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Obama the Collaborator Letting Naysayers Neuter Health-Care Fix
There is no health-care debate in the United States. There's not even a debate over principles. You'd think a nation intent on overhauling a broken system that presidents going back to Harry Truman have been trying to fix would want to openly discuss what it wants -- universal care? Single-payer? A private-public combination? Nationalized insurance? Nationalized care? All very different things. None is being aired in congressional hearings and town hall meetings, with one exception: tinkering with more of what we have now.
When even Barack Obama -- the last great hope for reforming the West's trashiest health-care system -- plays into the rhetorical ambushes of reform's enemies, it's clear that the debate has been hijacked by shams over the language of reform rather than its substance. Detractors can lob meaningless phrases like "government-run health care" and "socialized medicine" all day long, knowing that the diversion is enough to keep reform comatose. In an almost hourlong address to the American Medical Association last Monday, Obama couldn't bring himself even once to say universal health care.
He did want to bat off a "concern that's being put forward by those who are claiming that a public option is somehow a Trojan horse for a single-payer system."
"I'll be honest." Obama went on, "there are countries where a single-payer system works pretty well. But I believe -- and I've taken some flak from members of my own party for this belief -- that it's important for our reform efforts to build on our traditions here in the United States. So when you hear the naysayers claim that I'm trying to bring about government-run health care, know this: They're not telling the truth."
But Obama was as guilty as those naysayers for equating such things as "single-payer" with "government-run health care," instead of setting them straight. Medicare is a single-payer, public system. It's not government-run. It's nationalized insurance, but it enables private care. It's similar to what Germany, France and Japan provide all citizens, even (as in France) giving individuals full freedom to have supplemental, private insurance. As such, incidentally, Medicare is also more efficient, more fair, less wasteful, less bureaucratic and more choice-conscious than private insurers. Medicare is one of those "traditions" that work in the United States. Instead of presenting it as America's single-payer system, Obama chose to dismiss the single-payer approach, dishonestly and by association, as "government-run." He made the naysayers' day.
One man is particularly responsible for the hijacking of the debate: Frank Luntz, the GOP pollster. Euphemisms neuter language. Luntz makes you love the knife doing the neutering. He's the man who gave us the ClubMed-sounding "climate change" instead of "global warming," "opportunity scholarships" instead of "vouchers" (you know, backers of private and religious school schemes to steal public education's dollars), "tax relief" instead of tax cuts." His latest, the 28-page "The Language of Health Care 2009," is a how-to manual for reactionaries looking to defeat reform before it's written. "Humanize your approach," accept that there's a crisis, you "MUST be vocally and passionately on the side of reform" -- but only to ride the Trojan horse of opposition to reform.
Here's one of his strategies: "Make no mistake: the high cost of health care is still public enemy number one on this issue -- and why so many Americans (including Republicans and conservatives) think the Democrats can handle health care better than the GOP. You can't blame it on the lack of a private market; in case you missed it, capitalism isn't exactly in vogue these days. But you can and should blame it on the waste, fraud and abuse that is rampant in anything and everything the government controls." (His italics.)
So it's clear that health care is too expensive, that most Americans know Democrats can be more trusted than Republicans to fix it, and that the free market failed the system -- but blame government for trying to fix it anyway (although no one is talking about "government-run health care"), and do so by dishonestly portraying government with the very words that perfectly suit private-sector health care: waste, fraud and abuse.
Not surprisingly, Luntz also is big on painting government as looking to rob patients of choice, impose delays on care or denying it outright, and running up costs -- again, precisely the sins of the current, private-insurance driven system. It's a matter of time before I call my insurer to get "permission" for a medical necessity only to hear some off-shored, slave-wage bloke in Toughluckistan tell me over a stuttering Internet line that my necessity isn't on the approved list, thank you very much.
No wonder the health-care debate is flat-lining. Talking points such as "The Language of Health Care" are as offensive -- and lethal -- as the prison house of junk-rate care they aim to preserve. And for all his skills at countering the pimping of language to crooked uses, Obama is flirting with collaboration on this one.
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58 Comments so far
Show AllWhy should we seniors,congress people and veterans get low cost government initiated health care and not the rest of our citizenry. Mr. Congressman are you ready to give up your health care entitlements for high cost private care???
Why should we seniors,congress people and veterans get low cost government initiated health care and not the rest of our citizenry. Mr. Congressman are you ready to give up your health care entitlements for high cost private care???
"So it's clear that health care is too expensive, that most Americans know Democrats can be more trusted than Republicans to fix it, and that the free market failed the system -- but blame government for trying to fix it anyway (although no one is talking about "government-run health care"), and do so by dishonestly portraying government with the very words that perfectly suit private-sector health care: waste, fraud and abuse."
