Hey, Young Activists: Where the Heck are You on Health Reform?

I spent hundreds of hours working to elect Barack Obama president. Working even harder alongside me were thousands of college students and 20-somethings who used their social networks, taught me the name "Will.i.am," nudged parents and grandparents, knocked on doors, and got out the vote. President Obama would still be Senator Obama if young people hadn't made that heavy lift.

Where are these same young people today? Polls indicate that 18 to 29-year-olds strongly support the President. Yet young people seem fickle and strangely passive, watching from the sidelines as others wage the political knife fight required to get this done.

We can all offer some reasons why: It's hard for 20-somethings to get excited about free colonoscopies or co-ops and the public plan option. Some of this stuff is mind-numbing in its complexity--particularly if you feel decades away from needing most of the medical care we are now discussing. Maybe my own move from HuffPo to tnr.com has soured the younger demographic. Maybe it's summer vacation.

Whatever the cause, young activists need to get past it and step up. It has been embarrassing to see loutish Tea Party types dominate public debate. It was more embarrassing that our wonderful movement that elected America's first African-American president couldn't make a better showing. The absence of energetic young people is palpable. I have been to several town halls. Almost everyone there was over 50. Most were markedly older.

Seniors are doing exactly what they should be doing: getting involved. What about you, young people? Will your voices be heard?

If you are a young person, you may not believe you have much at stake in this fight. You do.

First and most simply, this is the key test of the Obama presidency. Republicans are united right now because defeating health reform would deeply wound the Obama presidency and the entire progressive agenda. A victory in the health reform fight would be a historic achievement. It would also provide President Obama and the Democrats political capital they sorely need to pursue their broader agenda.

Republicans want a repeat of 1993 and 1994. Playing out the clock, exploiting ossifying Senate rules, and exploiting the fears of seniors, they may succeed. If you care about the environment, global human rights, GLBT issues, corporate accountability, and more, you need to be out there fighting for health reform.

Second, you have a more personal stake in this than you think. I've taught thousands of grad students and undergraduates at Yale, Michigan, and Chicago. On average, my students are probably more affluent than the typical reader of this blog. Hundreds have still gone without health coverage for some period. Their reasons varied for going uninsured. Some were between jobs. Some couldn't afford it. Some simply believed they were young and healthy and chose to take a chance rather than pay stiff premiums. Most of the time, things worked out alright, not always when freak accidents or illness strike. H.R. 3200 and the Senate HELP bill would allow parents to keep their young adult children on the family policy until age 26.

Third, you have parents (maybe grandparents), whom you love and who need health reform. It stinks to watch a parent lose her health insurance because she contracts cancer or MS. It stinks to see her stuck at a lousy job because she needs the health care. It stinks to watch people we love facing major financial struggles because they got sick or can't afford the $13,000 full-freight yearly premium for a family of four.

Fourth, you care about the character of our country. Do you want to inherit a nation in which people lose their homes when they get breast cancer or MS? Do you want to live in a country that spends vastly more per capita than any other, yet still doesn't treat people decently? Do you want to live in a country that leaves tens of millions of working people uninsured or underinsured?

Fifth, you want a stable and humane health system that will be there when you will need it. Right now, our traditional system of employer-based health insurance is unraveling before our eyes. Health care is imposing serious and growing burdens on public and private budgets. Fundamental reform is required to set this right.

With all the shouting and recrimination, you may believe that there is nothing you can do. That's wrong. First, learn the facts. Go to nonpartisan websites that explain the similarities and differences among the different bills. Keep up with the New York Times or Washington Post every day, in print or on line. Follow experts such as Jonathan Cohn and Ezra Klein. The bills have complicated details, but the basic structure is simpler than people believe.

Then get involved.

Call or write your Representative or your Senator. Get some of your friends to do the same. You'd be surprised what a real impact this has.

Sit your butt down at a town hall or forum in your community. Be civil but unapologetic in standing up for progressive values. After you attend, write about your experience in a short and clear letter to your community newspaper.

