Sound and Fury: The Health Care Town Halls

The American health care debate has taken a turn for the fanatical. An overzealous constituency, bolstered by a media more interested in the next big controversy than the next big policy breakthrough, has snatched the microphone from the nation's political leaders and temporary drowned out any semblance of a coherent, meaningful debate.

I cherish the First Amendment. I believe that elected officials need town hall forums to effectively represent their constituents. And I am happy to see the public taking an active role in the discussion.

However, as much as it is someone's right to speak, it is another's to be heard. And as much as members of Congress need to listen to their constituents, their constituents need to do some listening of their own.

Reforming healthcare to achieve a cost-reducing and long-lasting system is far more complex than many rally-criers would suggest. Crafting a viable reform bill is an intricate process which brings many potentially competing interests - lawmakers, insurers, lawyers, doctors, pharmaceuticals, interest groups, employers - to the table. Boiling viewpoints down to polar opposites and then boiling over in public rage simply distracts from the true goal: affecting a cost-reducing and integrative reform.

The media, particularly partisan talking heads, shoulder every bit as much of the burden for the confusion, mistrust, and misplaced rage streaking the landscape. The nation needs news anchors to play a role in moderating a complicated discussion. Instead, they are juicing ratings with a turbo charged focus on controversy. News coverage has stoked partisan flames, distracting from the issue.

All things considered, I'm left to ask myself: what are the policy implications of all this? What does it mean for democracy when our politicians cannot have a discussion without being shouted down?

As far as the future health of American democracy and civil discourse, this recent rash of extreme activism has the possibility of discouraging politicians from engaging face-to-face with their constituents on hot-button issues. What rational person runs for office hoping for wrathful constituents to berate her?

At heart, I believe the media pundits and town-hall attendees mean well. Though lacking tact, they have reflect viewpoints that are (in theory) based on what they believe to truly be in America's interest. But they are going about it all wrong. Debate is only possible when other side will pause and listen. An argument without a counter-argument is just a lot of yelling.

Bill George is professor of management practice at Harvard Business School and author of the new book, 7 Lessons for Leading in Crisis. The former chair and CEO of Medtronic, he currently serves on the boards of ExxonMobil and Goldman Sachs and previously, Novartis and Target.

Comments

[MplsEric]

Wow !! Talk about being late to the game! While I essentially agree with the points you blandly make, this article offers Nothing to the discussion of this issue that hasn't already been said 100 times.....­and said much more effectively. I hope you are offering your students much more than this.

[heartsick]

The shouters and gun toters are not there to express their beliefs. They are there, many of them, because they want to threaten and bully.
I thought it was against the law to threaten the President, right? If that is true, why are so many people treatening President Obama with impunity? Does the law not apply when the threat is made by a white man against an African American President? What is wrong with the Secret Service and the police around this Country? Doesn't any public official realize that our nation is being placed at risk by these threats and the potential they have to inspire the deranged among us to show up and carry out their threats? Everyday, I am more and more appalled than the day before that nobody with the guns and threatening signs is being hauled away from these rallies in handcuffs.

[Bronxdude]

I attended a hate filled town hall meeting. People quoting the Bible, toting guns and professing their Christian virtues were waving derogatory placards equating President Obama with Hitler and the “N” word. Several signs held by small children compared Obama to an ignorant cartoon character in blackface. One woman held two signs: the first called Michelle a “welfare queen,” and the second proclaimed that the Obama girls would be pregnant before age 16. Outrageous! Inside the meeting, birthers were screaming that their country was being taken over by immigrants and minorities, and that America needed to return to the traditional values “our founding fathers” envisioned. During the question and answer period, one tea bagger shouted that she was against government run healthcare, but was satisfied with Medicare. Several attendees questioned the President’s citizenship and argued that the government had started “socialist reeducation camps.” Most of the attendees were grossly misinformed and it was fairly easy to see that they were relying exclusively on republican manufactured lies propagated by Fox News pundits. Obviously, republicans have a hidden agenda—with racial overtones—and are not interested in civil debate. That’s why they are resorting to shameful, salacious and bigoted scare tactics. The “fix” is in to defeat reform, and degenerate insurers like UnitedHealthcare are buying republican Senators like cheap underwear. I want access to the same affordable options enjoyed by Congress, the military and 8.5 million federal employees. Public option now!

[Bill George]

I'm glad that you and so many others have taken the time to read my article. Despite the importance of health care reform, it's clear so far that the methods used in town hall debates have fallen well short of being productive. What can we do to raise the level of discussion? I would be very interested to hear thoughts on this. - Bill

[gregoriew]

controversy boosts ratings and msm corporation's concern is with profit not with governance or educating the confused

[swebs]

"The media, particularly partisan talking heads, shoulder every bit as much of the burden for the confusion, mistrust, and misplaced rage streaking the landscape.­"

Isn't that the point of the partisan talking heads? You don't think that Hannity and Limbaugh aren't TRYING to confuse people when their party isn't controlling government? Confused people are easier to control.