Luntz will say what he has to as a Republican operative but as long as the Democrats playing cowardly, they'll prove no different from the Republican on solving the health care fiasco.
Were going to raped on this one. I'd guess when this so called REFORM is done we'll be getting a Forced mandate to join a Private so called Health Ins. plan or else be whacked by the IRS. On top of this the extended coverage will be paid for by taxing everyone elses existing health Ins. It's going to be a huge wind fall for the Health care Mafia. Obama will sing the Public Option tune all the way knowing the knife has already been placed in all our backs. Change we can Believe in? For whom?
Obama - Republican Lite without the Lite.
George Bush's third term.
For all of you Obama voters, thanks for all the abuse you dished out to third party voters.
Until 3rd parties organize and unite, you will get the abuse.
Your attitude is keeping you back because the people know this. You don't get it yet, but hopefully some day 3rd parties will decide that political power for the people, instead of the blame game is what they are supposed to be about.
I liked the one spot of humor in the article though...
"It's a matter of time before I call my insurer to get "permission" for a medical necessity only to hear some off-shored, slave-wage bloke in Toughluckistan tell me over a stuttering Internet line that my necessity isn't on the approved list, thank you very much."
Cheer up, things will get worse
Oregoncharles
Third parties have been organizing. You just haven't been there to PARTICIPATE.
All those who could have put some fire into Nader's run or the Green Party were busy crying tears of joy over Obama's historical run, worried about Sarah Palin's expensive clothing, the fact that McCain didn't make eye contact, etc. - all theater meant to bamboozle voters. Remember how noble Obama appeared to be, above it all, right? High theater!
We're not so much blaming but rubbing it in. We want you to get it and we are running out of solutions. If, say, the Green Party is ineffectual, the reason isn't that organizers haven't been working tirelessly, campaigning tirelessly, it's that progressives won't support anyone outside of the two parties. We didn't have enough people to do the work. It does take a lot of work, you know.
I can't tell you how discouraging it was to try and talk sense into Obama worshipers. Many didn't even know what his record was! Several Obama volunteers told me he voted against war funding, another said he voted against the war in Iraq. Nothing mattered. He wasn't Bush or McCain. I understand the fear. The maligning of Nader and the Greens, however, really angered me, considering Nader and McKinney are true progressives with a long record to prove it and Obama is a shill for corporations, also evident by his record.
We've been at this for over 30 years. We could have a powerful, collective voice if we chose to use it. If we put our faith in the lesser of two evils, the duopoly, we will continue the slide to the right. I can guarantee that.
Here is a rallying call ..... Join the collective voice for real change. Join the Greens. Help them plan for the next election. We have trusted progressives ready and willing to act as advisers. We have ballot lines in most states and with your help can get more. If the Greens morph into a coalition party, be there to help make it happen and to guide it.
Good point and thank you, Oregoncharles.
Those howling that it we should shut up and start organizing are trying to divert responsibility.
Not to mention the continued rain of bombs, smart and dumb, on some of the poorest people on earth (Afghanis and Pakistanis), obviously folks voting for Obama approved of his stated intention to escalate the war in Afghanistan and enlarge the US military, which Obama clearly stated he would do well before the election.
Great choice!!
So that is why it is up to you to work to organize and unite so that the majority will get to vote for truth justice and peace.
As the system stands now voting for a "3rd party" is just a wish because the masses have never heard of them or they know they can't win by splitting our votes.
We now have a chance to go way beyond Obama because like you, the masses want to get off the seesaw too.
If the repubs would have won, Hillary would be the prez in 4 years. And that is just the way the seesaw goes.
Since you had no chance to win, with the blame game, try logic this time and ORGANIZE.
You want to clarify, "...they know they can't win by splitting our votes." Because if you're saying what I think you're saying, then you have no credibility.
Clarification?
Oregoncharles
The Greens are as organized as any party with very, very few members can be. There is a limit to what can be accomplished with so few involved.
There's a weird assumption that independent parties, such as the Greens, are able to magically create a large powerful party with millions of members, without millions of members joining and helping to make it happen. Do you know a Samantha-witch or a dream-Jeannie who can simply wink and poof! there's your party to join, all successful and up and running for you.
Get active! We need you.
Jim, when you say "ORGANIZE" what do you mean? The Green party is organized. They however don't have the money to buy "prime time airtime" so the majority of people watching TV don't even know that the GP exist.
No what the Greens need is a way to reach more people, witch unfortunately means raising money. Witch is harder to do than getting people to vote green.
