Obama Calls "Public Option" Source of "Confusion" in Reform Debate
In the latest signal that he will not echo voter pleas for a robust "public option," President Obama used his Weekly Address to draw attention away from the issue that has galvanized the most ardent supporters of health insurance reform in America.
Emphasizing that the main goal of his reform initiative is "consumer protections," President Obama then went on to say that much of the " fears about government-run health care" were a result of "confusion over what's called the public option".
Contrary to President Obama's argument, however, there is mounting evidence that the passionate demand for a "public option" has finally produced a clear, symbolic focus with the potential to rally widespread support for a healthcare bill amongst the majority of the President's supporters. In this perspective, the problem in the health care reform debate is not public fears stemming from a focus on the "public option," but the vague, evolving language used by the Obama administration in its attempt to rally support for health insurance reform from the health insurance industry itself.
The new effort to switch focus away from the public option comes at a time when grassroots organizations are leading the public in a highly visible, fast growing movement to make the public option the essential element of any health care reform bill.
Part of the reason why these outcries have reshaped the debate in favor of reform is the nature of the phrase "public option" itself.
Whereas the Obama administration has repeatedly pushed the language of economics and accounting in its attempt to rally support for "consumer protections," advocates for the "public option" have invoked a much broader narrative about health as a moral good. The phrase "public option," thus, is gaining ground as the most straightforward and sensible solution to the unethical business practices of insurance companies that cause harm to individuals when they are most vulnerable.
Obama's decision to fend off the cries for a robust public option, rather than join them, suggests that the White House is reluctant to embrace the political risk of treating healthcare reform as a popular movement, choosing instead to approach it as an exercise in legislative negotiation.
For many Obama supporters who supported President Obama's candidacy because they believed he would rally the public to pass a reform agenda, the White House focus on legislative chess in the healthcare debate has resulting in grumbling about whether or not President Obama is the President they voted for. Fairly or unfairly, Obama now faces a rising tide of doubt in his administration from the very supporters who have backed him most steadfastly since the election.
Many of these supporters are now using internet tools and small donations to signal that their support of healthcare reform anchored in a robust public option would be stronger than their support for an Obama administration willing to negotiate away or weaken a public option.
Thus, weeks before any final bill has actually been written, the healthcare debate has already brought about the most significant change in the American political landscape since Obama won the Iowa caucus to become the leading contender for the Democratic nomination.
The idealists who elected the President are siding with their ideals rather than their candidate.
(cross-posted from Frameshop)
Follow Jeffrey Feldman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JeffreyFeldman
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Wow! I'm a freedom loving Aussie and I find this paranoia over decent pubic health care amazing.
We've had it for almost 30 years.
I've expounded on this in many of Huffo's threads but let me simply say... America you deserve better, do not believe the Conservative lies.
NB: It took two goes in my country to get universal Medicare established. The Conservatives got rid of it when they got voted back in. The Labor Party re-established it at the next election after that. And although they have undermined it every time they got back into power the Conservatives don't dare try to get rid of it again. What I am getting at here is you have to push HARD for it- it's NOT going to happen through bi-partisanship.
Why do the Democrats, even with the White House and congress, always get stomped by the Rethuglicans? Lobbying and campaign money! The problem is not that our government doesn't work but that it's for sale to the highest bidder, for whom it works exceedingly well.
As an Obama supporter, I regret to say I haven't been this disappointed in my candidate since LBJ took us into the Vietnam. Maybe the President will find some backbone before his first term is over. If not he, like Johnson, will be elected only once. I wonder if President Palin will push health care reform? (rhetorical)
Obama's election slogan should have been "Yes we can, but we won't if it upsets the conservati
What we should be talking about is extending Medicare to everyone. Unfortunately that, like impeachment, investigating the politicizing of the Justice Department, torture, and the lies justifying the preemptive Iraq invasion, has been unilaterally taken off the table by Democratic cowardice. The next item to be meekly surrendered is the public option. Reform is lipstick on a pig without a public option, cosmetic change only. A reform bill will be passed during this congress but it will be a bill that reforms little. Then the President can claim a victory while the HMOs, big pharmaceuticals, and insurance companies and get exactly what they've bought and paid for.
Does anyone else find it ironic that one of the few Democrats with any backbone is the openly gay Barney Frank?
There will be no health care reform in the US. None. Why? Health care is not care in the US. It's like everything else. It's an industry. That is the problem. Human health is a for profit industry. Those who can afford live; those who cannot afford, die. I don't see the problem. After all, the US is all about markets, and sick people are not marketable. The US is all about money, not people. Look at your history. The US is a place where rules are made for those who have the bucks to buy government. It's always been that way. Now more so than ever. Those who can pay will live, those who can't, the US cares NOTHING about you. Pay to play. And in the US, that is the way it should be.
