Healthcare Reformers: Dance With The Ones Who Brung Ya

How did we get to this moment in healthcare reform and where do we go from here?

We are here in part because some in DC forgot an essential element of life and good manners: "dance with the one who brung ya." The American people who propelled many Democrats and some Republicans to power voted for campaigns that promised transformational change, including universal healthcare. Once the fight between transformers and incrementalists got underway, transformers felt left behind: first, the Wall Street bailouts left less money to help Main Street; then, single payer was off the table before the table was even set; then, word came of the secret deal to undermine the campaign pledge of renegotiating prescription drug prices to benefit more Americans; then, we heard waffling on public option -- all this with no concessions so far from those who didn't bring Democrats to the dance.

We are also here because America struggles with "The Big." We want greatness and yet when we label our enemies, they are Big ___ (fill in the blank) because we sense that they don't share the values of individuals like us. For the past few years, people have expressed fear or loathing or skepticism to Big anything -- and are ditching top-down institutions for local or bottom-up organizations. Ask anyone about Big anything ranging from Big Oil (hate it but like my local gas station attendants) to Big Government (hate it but support my own representatives) to Big Insurance (hate it but appreciate my local agent) to Big Business (hate it but revere small business) to the worst of all, Too Big To Fail. So when Big Change comes along, that's a threat. Any new bureaucracy at a time when we reject The Big brings a shudder to anyone who's ever dealt with a miscreant power tripper in the private sector or public service.

Where to from here? It's not too late for reform -- just dance with the ones who brung ya. We could simplify life with a public option that allows everyone the choice to buy in to Medicare at competitive rates (no new Big Agency needed); requires -- and where needed -- helps subsidize insurance; ends pre-existing conditions, lifetime caps, and dropped coverage; allows renegotiation of prescription drug prices; and, promotes wellness and prevention.

While the dance of legislation can be painful to watch, I still like the Democrats' chances for healthcare reform better than Tom DeLay's on Dancing with the Stars.

Follow Christine Pelosi on Twitter: www.twitter.com/sfpelosi

Comments

[cfinnie]

So right!

Unfortunately, legislators are dancing with the other folks who brought them--the people who paid for their campaigns. As long as their loyalties are split between those who do the work and cast the votes, and the bigs who donate the dollars, we will face this problem.

Full public campaign financing would fix this basic flaw in our democracy.

[JimsObie]

The dance between Democrats and Republicans has gone on and on for so long it almost gets boring. As does the "Dancing With The Stars". The only things we all wait for anymore is to see who will fall and get hurt. And so goes the American public. I think that is just what our government wants. They want sheep following them only looking up at the end to see just who fell, never really getting involved in the middle by being truly informed.

Although the "Big for profit insurance" needs to be taken down, I am not sure this new Health Care is our solution. I urge everyone to visit a VA Hospital. Sit visit for awhile. See the care given. Inquiry about the medicine. Find out if the patients are getting the same as you are getting. They are not. Not the same medical testing, outdated equipment, older medications, inadequate medical staff (doctors included) and the good medical staff has their hands tied by bureaucracy, very few understand the paper work involved so many patients are put into "limbo" and suffer for long lengths of time. Visit your VA Hospital.

[Hal Donahue - Huffpost Blogger]

"...While the dance of legislation can be painful to watch, I still like the Democrats' chances for healthcare­..." So very true and the dance is hardly ever for purists of any stripe. Was it Madison who said something about deliberately creating an inefficient form of government to protect the freedom of the people? I attended a blue dog town hall yesterday in an area once famously said to hold nothing but rocks, rattlesnakes and republicans. Guess what? The audience was roughly evenly divided between for and against reforming healthcare. The tide has turned and rational voices are again coming to the fore.

[pontesisto]

If you would like to help pressure Congress to pass single payer health care in a democratic and constructive way please join our voting bloc at:
http://www.votingbloc.org/Health_Bloc.php

[MauraSatchell]

Well done, Christine, and kudos to those lawmakers determined to hold their ground on the public option. Do Americans not realize this is our country at the very brink? We are at risk of losing our global standing in the world if we do not tackle this in a big way right now! Manufacturers will be priced out of the global marketplace due to the continuing healthcare costs of their workers. Individuals will be forced to pay more and more of their hard-earned wages toward their own portion of healthcare.

I've got another big for you: Big for-profit Insurance! The biggest bureaucracy of 'em all!

[Christine Pelosi - Huffpost Blogger]

For those who support Medicare but oppose a "Big" new agency, an option to buy into Medicare should be the ticket - if Medicare is good enough for some of us, why not for the rest of us? Consider it a public option pilot program with few bricks and mortar startup costs.