As for using logic, I don't recall Obama using logic during the elections. I do recall Obama reciting beautifully speeches that were prepared for him by a speech writer. I also recall the media fawning over him like his was the next messiah. Well I guess he was the messiah for the elite, but that hardly seems like CHANGE to me.
I got lectured yesterday by some young putz that is a State employee for Pennsyl. He decried the Public option as Socialized medicine no less. I stopped this moron and asked him where he got his generous State policy from and asked him if he was willing to give it up? of course that was different for some reason or another. He didn't see the irony in what he was saying. This is what we've reaped from those 8 yrs. of BV$H. Guys like this only care about No. 1 even when they're already getting their policy paid for by the rest of us.
That's why I moved away from Pennsylvania.
Obama never had to "reach across the aisle." He was already there.
But do you think he will reach across the aisle and help those who elected him?
Naw...
Why are we providing our employees (Government workers) health care benefits which we ourselves are denied?
All of the talk about local Government budget crunches is just that talk. Political rhetoric to justify raising our takes. If Local Governmental entities were actually facing budget crunches, they would be promoting a Federal Single Payer Health Care coverage, which would remove health care costs from their budgets and transfer them to the Federal Budget.
How many resolutions have you seen from Local Governments supporting the Single Payer Option? Not one!! Correct me if I am wrong.
Good point, but just because local governments are stupid, does not mean that they are not going broke.
Conniving, crooked, corrupt, self serving but not stupid. Usualy what they do is well thought out, just not necessarily to the citizens benefit
This another nail in the coffin of a failed corporate welfare system that is crashing and burning. Fiddle on government fools.
It's like we're trying to reinforce the toothpicks holding up a huge pyramid of greed and exorbitant fees for services rendered. The question is not WILL the edifice collapse, but WHEN.
When corporate America chose Obama to be the next president, they were confident that he would tow the corporate line. Unfortunately Obama has so far proven to be another right-wing ideologue who is intimidated by the wealthy elite class around him. Don't expect change with this administration.
Oregoncharles
Wrong! Just wait, just before the next election, when the Repubs are running a frightening right-winger, Obama Dems will throw tiny bits of change-crumbs to us. They don't even have to be real, rhetoric will do. Progressives will begin to salivate, and then a couple more crumbs will drop, all the way to the election.
No single payer.....no helth care reform. Anything less than single payer should be opposed as it will only aid the current system. I'll join with the Republicans and Libertarians on this one unless its changed to single payer. No compromise on this.
Simple betrayal so far.
I agree, and so does Paul Krugman who, on Monday, observed that a deeply-flawed "reform" would discredit true reform for decades.
And, in response to Obama's claim that we must build on our traditions, just what tradition was the congress and FDR building on when they passed the Social Security Act? None is the answer. The tradition, up to then, had been "I've got mine. The hell with everyone else."
Paul Krugman does NOT agree. He is still pushing the idea of a "robust" public option as real reform. It is, of course, no such thing--just an unworkable, fraudulent contrivance, designed to convey a superficial PR impression of reform while retaining the chokehold of the HMOs on the system.
In the past, Krugman has written trenchantly about the virtues of single payer. Now he has drunk the public option Kool-Aid.
It may be that Krugman once supported single-payer, but I remember reading Krugman articles before the 2008 presidential campaign in which he echoed the present Obama position-- more or less that single-payer was the "right" option, but that it was obviously politically impossible to enact.
This self-confirming, self-inflating, self-sealing assertion that "the political will just isn't there" is only true as it pertains to our misfeasant elected representatives. Our politicians, by and large, will never stand up to their real masters, the vested interests and the moneyed elite.
It's painfully obvious that our co-opted political elite is doing all that it can to discredit any health care legislation that threatens the existing for-profit corporate boondoggle. Instead of taking up the cry for a non-profit, non-corporate approach, our treacherous Ruling Class seeks to ignore and extinguish its common-sense public appeal.
So when respected public figures like Krugman argue that Amerika isn't yet ripe to enact single-payer, but instead ought to pursue an interim "public option" that will theoretically allow market forces to erode the entrenched insurance industry, they become Part of the Problem.
Apparently Krugman doesn't doesn't realize that "Not Enough Audacity" is just as true for him as for Obama.
See: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/06/26-3
I glaze over in the face of Economics (i.e., economic theory and discussion), so I can't say whether Krugman is indeed a formidable economic thinker. But his political analysis won't win him a Nobel.
· Yr Obd't Servant
So, our government is acting in it's favorite role, the pimp. We are the "entertainment", the corporations are johns. Line up, rape the public, only a few dollars.