"...siding with their ideals rather than their candidate.
And THAT, right there, is the difference between conservatives and liberals. Conservatives cannot admit when they are wrong so will continue to support their candidate no matter what his policies are (see George W Bush), whereas liberals will stick to their ideals and admit their candidate makes mistakes.
It’s time to start over on health care reform here is how.
Offering a choice in the United States to use free public health care funded by a national sales tax or using private systems paid for with private funding would allow proponents of each system the opportunity to use their choice.
All government mandated programs could be distributed through government hospitals at a fraction of the costs spent now by taxpayers to private systems, and the new system would produce true savings of hundreds of billions of dollars annually from the $2.5trilli
Government needs to become the basic necessities no frills provider of health care.
Businesses which select public care for their employees should have no further involvement to either pay anything for care or be involved in any way with health care.
Private insurance and care providers should no longer be required to subsidize indigent and preexisting condition patients or deal with government mandates.
Going back and forth between free public, and user purchased private care, may suit some people, and it would provide unlimited choices, ultimate freedom, and always free public care would be available when it is needed or desired to everyone who asks for it with no restrictions.
Public option is very straight forward: for two decades now HMOs have been cash cows during your younger years of well being when premiums serve as profits. The HMOs focused on denial of proceedures to doctors who had to ask HMOs for permission-- so that shows up the "nothing between you and your MD" in for-profit HMOs crap-- and the cutting off of services, raising of premiums AND increasing deductibles while capitating MDs with massive numbers of patients in order to continue making big profits off premiums in your siclier years, have degenerated American medicine so that the US in THIRTY FIVE in world on longevity. Now, suddenly, everyone admits that we need a lot of expensive up-front investments to reform healthcare and make it cheaper and better in the future. BUT NONE OF THE FOR-PROFITS ARE WILLING TO INVEST THE CAPITAL FOR REFORM. So if GOV is going to do it, it has to do it as NOT FOR PROFIT SINGLE PAYER because your taxes should not be profits for HMOs. YOUR healthcare will cost YOU AND YOUR doctor a lot less than it does now because there will be no 35% of the healthcare pot to going for profits. Single payer returns healthcare to NOTHING BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR DOCTOR for less, not for more.
Now is the time for the President and the Democratic party to walk the walk. The health care reform issue is the most important domestic issue facing this nation. If we don't get this done then we should forget the rest of the changes that they promised us. The big corporations have won. It is time to make if very plain that there will be consequences for failure.
Isn't it strange that the President never promised a 'public option' during the campaign.
Politifact
****Updated: Wednesday, August 19th, 2009 | By Angie Drobnic Holan
This week, alert readers asked us how we were rating President Barack Obama's stance on the public option. That's a promise, right? they asked.
Well, no. We looked in our Obameter database for a promise the public option and couldn't find one.
We were surprised at first. After all, in recent days it feels like we hear the term "public option" a million times.****
Ah, so he didn't promise it so no one should want it. I see how that works. No legislation should be passed that wasn't discuss and promised during the primary season, because as we know politicians ALWAYS deliver on their campaign promises and that keeps them so busy that there is no time for anything that the people actually want and need. Pretty good deal for the Prez, but not so much for the people.
Is Obama still having those ridiculous Wednesday night cocktail parties to make nice with everyone? I'm no fan of the insane republicans but one of them pointed out that it took Obama 6 months to pick out a dog. A big exaggeration for sure but it's telling. He wanted the legislation done quickly when no one had read it then he went on a town-hall tour to explain it as though that's what he had planned to do all along. It's like he has his feet on the gas and brake pedals at the same time. Hence, the erratic journey of the health care issue. The gutter-ball he threw while bowling during the campaign was a sign of things to come.
They say the legislative process is like watching sausage being made. I wonder how many insect parts, rat hairs and feces will end up in the final health care loaf.
***I wonder how many insect parts, rat hairs and feces will end up in the final health care loaf.***
Only one - - - you, when you join.
http://www
Whatever dude, you and your ilk are asking us to accept half a loaf, there are those of us who don't want crumbs, we've been watching Democrats bow down to Republicans and Big Business for too many years (since the 60's) and thought that Obama with all his talk of No Lobbiests, Changing the Way Washington Worked and Yes We Can! actually meant what he said. We elected a majority of Democrats in the Senate, we thought the same of them. NOW is the time for Health Care for all. It should be a right not something for the Wealthy.
Its not our fault that we believed what Obama was selling.
