Words Designed to Kill Health Care Reform

Over and over again, I hear from Oregonians that we need real health care reform that provides every American with access to quality, affordable care. That is why Congress and President Obama are so focused on this issue.

Of course there are folks in the insurance and hospital industries, from the medical profession, and both political parties who will have different ideas about how to achieve our goal. But I was shocked when I read a memo from Republican strategist Dr. Frank Luntz laying out plans to dismantle any effort to give all Americans access to quality health care. Dr. Luntz, the man who developed language designed to promote preemptive war in Iraq and distract from the severity of global warming, is at it again -- this time with a messaging strategy designed to sink our historic opportunity for health care reform.

Let's be clear: this is not a strategy to push certain ideas about health reform. It is a strategy intended solely to kill reform efforts altogether. In his own words, Dr. Luntz has stated, "You're not going to get what you want, but you can kill what they're trying to do."

Not surprisingly, since the American public is strongly in favor of fixing the broken health care system, the Luntz strategy is predicated on deception.

In his memo, Dr. Luntz lays out multiple ways that opponents of health care reform can trick and manipulate the American public. One strategy that stood out to me is to call efforts to reform our broken health care system a "bailout for the insurance industry." This is ridiculous. This statement is developed to serve the same interests who stopped at nothing to derail health care reform in the 90's, who blocked health care coverage for low-income children, and whose top Medicare priority for 15 years has been transferring money from seniors and taxpayers to the insurance industry.

When support for a prescription drug benefit in Medicare became too powerful to ignore, President Bush and his allies created the convoluted system we now have. Rather than simply add a prescription drug benefit to the tried, true, and popular Medicare program as Democrats wanted, they devised a giveaway for insurance companies. For years Dr. Luntz's clients have virtually abdicated health care policy making to the insurance industry; the last thing it needs is a bailout.

Today though, even the insurance industry is engaged in constructive negotiations about how to repair the health care system. Unfortunately for the vast majority of Americans who support reform, however, Dr. Luntz's new game plan to stop change is being embraced by leaders in the Republican Party. In a briefing where Dr. Luntz presented his strategy to Republican House members, Rep. Mike Pence from Indiana, the chairman of the House Republican Conference, made it official by saying, "Frank is back."

So expect a massive misinformation campaign coming to a health care debate near you. Opponents using Dr. Luntz's doublespeak will argue for a "balanced, common sense approach" to health care but what they really want is to keep the system the way it is. They'll say that a public plan will not be "patient centered," but their real goal is to block accessible health care for every American. They'll say reform will deny Americans "choice" even when every American will be allowed to keep their health insurance and their doctor. They'll claim that the "quality of care will go down," while callously ignoring the fact that millions of Americans have no health care at all and millions more are denied the medications and procedures they need.

What we are seeing, yet again, is that while Dr. Luntz and his clients may have excellent polling data, they are utterly clueless about what the American people want.

But, I have to give Dr. Luntz credit on one front: he points out that Republicans need to appear to be on the "right side of reform" or they lose the health care argument. The problem is that you can't fake support for reform. You're either for improving the quality and affordability of health care or you're against it. You're either for expanding coverage to every American or you're against it. At the end of the day, no matter what talking points they use, each member of Congress is going to have to vote for or against improving our broken health care system.

With small businesses and families being buried by rising costs, with 47 million uninsured, millions more underinsured and American companies losing ground against their global competitors, it is evident to anyone that our health care system is broken. There are Republicans and Democrats, insurance executives and patient advocates, physicians and hospital representatives all working to meet one of America's most pressing challenges. We certainly do not all agree on what a reformed health system should look like or how to get there, but there are people on all sides who are negotiating in good faith. The country deserves that debate on the merits, not poll-tested attack lines intended to prolong the broken system we have today.

Comments

[devans00]

Quote
"Not surprisingly, since the American public is strongly in favor of fixing the broken health care system, the Luntz strategy is predicated on deception.­"

I expect every major change in the flow of money to corporations the Obama Administration tackles to be a hard fight. They'll have to battle against the well funded Deception Machines of whatever industry they take on. I just hope a high enough percentage of Americans are smart enough to see through the smoke screens and support the choices that will help the majority of Americans.