The problem is, the effects of this health care "job" by the government-industrial cabal are sick and dying people, namely us, and our loved ones.
Anybody else had enough? What to do?
Oregoncharles
If you have health care insurance, drop it like a hot potato. If enough of us did that, the companies would be sufficiently punished for their hatred of people and their obscene love of money.
and then promise to support a third party candidate, bringing the duopoly down, down, down until it is so small we can drown it in a bath tub.
How many progressive would get on board?
"... it's important for our reform efforts to build on our traditions here in the United States."
Pretty much say it all.
The U.S. "tradition" of allowing private profit to override every aspect of the people's wellbeing is what makes it the "greatest democracy on earth" -- according to the corporate beneficiaries.
Strangely, many of the human victims with no effective voice in that so-called "democracy" of representation by paid corporate sponsorship also seem to agree -- or at least are unwilling to do what is needed to force any substantive change in the "traditional" system.
Perhaps the U.S. needs to import a few of those brave Iranians rather than merely cheering them from the sidelines. Or Frenchmen. Or Chinese students. Or almost any other "non-traditional" peoples.
Sometimes, it seems, that no reform is better than bad reform. In the US now anytime 'reform' is needed, it is done in a way that serves big money interests which eventually makes the problem worse, like giving more alcohol to an alcoholic.
"...it's important for our reform efforts to build on our traditions..."
Fine traditions like killing 20,000 people a year? Fine traditions like allowing profiteering off of sickness and dying? And our liberal prez winds up on the same side of the propaganda as Lutz. What were the chances?
A fine piece. I would only change one line. "And for all his skills at countering the pimping of language to crooked uses, Obama is flirting with collaboration on this one."
I would say, "With all his skills in pimping language, imagery and the people's desperate need to see our government stop harming and start helping them, Obama colludes with the very same powers that people had hoped would finally be stopped."
He ain't flirting. He's colluding. He's part of the criminal enterprise.
Sioux Rose
PITCH FORK: Good correction. I thought the author was being far too polite and deferential in the face of glaring evidence that ought not warrant such respect.
"So it's clear that health care is too expensive, that most Americans know Democrats can be more trusted than Republicans to fix it..."
-really?
In his speech obama suggested that sometimes it is better to take the pill than have the operation. Thats's what Obama wants us to do-- take the pill--sedate ourselves, numb ourselves to the pain--become unconcious and die. I am not going to take the pill-- I am going to watch this whole excrutiating drama play out-- And I want major surgery for the system by a doctor of my choice.
SEAGLASS (9:25 a.m.) and chessgames56 (12:01 p.m.) have it right ...
The only reform you'll see will be that which follows the template of all 21st-century U.S. governance: An ever-increasing flow of public (and private) money to private corporations, combined with a strengthening of the corporations' legal control over the system and their many subjects (that's you, by the way).
The health of the subjects is of no consequence, though it will appear to get a lively and spirited defence in the coming legislative farce.
However unfortunate, NO reform would be vastly superior to what you're about to get.
This quote is not actually off-topic, just a bit abstract and in honor of the upcoming holiday:
"...That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government..."
"But I believe -- and I've taken some flak from members of my own party for this belief -- that it's important for our reform efforts to build on our traditions here in the United States."
Meaning: if the corporate world isn't going to make a whacking big profit on some governmental initiative, it won't be done. Look at the 'Cold War', the 'war on drugs', the 'war on poverty', the 'war on terror', etc...all 'traditional' American excuses to funnel public money into private pockets. Once a societal problem becomes privatized, and a profit center, the problem becomes permanent - and insoluable.
As reported on Thom Hartman, single payer plans in OECD countries and other developed countries cost between $3500 and $4000 per person per year.
The cost in the US is more than twice - $7500- $8000 per person per year.
These half-price plans address mental health and senior health issues (nursing facilities and home care) as well.
Our government is morally bankrupt when we take orders from criminals like Backass.
And who the fuck are these blue dog representatives who argue for fiscal responsibility?
We are fucking idiots to put up with shitheads like this as our representatives.
Americans must be dumb to put up with these fuckers. The whole world is laughing at us .
No, not everyone is laughing at you. But the incessant U.S. propaganda and proclamations about its system being "the greatest democracy on earth", worthy of export to other nations by force of arms, do cause a few chuckles -- and more than a few tears.
