This Is a No-Brainer...Right?

Kate Gace Walton

18 Feb 2026 — 1 min read

Image credit: Kate Gace Walton. A small selection of my colorful pens.

Now that everyone has read the memo*and seen the backflips**, it’s clearer than ever that we need to move briskly towards single payer…right? That we can’t have something as vital to humans as healthcare depend on employment, if the jobs landscape is slated to go haywire?

If you still oppose universal healthcare despite the trajectory of AI, would you please consider reaching out to me? I’ve been a proponent of single payer for ages (I think it’s both humane and good for business)—but maybe there’s something about employer-based health insurance I just don’t understand. I would love to hear your argument (which I will draw as I listen, using all of my colorful pens, so that I don’t interrupt you).***

Thumbnail image: a small selection of my colorful pens.

*“Something Big Is Happening” by Matt Shumer. You have probably already read this piece, since it went viral last week—but if not, please do. It explains why many of us in tech are more worried about job displacement than most people in other industries: we’re living it now.

**“China Showcases Humanoid Robots During Lunar New Year” via NBC on YouTube

***Back in New York, interrupting was considered the same as listening as long as the interruption was on topic—out here in Seattle, not so much.

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