The Faltering Plan for Reform

by Keith Cooper

From Broader View Weekly, August 28, 2009

As we near the time Congress will resume its session after its August break, the momentum for real change is slowing. There are several reasons that the plans for health care reform coming from Washington and the White House are losing steam.

One reason is the Democrats’ failure to stay on message and control that message. As organized opposition surfaced at town hall meetings and congressional meet-and-greets, representatives were ill-prepared to answer the tough questions posed and often ill-informed about proposals that were in committee. The result was a lampooning of public officials that seemed like an ambush to the world audience that was observing.

At the same time, Senators and Congressmen from the opposition set out to obstruct any solution that came from the Democratic president or his colleagues in Congress. This is the worst kind of politics because it abandons the interests of constituencies in favor of power brokering and posturing. Instead of addressing problems that have caused struggles for the GOP, and a thumping in the last election, Republicans opted to become a party of “no” and get in the way of any proposal no matter the benefits to the individual.

Another problem is a caving in at several levels of the process. The authoring of the separate proposals in the House and Senate were perverted by the influence of health insurance companies and political pressure. Provisions that stood a chance to trim costs, increase efficiencies or cover greater numbers were struck in order to gain leverage to pass any measure at all.

This is the greatest threat to President Obama’s promise to provide something that comes close to universal health care. Even the White House recently backed away from the idea of a public option until pressure from supporters effectively put it back on the table.

It doesn’t help that there is an organized campaign in some media to oppose any reform at all. Some of the most influential voices in conservative media are now discounting their power (an interesting suggestion coming from some of these inflated egos) and claiming that the opposition to Washington’s efforts is led by the masses. They attempt to convince grassroots America that the charges leveled against the talking heads are insults against American citizens. They feed the line that Obama and the Democrats are elitists that are directing their hatred at the public.

The argument makes no sense to me, especially since those voices shout arguments against health care reform that show their general disdain for anyone who would gain coverage under any new plan that might emerge.

Unfortunately, representatives were unsuccessful in countering that message as well, and began to get beaten-up in the media and public opinion. Representative Eric Massa of New York’s 29th district was blasted for comments he made at in informal gathering of bloggers recently. He mentioned that he would oppose public opinion to vote in ways that would benefit his constituency. Instead of applause for taking a principled stand for the public good, he was showered with daggers of contempt. And he was talking about voting against the current iteration of the legislation.

Supporters of reform have been unable to dispel the myths used to attack the plans and present the proposed benefits in a concise way. This has allowed the same misinformation to be repeated over and over. As a result many of those myths are accepted as truth.

For instance, claims about the high costs of reforming the system are overblown, especially since the details of the legislation are yet to materialize. Critics characterize every government entity as inept and inefficient. They argue that moving health care from a private system would endanger important services. The fact is that the most vital services we rely on are already publicly run. Emergency services, police forces and fire departments are publicly funded and run and operate well in most cases.

Also, the administration’s discussion of cost reduction is often characterized as a reduction of compensation to physicians and care providers and rationing of patient services. In fact, part of the concept is a reform of the bureaucratic waste and excess of the health care system. Faith in American ingenuity should envision the ability to efficiently distribute health benefits under a new streamlined system. Instead, the defeatist opposition turns again to the same tired assertions about the evils of big government.

Comparisons to other public health care systems are often used to undermine the efforts to reform the U.S. system. Canada is a favorite choice as an example of the problems of public health care. Interestingly, Canada is ranked above the United States in the quality of health care. In fact, in an August 12 column on Fox News’ website that was critical of patterning our system after Canada’s, Wendell Goler admitted that:
Canadians have a longer life expectancy, lower infant mortality rates and lower rates of obesity and diabetes than people in the United States. Canadians' primary care doctors get paid more and spend more time with their patients than doctors across the border to the south.

An interesting observation from Obama’s most vocal detractor: Fox News.

The fact is that the most common talking point in the health care debate is a weakness of the current system. The concept, called “death panels” by some, whereby a panel makes judgments about treatments and coverage, is a fabrication of the right. However, that type of decision-making goes on every day. Panels and agents in cold corporate insurance companies make choices to deny services to needy patients (often in life-or-death situations) in order to serve the interests of their bottom line. Even though the legislation imposes no such panel, putting those decisions in the hands of those legally bound to the service of the public is better than leaving it to those legally bound to the service of shareholders.

Like my brother Gordon, I recognize the need for reform. Like him I don’t think the current plan fits the bill. Unfortunately, if this current effort fails, I fear it will become more and more difficult to pursue meaningful change.