[WhatMemoryHole]

Luntz is back. At least they're honest about it. He's been the behind-the-scenes wordsmith and talking point wizard controlling much of the rhetorical doublespeak of the Republicans over the past decade+. He's actually a pretty brilliant guy, sadly putting his efforts in helping the rightwing misinform the country. The damage he has done to the environment (he was key in helping the 'climate change is still a debate') is beyond words.
Here's this excerpt from Wikipedia:

In a 2002 memo to President George W. Bush titled "The Environment: A Cleaner, Safer, Healthier America", obtained by the Environmental Working Group, Luntz wrote: "The scientific debate is closing [against us] but not yet closed. There is still a window of opportunity to challenge the science...­Voters believe that there is no consensus about global warming within the scientific community. Should the public come to believe that the scientific issues are settled, their views about global warming will change accordingly. Therefore, you need to continue to make the lack of scientific certainty a primary issue in the debate, and defer to scientists and other experts in the field."

[Khirad]

Actually I second you on that. I can be totally against someone and thing they're a creep yet recognize their brilliance. To do otherwise, would be folly. If you went through the Bush years without hearing the name Luntz, well, maybe that was part of his plan. He's been on C-Span a few times. And as to the Wikipedia page, it is ironically poetic that he passed off 'Orwellian' in the sense of his essay, Politics and the English Language, not 1984. That itself is the pure misdirection of Luntz.

P.S. Thanks Senator Merkley! The family and I even got my apolitical sister to vote for you.

[DrFox10451]

This should not be about rhetoric. I am a primary care physician in a community health center. My patients cannot afford their medications. My patients without health insurance cannot get specialist care or diagnostic testing. I feel like I fight an uphill battle everyday trying to take care of sick people who simply cannot afford to pay for health care in our profit driven system. Shame on you Dr. Luntz. We need ideas to fix this system, not clever phrases to block reform.

I've commented further on this here:

http://www.socialmedicine.org/2009/05/07/us-health-care/frank-luntz-advocates-stoking-fears-with-the-language-of-health-care-2009/

[WorkingClass]

Thanks Doc. My wife, a Medicaid patient, has sustained a spinal injury in a traffic accident. Its been a nightmare.

[JM817]

Thank you, as a doctor, for speaking out about this. I currently live in the UK, where even though I am not British, I am permitted to use the NHS because I live here legally, year-round. My local practice has two doctors and a nurse. People from at least six or seven small villages use the practice. The doctor goes to two or three other small villages weekly for patients who can't travel maybe five miles to get to the main practice. They can do simple diagnostic tests there. It reminds you of a doctor's office in the 1950's if you remember what they were like. The atmosphere is warm and friendly. Americans will immediately think "1950's," but remember that the average British person lives longer than we do, and they don't pay a dime to go to the doctor. If they can afford it, they do pay for prescriptions, but most of those cost about $12.00 on average for a month's worth of treatment.

[JuliaRain]

Thank you, Dr.

[PigLipstick]

Americas Health Insurance companies, toll booths on the U.S. Healthcare Highway that add their 18 to 20% overhead to existing costs and contribute nothing to improving healthcare delivery. To even attempt to keep this current system alive is to aid and abet the annual death of 20,000 Americans who are unable to pay, based on an ongoing survey run by the American Institute of Medicine. It's hard to swallow the Right Wing's claims of America being a Christian nation while we deny life saving medical procedures to citizens whose only crime is being poor. It is truly a Pay or Die system !

[AGarcia]

Healthcare is a Human Right.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/30629823#30629823

[Chip W]

If it's a human right to be provided health care, then it's a human obligation for others to provide it.
No, health care for everyone is a societal value, not a right.

[helen]

And what is wrong with a societal value that values life??

[John Horner]

"No, health care for everyone is a societal value, not a right."

By that measure the Bill of Rights are enumerates societal values.

[JoDeeVa]

Oh, yeah..Fran­k Luntz, clever like a FOX (news). The guy that brought us Newt Gingrich's "Contract with America" and such as his infamous comment that the key to survey polling is "to ask a question in the way that you get the right answer"...­for clients like Pfizer!
So, enlighten me, please..wh­y would anyone trust him, his excellent polling data and political strategy on health-care reform..re­ally, exactly why?
http://www.milkandcookies.com/link/83212/detail/

As far as I'm concerned, the only things he was EVER right..er, uh..correc­t about:
~Bill Maher is brilliant and has the best show on television.
~Barack Obama will be the next President.­..

Too bad he doesn't see the light more often and, when he does..use his insights to advocate on behalf of those truths, instead of using them as the strategical impetus for the Republican attack tool against them..back­ed up by his skewed polling!

**We love our new Senator, Jeff Merkley!!**

[Shinto]

You are missing the point. He has figured out that most Americans aren't as smart as you and can easily be deceived to work against their own interest.

[GlobalOne]

The USA has one of the worst health care systems in the developed world.

