Howard Dean: Washington Is More Resistant To Change Than Anything "Except A Few Religious Cults"

In an interview with Esquire magazine, former Vermont Governor Howard Dean (author of a new book, "Howard Dean's Prescription for Real Health Care Reform," explained why there was so much resistance to a public health care option.

ESQ: Speaking of the Obama plan, you're even stronger than he has been lately in support of the public plan. You say that without it, it's not reform.

HD: It's not. It's a waste of time. Don't pretend you're going to do health-insurance reform unless you're really going to change the system. The discussions in the Senate have not been about changing the system.

ESQ: They seem to be worried about preserving the status quo.

HD: Washington is the most conservative town in America. Its culture is the most resistant to change except a few religious cults.

Yesterday, Dean responded to reports that White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel was pushing for a public option that would be triggered by future conditions. "I think that a public plan with triggers is not a real public plan and it is going to be a trillion dollar failure," Dean said. "Anyone who thinks a trigger is going to lead us to a good place five years from now is wrong... It is not a sensible policy compromise."

Read the full interview here.

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Comments

[EspritDeVoltaire]

The saying that DC is Hollywood for ugly people is extremely true. These congressmen live the most insulated lives since 1930s movie stars. They are so removed from actual debate about the necessity for a total overhaul of the system that it's unbelievable to an outsider who would expect them to be informed on the issues. The only information they get is from their campaign contributors and the false controversy media. Washington is Good Ole Boy nirvana.

[kevman08]

Were going to get our healthcare back!! Ahhhhhhh!!!

[lazercat2008]

You started the health care fix, but you left the campaign finance system in place?

[Chernynkaya]

Listening to Lawrence O'Donnell this am, and he said that the Finance Committee (that's Max Baucus, folks) is the only committee that matters in terms of the health care debate. He said that's the committee that will actually write the bill. So, too bad for us.

And another point was brought up that I think is very valid: Obama should have worked to pass a health care reform package in FEBRUARY. The point being, that's when any President has the most support, and since this was the toughest legislation of all (and to me, the most vital) he should have gotten this done ASAP. Now, his numbers aren't so high, and a lot of energy has been dissipated.

Hard to say, with the economy teetering when he took office, whether he should have done health care first or not. But things are looking pretty shaky now.

[KDog76A]

Rushing a bill through is a fool's errand. Look how the stimulus bill is failing. You don't spend a trillion dollars you don't have without well-crafted legislation. A bill over a thousand pages is hardly well crafted when you consider those who will vote on it won't read the whole thing. So essentially they will be creating a law that even they don't understand. Trying to ram that through as president in your first month, would definitely have been disaster.

Consider that the constitution that governs the whole nation comes out to be about 11 typed pages. A well-crafted healthcare reform shouldn't be a single huge law but should be a series of comprehensive laws that are easy to understand and that the public can digest.

Creating a new bureaucracy tends to spell trouble for the citizens. Compare your IRS forms to your medical forms at your doctor. Consider that at the end of this your medical forms could end up as complicated as the IRS forms.

Pass good responsible legislation, not an uncontrollable monster that will sink the middle class for the sake of a few votes.

[naschkatze]

The thing is that I listened to Obama very carefully during the campaign, and he didn't seem to have any plan of his own. At all. He was very quick to point out faults in other Democratic candidates' plans though.

[Chernynkaya]

I know you're correct. Even though I voted for O, in the back of my mind, I remembered that only Hillary was for universal health. But, like Mulder on the X Files, I wanted to believe.

[armadillo]

Howard Dean.... The man who saved the Democratic party....

I think it's time for him to get over to the WH and explain what trenh warfare is all about.

[delvis]

dean kicks republican a$$

[KDog76A]

except that its congress that makes the laws not the white house, thanks for playing.

[BCLance]

Your right, we need to keep the heat on congressional leaders.

That said, your comment is a straw man and armadillo's is the stronger point. He didn't say the WH passes laws, he says they should engage in trench warfare. The white house has legislative priorities and engages in lobbying congress, with quite a bit of influence, on those priorities. It is *absolutely* relevant to keep the heat on the WH as well if you don't feel like the direction of the national debate is going in the right direction.

[Tyler-Durden]

great interview, thanx for posting.

Dr. Dean is correct in his analysis. We must HOUND OUR CONGRESSMEN DAILY UNTIL THE PUBLIC OPTION IS INCLUDED.

i'm tired of watching politicians pander to corporations. THIS MUST STOP.

the only way is to scare the politicians with threat of losing their job.