Moderate and conservative Democrats are wavering, at least in part because they fear the intense commitment of the other side. We need to show that we have even greater passion, patience, and determination to win.

Health reform won't be easy, because everyone involved--taxpayers, insurers, providers, and patients--will have to sacrifice something before this is done. The most apathetic and disorganized constituency in this game, young people will not fare well if they--er, you--remain uninvolved.

In other words: Get into the game, guys. We need your help--again.

Comments

[Stango]

In Connecticut, were we out strong for Health Care reform on the State level: http://yaledemocrats.com/?p=80

And we are now working hard to help our President: http://www.fox61.com/news/wtic-pics-obama-watch-party-09-10,0,5053228.photogallery

We are doing our part in Connecticut. Time for students across the rest of the nation to join us.

Ben Stango
President, College Democrats of Connecticut

[lonbwoy]

Where are they??, on the internet, playing games on the playstation and drinking, that where they are

[JuniperSunshine]

And the old people are all off playing bingo...

C'mon, stop with the Ageism.

[JuniperSunshine]

They "choose not to buy coverage" because individual coverage is very expensive, and fails to cover things like prenatal care, birth control, vision, or dental... the sort of health care needs of those Americans. Why should they pay hundreds of dollars for useless coverage? Just to subsidize older folks who want lower premiums? That's pretty selfish.

[BLBass]

Exactly! I would welcome a mandated plan if it was 1) affordable and 2) covered what I need. The way to do that isn't to subsidize me, it's to provide competition on the level of service offered by insurers.

Attempts to provide stripped-down service to build the market among young, healthy adults have failed spectacularly -- they either offer too-comprehensive coverage and become unaffordable; or they offer coverage only beyond catastrophic levels that are far outside anyone's budget, let alone a 20-something just out of college (and usually already hampered with massive debt), and specifically exclude vision care, family planning, preventive care (regular checkups!), dental care, or anything else that younger folks actually need to pay for. Insurance can help spread those costs out, and even with a healthy profit margin and actuarial mumbo-jumbo shouldn't cost more than $50-$75/month BEFORE employer tax breaks/subsidies.

Insurers have had 40 years to prove themselves unable to effectively open their market to competition, but rather hell-bent on maintaining near-monopolies in every major insurance market in the country. We young Americans just aren't willing to play another waiting game with them, because we know what the result will be!

[JuniperSunshine]

"Third, you have parents (maybe grandparents), whom you love and who need health reform." This is not the problem I see.

This is what really needs to be said:
"Note to grandparents. You have GRANDKIDS who need health care reform. How about letting us in on Medicare?"

[jayraye]

JS, guess my comment didn't make it past Huffpo. Anyway, F&F. This is the best plan we can come up with? Turning our young people over to Big Insurance with the IRS as enforcer? And then the Dems will call it Healthcare Reform when it"s really a huge transfer of wealth from our young people to a corupt industry.

[JuniperSunshine]

Eventually the young people will tire of watching rich old folks go to the doctor for every little sniffle on their dime.... while they try and figure out a "payment plan" to pay for their own ER visits. Beware, AARP. That day is not too far away. You still have time to do the right thing and fight for Medicare for All!

[claylandg]

Maybe the 20-30 yr olds that don't have health ins because they choose not to. Maybe it's the Manadate in the plan that has gotten them scared, i don't know to many young adults that want the government to make them pay for ins and if they don't will charge them money. I understand there will be grants for some but not alot of young adults, just a thought as to why they are a no show.

[JuniperSunshine]

Well, then, where are all the articles entitled: "Obama fails to suck up to young people."? All I hear is how important it is to "court" the older folks, how the same people that enjoy socialized medicine for themselves don't want to extend that benefit to the rest of us, and how we need to work with the same insurance companies who are currently killing us. I have yet to hear from more than ONE 20-something in the media being interviewed.

