid is a lifeline for a lot of people now. At the end of life, you've run out of money. There's Medicaid. You're you're you're. You're in the middle-aged brackets, if you will, in your 50s. You've got kids in college. You've got parents that are aging. You can't afford to support them all, and so Medicaid is an important safety net for a lot of people.

I think that's why Medicaid itself is going to be considered a third rail. But what about the opposite of third rail issues? I'm going to call these issues. These are issues you can ignore, abuse or exploit even and suffer no political consequences. It's issues that voters barely notice unless you ask them about it. and they end up eventually shrugging them off. I call these dead rails.

I think that's why Medicaid itself is going to be considered a third rail. But what about the opposite of third rail issues? I'm going to call these issues. These are issues you can ignore, abuse or exploit even and suffer no political consequences. It's issues that voters barely notice unless you ask them about it. and they end up eventually shrugging them off. I call these dead rails.