Paying health care insurance can keep a family in poverty and one could argue that is one of the benefits for the GOP, a compliant population. It is one of the major stressors in an American's life.

Go to a country like Australia where in 1974 they (Labor government) introduced a universal health care system. Everyone can access health and hospital care free. They can have their operations and procedures free. Hospital stays free. They pay 1% of their net income as an annual 'medicare levy'. And medicines are heavily subsidized.

Those who want to access the Private hospital industry can buy additional private medical insurance which for a family costs about AUD$1,200 per year and covers operations, procedures, hospital stays, dentist and glasses. So for somebody on $100,000 a year they can access public and private health care system for under AUD$3,000.

The system isn't perfect and is always needs to be improved. But for the average person compared to the USA the Australian system is light years better.

Health care is a major jobs provider, a healthy population is a major productivity driver and it is a fundamental responsibility of govt to its people.

The GOP want to block any changes because it is all about putting money into the pockets of Insurance companies and private hospitals.

[Foreground]

*holds up lighter and sways to the truth*

[Hempy]

The lack of national healthcare is as much a security threat to the nation as is an armed attack.

In fact, a bioterrorist attack could be more disabling to the US than an armed attack.

Dick Cheney's water boarding didn't stop an anthrax attack. The perpetrators of that attack are still unknown and loose just like Osama bin Laden.

[Foreground]

OTOH, water boarding Dick Cheney may well go a long way to making the victims of an anthrax attack feel better.

[WritusMaximus]

Expect some democrats to side with the insurance industry in this fight. These "democrats" will obviously camouflage their opposition to health care reform as something other than fighting against the uninsured, the poor, the children. These "dems" are sure to study Luntz's manifesto in order NOT to use its language, otherwise they'd sound just like repubs. Wouldn't be surprised if the Obama administration "compromises" and we wind up with no real reform.

[PigLipstick]

You can bet on it, we would have done better with McCain and I'm a life long Democrat !

[patricksmom]

Sure, we could have gone with McCain's plan to make us all uninsured; a plan for $5000(family)L would have been fantastic!

[JRsNana]

If you honestly think this country would be better off with McCain then you are a total idiot. Seriously.

[RenoSage]

I read in Wickopedia about 'single payer health care". There is a list of countries that now have
universal health care. What caught my attention is that little Taiwan issues to every citizen an electronic
card containing his health history and it is this card that is handed to the doctor when there are health
services. Little Taiwan has universal health care.

If Dr. Luntz spent half the effort promoting a realistic and acceptable plan, think what the results could be.

[Bushwillresign]

If the republicans were working "for" America instead of "against" America there would be no problems. Or, United we stand, Divided we fail.

[wordvarc]

Out "Dr. Luntz!"

His name, spin, and past lies need to be highlighted
as clearly as rove was called out for his continuous doublespeak.

[lysistrata]

The genius of the republicans is there ability to beat the daylight out of the people and telling them how good it is for them and they will yell, yes, yes and beat me some more. Are Americans masochistic?

[dianhow]

No but some must be either awfully dumb or just uninformed .

[Chic Bowdrie]

The dem lie is even more cruel. They say whatever will get them elected no matter how bad it is for the country.

[patricksmom]

The democrats plan for universal healthcare isn't a lie. It has been accomplished in countries all over the world. I don't know of one developed country that wants a healthcare system like ours.

[dianhow]

MR LUNTZ IS A POINT MAN FOR THE FAR RIGHT. iTS SO OBVIOUS.
Believe it or not - on the Ron REagan show he said this - ' Hannity was making fun of Obama's asking for Dijon mustard on his burger' !!! What ?? If they are stooping to petty stuff- they must be out of real AMMO ' against Obama. They are so pitiful No wonder only 2 1 % admit to being a Repub. as a former REpub- REagan / Bush sr ) I can't believe what the right is putting out there. It's desperatio­n...

[WorkingClass]

Frank Luntz wants you to get sick and die. Unless you are rich of course. What would you say to a man who wants you to be denied medical assistance when you are sick or injured? What does Frank Luntz hope to gain by your suffering and dying? Well, there is money of course. And he has his reputation as a world class lier to consider. Or maybe Frank Luntz justs hates you and me and everybody who is not rich. Maybe Frank Luntz is a sociopath. I dunno. Go figure.

[marye13]

Seems to me that the best way to thwart their plans is to make sure everyone is aware of L utz's ideas - everytime they come up with a diversion it should be pointed out. That's what should have happened about the war and all of the other disasters from the past 8 years. But it didn't and that's why we are where we are.

[dianhow]

Agreed