Hey, I'm STILL paying for my son's birth... six years later. My husband and moved 3000 miles away from family members just to get a job with good benefits. This is probably the most important issue of our time. That being said, Gen Xers are notoriously cynical. We suspect that the government will force us to spend even more money for health care premiums, without giving us the relief of a single-payer system. We were raised post-Watergate - we know how this country works, and it's not exactly "of the people, by the people, and for the people". Naturally, I'd love to be proven wrong on this.

[ColoradoJake]

The republicans used the religious right to get bush elected, promised them a bunch and delivered on none. I want to be sure I'm not being used. If the President thinks he can just play to the center and ignore the "left-of-the-left" (ending marijuana prohibition, don't-ask-­don't-tell repeal, prosecution of the former admin, single payer advocates, etc.) because we (20 and 30 yr olds) have no where else to go, I think he is mistaken. I'm watching from the sideline now because this might be the perfect time for a third party.

Besides, the whole system is broken. When 6 senators, obviously bought off by the very industry the legislation is supposed to reform, that only represent a very small percentage of the total population, can compromise­/stall/kil­l the type of legislation 60-70% seek (single payer), what in the bloody hell is that? It's certainly not democracy. Why even try if the WHOLE thing is rigged?

If you really want reform, the answer seems obvious. Just raise enough money to buy back those senators. The only advantage the insurance companies have right now is the ability to apply very large amounts of money to very small, specific places. If that advantage is neutralized, they don't have anything else.

[TRUE BLUE AMERICAN]

This has nothing to do with age, it has everything to do with finding out the truth within the context of what our country was founded upon. I talk to young people all the time and they are simply uninformed or belong to the new generation of " I'm entitled". The old mindset of work hard and be resposnible for yourself is dead. Until it returns the country will spiral downwards. This is a direct cause of the "disease" call liberalism.

[onegandolf1]

I think what needs to be donr is get a few activists embedded into social circles on college campuses to make your point dirrectly to them.

They will become active, but leadership is needed.

[PulSamsara]

It's time to rise and shine young people... this is your future more than it is anyone else's - change it for the better if not for anyone else - than for yourselves.

[logan9]

Uhhhhh... why not advocate single-payer or Medicare for all.

As it stands now that is NOT even possible. And further, I am busy and cannot (like old people) simply stop all that I am doing to rally for Health Care. In case people have forgotten there exists a serious Recession, which hampers the ability to do other things aside from some blogging, commenting and letter writing.

Perhaps some older people should start a new cable TV outlet to combat the GOP loving media. Even MSNBC and others trumpet the drivel from Republican mouths making sound factual. It's sick! And actually, perhaps a better plan than the current one receiving the most air time (Baucus for example) would be a better alternative!

[Scott1560]

Where are all the young activists when it comes to protesting a war we cannot win? You want health care?.......Bring the troops home and save lives!

[YoniBeever]

Young people ae more interested in scoring with the other sex and building their careers. Jusa get stuck in an airport in any major city for a few hours and listen to the 20-somethings and 30-somethings talking around you. As has been noted, they view themselves immortal. The *last* thing you talk aout to your young peers is the health care issue! It's for and about old farts! Distinctly uncool to even bring it up..

[JuniperSunshine]

Nonsense. As a married 20-something with kids, this is THE issue of our time. Perhaps for kids whose only concern is hitting up the folks for more more pizza money......... but the majority of young people do not live such privileged lives. Having universal health care would change my life.

[Redenzyme]

I think many younger people look at the right wing lunacy going on and just tune it out. I completely agree with your piece, but, seriously, I think most realize that you can't have a serious discussion about the issues with people like that. So they don't. We're just waiting for these people to pass away.

Anyway, when I can afford to take a day off work, school, and taking care of my elderly parents, I'll let you know, lol.

[wonketteRAWKS]

They're still stuck on "cool".

[NoOneSpecial]

It's always hard to keep the younger generation focused on issues like this.

But it certainly doesn't help when Obama just diddles the entire summer away only to swoop in at the last moment and make a grand speech after 3 months of right-wing lunacy dominating the airwaves.

Has O made any serious effort to include and engage the under-35 crowd that helped elect him in the health care debate? If he has, I missed it.