People are one accident, one illness, one diagnosis, one layoff, one natural disaster, one random event from medical / financial demise. The US ranks 38th in the world on lifespan and life beginning, and near the top in human suffering.
France, Canada, Tiawan, Great Britian, Germany, Sweden, Japan and others: All these nations have us beat in outcomes with health care that they consider to be a right of their people because they live in wealthy nations. These nations provide universal health care that is cheaper and more efficient and takes care of all their people.
Only the US rations health care based on station in life, and then has the gall to lie about how great US health care is. First we hurt our citizens, then we lie to them. They only get away with this because the populace is ignorant.
The Democratic leadership needs to hear from us all, loud and clear. We are a better country than this. We should not accept the coverups, and we need to get rid of the dirty money influence that buys votes, and pervades the politrical landscape. We Democrats need to stand up and say that it stops here. The "big government" argument is nothing but a straw issue, to prevent everyone from addressing this real American tragedy.
I do not live in a civilized country, yes, the Christians who are so vocal about the unborn, will let the living die for lack of health care. I find that truely American. And it will get worse. No reform will ever happen in this for profit US, none. It's just going to get more extreme. I notice the media rarely covers things like all those people without health care lining up for free health care in CA a couple of weeks ago. But why would they? They are corporate. The US sucks, people, all you good Christian people who worry about your bucks while your fellow citizens, many who have worked all their lives, die for lack of basic health checks.. Sick freaking country.
The Obama administration would see they're most ardent supporters start backing them again and not our own ideals if Obama would simply give up on wishes of bipartisanship. Turning the task of writing these important bills over to the house is Obama's fundamental flaw. Obama should start talking to the democrats before proposing legislation and then putting together proposals himself, that are clear and understandable, then rallying the democrats for support. We, the democratic base of this country, haved stacked the deck to make progress on the issues important to us and Obama is misplaying his hand. We have sixty seats in the senate, if we could just support each other on these issues we could pass legislation without the need for reconciliation. Obama should hit the reset button and write up a proposal for health care reform and lay it out to the people of this country, taking the responsibility for the bill and rallying his base to pass it on democratic votes. It is the vagueness that leaves the republicans and the special interests the opening they need to squash the bill. The republicans have voted no on every proposal during the Obama administration, what makes him think that is going to change on this issue? It needs to be clear cut and easily understood. Laid out to the public by the president himself. The progressive movement can then put their efforts into pressuring democratic members of the house and senate.
Obama promised health CARE reform, not insurance reform, but now all he talks about is insurance reform.. The ONLY reform we need is to eliminate the" for profit" insurance companies. All they are is a bill collector. Doesn't anyone in the country know how to pay a bill anymore? Open your own savings account and deposit the money you are giving to the insurance companies to "save" for you, for the day you need it. (A major incident every 10 yrs. per their statistics). So, add up how much you have paid the insurance companies the last ten years. At $500/mo, that equals $60,000! You would have plenty to cover yourself. What do you think the insurance companies are doing with your money? They are investing it and profiting. So, do it yourself.. We have been brainwashed in this country to have someone else do everything for us. Independence people! Take care of yourself, eat healthy and PREVENT your illnesses.
Government subsidized from the money we throw away on senseless wars to fund a public clinic in each major city/state. Find the $3.4 trillion that disappeared from the Pentagon (probably sent to Israel under Dov Zakheim, controller in 1999 & 2000) prior to 9/11. Ask Rumsfeld.
Losing this one, and keeping things as they have been, like the Republicans want, is a sure recipe for disaster, and the ones who will suffer, not the rich Republicans or Democrats, but the millions of uninsured people who are lost in the shuffle, and stand to lose every thing at the first medical emergency they have.
If Obama fails, the majority of Americans fail, including those ranting, simple-minded protestors, who haven't a clue why or what they are protesting.
The only winners will be the insurance companies, who love the system as is, and for obvious reasons. If America wants what’s best for the insurance companies, then by all means go ahead, attack and destroy the only decent and compassionate leader you’ve had in a very long time, and let, with your ignorance, corporate America and its corrupt politicians win.
For Christ’s sake, let your clear, unadulterated conscience guide you for once. Get your facts right, don’t watch Fox for a couple of days to detoxify your mind and soul, then think and decide for yourself; and for a change- don’t let any one do the thinking for you. Be your own man, your own mind and your own conscience.
I'm one of those "simple-minded protestors"; which point would you like to discuss as to the reasons we are protesting amongst the myriad of issues?
The Evil Public Option
http://the
In the town where I grew up, there were a couple of mom and pop bookstores, called Borders, and Barnes & Noble. These small businesses, the backbone of our economy, provided each other with a healthy competition in the spirit of the American Dream.