"it's important for our reform efforts to build on our traditions here in the United States"
The price USans pay to be lap dog consumers is listening to extremely poor rhetoric and receiving extremely poor value in their exchange with their masters.
goebbels you nailed it hard.control by corps is what it is. obama is walking on this matter like a man walking on a icey
pond in april. he's got the votes to make this happen just
doesn't have the balls! its demonstration time!
goebbels you nailed it hard.control by corps is what it is. obama is walking on this matter like a man walking on a icey
pond in april. he's got the votes to make this happen just
doesn't have the balls! its demonstration time!
What the hell is this author relying on, that phoney "honor code" system again? If he thinks the Democrats are really the victims, he ain't count his numbers yet. The Republicans are not at fault here. The Democrats, despite their strong majority, are playing the Globe and Trotters game. Both parties need to be thrown into the hurtlocker. If ya'll can't vote your reps out next year in both parties and give us ones who will fight for single payer, then you deserve a sucker status quo.
Better to muddle along on the faux system that we have now than be stuck with a totally privatized system. Why? Because the present non-system, as bad as it is, is better than total privatization with its at least 30 percent rip-off for overhead, profits, not to mention denials of service, deductible, co-pays & such. Even more important, having not forfeited the single payer option, we'll be able to put it in play when the realization sets in that privatization not only is worse than what we had, it's a mass killer. Cause of death? Greed.
People have to be able to seperate the "language" from "The facts" and it very hard to do when those that should be working on behalf of the taxpayer prefer to ignore the facts.
It seems that if the sky blue and you continue to have people of "authority" insist it green over and over again, there will be an ever larger number of people who believe it green.
A case in point.
As most know I am Canadian and I recognize thre flaws with the Canadian system YET if you listen to the news and some of the politicians, the Canadian system is a disaster and we have to PRIVATIZE portions of it to lessen wait times.
What are the facts?
Canadas health care outcomes rate amongst the highest in the World in almost every category.
We live longer then the French and the Swedes. We have either the 4th or 5th highest life expectancy in the world and this with one of the worlds most ethnically diverse populations.
We also have the third highest HEALTHY life expectancy in the world , this behind only Japan and Italy.
We also have one of the least measurable health care outcomes when comparing income ranges. That is just because you are poor it does not mean you will get third class care.
Our system costs a little over half of what the US pays for theirs.
All in all it works pretty good .
One can listen to anecdotes of waiting times until the cows come home , but the NUMBERS give an entirely different picture then the anecdotes.
We can certainly improce the system. I would like to see more provinces use the SAME model for Dental care and drug care.I would liek to see our Native populations see much ebtter care then they are getting. The model DOES work. Its biggest failings are caused by the people who WANT to see it fail and these are typically groups funded by the "For Profit" health and Insurance industries.
So do not let double talk like "a traditionaly American based system" fool you.
Enhanced profits does NOT mean better heath care outcomes.
As pointed out here , we are hearing a lot of "smoke and mirrors" from the opposition to "the public option" which seems to be a government health insurance program . The truth is medical providers order unnecessary treatments in many cases to improve their incomes . This drives up the cost to the insurance companies that raise rates to continue to make profit which puts insurance out of reach for many . If the government got in the business of health insurance for the masses the same thing will happen to that insurance business unless some controls could be put on the health care providers which also have another very rich lobby in Washington . It is time we put the blame where it belongs . On the health care providers . Competition is the only way to reduce the insane increases of health care provider charges . Many Cities , Counties , States , and the US Government own and operate health care clinics and hospitals . Expanding these facilities to offer health care to the public at affordable rates would reduce the number of of Americans with out affordable health care and reduce the number of lobbyist sticking knives in members of Congress because the insurance industries would not have a problem with this since they are not doing business with that group . The medical providers would have a problem because it would be competition like the VA hospitals they love to hate and have been attempting to destroy for decades . Without cost controls on the health care providers this will be just another span of yelling and screaming that dies down to a whisper and the American pain will continue . To change VA hospitals in to public hospitals with Vets retaining their same options will cost a lot less than an insurance program which is a new bureaucracy .
Why is it that everyone who writes in favor of single-payer and defends it as Medicare-for-all does nothing to combat the all-out assault that conservatives have been launching at Medicare for years? If you listen to the MSM, and face it, most Americans do, you'd "know" that Medicare is bankrupting our country (and is almost already bankrupt itself), restricts choice of doctors, doesn't pay doctors enough for their work so they're forced to take on thousands of patients, and it's easily defrauded. While I of course support single-payer and am disgusted by the Kennedy and Baucus bills and Obama's actions in the healthcare "debate", single-payer advocates are not doing a good job at correcting misinformation on even Medicare in the media, let alone Medicare for all.
The Country is not so bankrupt that we can't give trillion dollar bailouts to Wall Street.