[KDog76A]

I agree politicians shouldn't pander to corporations. But if we think of corporations as evil entities we have a problem... everything you own unless you made it out of wood you chopped down yourself comes from a corporation. HuffPo? Corporation. Google? Corporation. Dell? Corporation. PETA? Corporation (radical non-profit, but corporate none the less)

[Tyler-Durden]

come on, man. do i have to spell it out? i'm so sorry i didn't say "evil corporations".

the ones that manipulate govt to change law which allows them more profit at the expense of the public's rights.

am i getting thru now?

[johnsonc20]

It does seem that we will have to directly threaten Democrats who don't support the public option. That means finding viable primary opponents, even if it means losing a seat ultimately to the Republicans. It really is the only card we have - we don't have the cash the health insurance industry has, we just have our votes.

[Tyler-Durden]

stop thinking in two party mentality.

WE NO LONGER HAVE TO FOLLOW TWO PARTY traditions.

WE HAVE THE INTERNET NOW. WE ALL KNOW HOW TO USE IT.

this is finally the time that true democratic process can occur, because communication among individuals can be collected and analyzed. discussion can occur on a macro level.

WE MUST CREATE A NEW PROGRESSIVE PARTY, AND IDENTIFY TRUSTWORTHY INDIVIDUALS TO BE VOTED TO PUBLIC OFFICE under it's name.

we don't have to be subject to the restrictions that the elite impose. it's no longer who can generate the most money. IT'S WHO CAN GENERATE THE MOST POPULARITY. this can be done on YOUTUBE for free, on TWITTER for free, and every other social network site.

NOW IS THE TIME. i am going to make it happen if i can.

[naschkatze]

Good for you! I smell a progressive resistance movement on the blogs.

[Littleguylobby]

The only real solution is Higher consciousness. The reality of the current situation is a lucid nightmare.

thelittleguylobby.org

[timberdoodle]

Maybe this is the public's fault as they aren't being forceful enough with their representatives on such important issues as health care reform.

When 20,000 people a year die from lack of health care or being denied coverage and this is allowed to continue then how do these politicians get re-elected? There isn't a person in America that doesn't know the people who vote against a single payer system is on the take and selling them down the drain for the lobbyist's money.

[sueinmn]

Thats right! We should be calling daily and making our representatives know that we will no longer tolerate the buy offs and corruption in Washington. We are the voters who elect them and need to step up to the plate and keep the pressure on!

[nccp1870]

Those who think they can get away with not passing a public option----not Co-ops, which ought to be spelled, "co-opt" as they will insure the health care cartel continues to put their bureaucrats between our doctors and our care---are kidding themselves.

I will actively support primary candidates against Baucus and the rest of the Insurocrats and do everything I can to see them defeated as soon as possible.

The Democratic Party better get on it. I am currently withholding any donations to any Democrat until this matter is settled.

[ohmetoo]

The Democratic Party better get on it. I am currently withholding any donations to any Democrat until this matter is settled.

Worth repeating and I'm with you in withholding all support, financial as well as personal efforts.

[naschkatze]

My money now goes strictly to the ACLU and Amnesty International to fight Obama in the courts over war crimes and civil liberties, but there are all kinds of advocacy groups out there for every issue which might be dearest to you. Use your money to fight them in the courts.

[KDog76A]

With all that money you save, you should be able to afford decent health insurance.

[iskra]

I like this guy more and more. Every time I see him speak lately he's straight up, honest, doesn't mince words, good sense of humor and quick on his feet.

Keep it up Howard, keep saying what politicians can't.

[CarolW2]

Does anyone else wonder what if all these industries (health care, drug companies, anti-tax big business, etc.) would actually take half the money they spend lobbying and pay their fair share of taxes, would we be in the mess we are in now? I read that the health industry is currently spending over $1 million a day lobbying in Washington. What that money could do to help those without health insurance!

[KDog76A]

They (healthcare) currently do pay their fair share of taxes, to the tune of 200 Billion or more...which is why the spend more on lobbyists, so that they can get the law on their side sconsider that they paid Tom Daschle $220k... Daschle was the golden boy on healthcare reform until he got caught cheating on his own taxes.

THey may spend a million a day on lobbying, but they pay over half a billion in taxes everyday.

Not that I support them, its just time that we look at both sides of the story. You can't just cry for free healthcare and not figure out how to pay for it... it looks like they will start taxing the medical benefits of the middle class, hardly seems reasonable to me.

[HHarvey]

Yes, Howard Dean, tell us something we don't know. I think Obama even said this during his campaign. Changing DC will be the biggest obstacle of all time.

[jonjon358]

If the Dems screw this up, they only screw themselves. I don't get it. Yeah, make your lobbyists happy, and then the people will throw you out of office next election. Time to put up or shut up.

[olmossy]

Good Job Mr. Dean.
I'm a little baffled by why you think the US Senate and Congress will see that they should look out for the American People instead of the Insurance Companies.