Then one day, a “public option” was forced upon my little town offering books to people for FREE! How could our little mom and pops ever hope to compete with that? Some called it a “library." I called it a nazi-loving beauracratic nightmare. This evil library let people take home a whole STACK of books for up to a MONTH at a time! Sure, sometimes people had to wait a little bit for bestsellers, but still. No one on the planet could possibly compete with this kind of undermining of the free market.
Soon after this public option library came to town, Borders and Barnes & Noble were forced to close up their small businesses, costing hard-working Americans their jobs, and bringing us one step closer to Stalinist Russia. That is why I will never again support a public option of any kind for anything. I love America too much. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to the post-office, which means I have to drive all the way past the fire house, the public elementary school and the police station, so I’d better get going.
The problem with this argument is that you find that very good book and you don't own it. You can't pass it down to your children so they can be inspired by it or even keep it on your bookshelf. The benifit though is that you don't get stuck with every over anticipated piece of garbage out their either. Personally I go on Amazon and have them delivered right to my front door. You know that company competing in today's free market. The problem with the mom and pop store in your town is technology not the library. The poor public option library now has to compete with the evil internet. What is this world coming to? Just another ideotic republican argument.
The first problem with this argument is Borders and Barnes & Noble are hardly mom and pop operations. Barnes & Noble is the largest book seller in the US. Borders, which started as a small store in Ann Arbor, is now an international corporation. The second problem is that both of these companies began in the 20th century way after public libraries were established in the US. Public libraries in various forms go all the way back to colonial times. The third problem is the long standing history of the richest among us having their own libraries and looking down on the "less fortunate" who can't afford to buy all the books they want to read. Good public libraries are the backbone of a literate society.
DIET -- CORRUPTION -- CAPITALISM
Except for starving nations we Americans have the poorest health. And all because we are the richest nation and can afford the richest diet, a 50% fat diet on the average.
And so, let us pay for healthcare by a 20% tax on any food that is over 20% fat. And let us give $2,000 a year to everyone with no medical expenses. Medical industry now consumes over $8,000 a year for every man, woman and child, and research studies estimate that a bad diet causes over 80% of illness.
We are all selfish, and that is why doctors do things like charge a referral fee of 40%, a full 40% kick-back of all moneys received by any specialist they refer patients to.
And so, like Sweden, like utility companies, we need strong government oversight that allows nothing to be done in secret.
We now have capitalist medicine, which is the freedom to compete for excessive wealth, which is the freedom to enrich yourself upon the misery of the sick. Result being that virtually all doctors retire millionaires.
We also have public charity medicine, Medicare which is funded by tax donations from the public. For surely it is not "government medicine" when it is paid by the public, and only for the public. For it is democratic medicine in the truest sense of the word.
For surely, any man would be corrupted by the practice of making a profit off the misery of others.
REFORM HEALTH -- BANKRUPT PROCESSED FOOD AND MEDICAL INDUSTRY
The average American diet is 50% fat, and this causes over 90% of illness.
And so, true healthcare reform would require a high tax on refined food, and a diet with only 10% fat. Which would close down half the processed food plants, bankrupt most hospitals and make our super-intelligent super-rich most unhappy.
So Alabama John, you are saying that the government would get to decide what I can eat. This is indeed the logical long term outcome of publicly funded healthcare.
Who makes the decision about what is healthy or not? The conventional wisdom changes constantly. 15 years ago fat was bad, now its sugar. Unless your are vegetarian, then its meat that is bad. Hmm, my bet is that special interests and political money will decide what is "good" or "bad".
Next, a black market will develop for the "bad" foods for those who want to avoid the taxes and bans, thus enriching criminals. Will I get arrested for eating black market candy bar?
I dont want to live in a country that tells me what I can or cannot eat, and so it follows that I want to be responsible for my own healthcare and my own health decisions.
Yup, your crazy!
It'a done through encouragement and information. If you want to eat a stick of butter, I don't think anyone is going to stop you. Smoking cigarrettes isn't so good for you either.
" The idealists who elected the President are siding with their ideals rather than their candidate.
The Health Care Industry like the Ag Industry, and their paid representatives, are not going to make some sudden altruistic change and do what's best for society. Profit is the business of business, a healthy populace is the business of government.
If the government forces the Health Care Industry to adopt no-deny and no-pre-existing conditions, they will just tack that onto premiums. Where does the Cost Control come from without a fair priced, non cartel, option? And it should be partially supported by a small tax on the wealthy, after all it's the corporate arena ,and their overpaid CEOs, that stand to profit the most from healthy workers, whether it's a meat packing plant or a mutual fund.
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