The Tiny Window
By Pat Racimora on August 16, 2009 at 5:15 PM in Health Care, Universal Health Care
I know this isn’t much of a cartoon. But it’s the look that I needed to illustrate what I think you will find much more interesting in my story.
When I was doing health care research for General Wes Clark’s team a few years ago, I gained some fascinating insights into what it would take to get health care reform. It boiled down to a list of factors that should be aligned at a single point in time for it to work, given the complex way we do business in our country.
I think I see why Obama’s team gave it a big push now, but I also believe that they jumped the gun with a too-hasty and risky proposal. See what you think.
Here is what should be lined up in order for a health care reform bill to pass easily through that little window of time. Notice that some are currently in place, but most are too bulky to wiggle through right now. (My comments in italics.)
1. The political landscape needs to be dominated by one party (i.e. who controls decision-making, primarily Congress and the Executive Branch). This one Obama has solidly on his side.
2. The President has the ability to pull people together (“a uniter”). Well, he has a lot of fans and a lot of detractors. And his poll numbers are slipping, which may be part of the reason a premature, ambiguous plan was pushed before the numbers sank any lower.
3. The people are willing to give government a chance to do something right and competently. Awful timing here. People are now watching helplessly as our treasure depletes with no major observable results while also witnessing gross corruption coupled with governmental ineptitude to even detect it.
4. The medical establishment realizes that health reform is inevitable, so it is best to join the team to help shape it than to fight it. (This happened in Canada.) The American Medical Association has endorsed the plan, but the AMA is no longer representative of practicing doctors. Furthernore, Obama’s several recent suggestions that doctors care more about lining their pockets than helping people has not gone over well–at least not with my wonderful and compassionate doctor.
5. A resurgence of working class organizations and unions. This seems to be on Obama’s side. Organizing groups continues on the heels of the stunning organizational capabilities of Obama’s campaign.
6. Our foreign affairs concerns, if not solved, must be stabilized. This depends on who you ask, but a lot of turmoil remains in the Middle East and we are still right in the thick of it.
7. The economy must appear to be on the mend (more jobs, less reliance on foreign oil, etc.). I don’t see many green sprouts yet, and people are still losing homes and jobs.
8. Demands for health reform from powerful social or political groups. Obama has powerful allies here. And powerful opponents.
9. A weakening of current health care markets, such as an increase in “high profile” criticisms of for-profit HMOs. Well, people are pretty fed up, and yet the majority of Americans like the devil’s insurance they have more than the devil’s plan they don’t know.
10. A rise (or resurgence) in national pride and a return to the exercising of fundamental values such as caring for others. Well, I don’t see it yet. Maybe people are too busy trying to survive.
11. A savvy social marketing campaign for health care reform. Given that Obama won the election despite a thin resume, satisfying this factor should have been a piece of cake. But a goofball decision to ask people to report those sending out information that disagrees with Obama on health care directly to the White House, and the more recent unsolicited White House emails from spinmeister David Axelrod, have many people more worried about violations of their privacy. In the meantime, the opposition is spending a small fortune of its own to promote its agenda.
12. A mechanism for rapid communication of ideas/programs that the public views to be in its own best interests and that successfully counters the fear tactics by opponents. We are watching this play out now. It’s quite an ugly (and expensive) spectacle.
13. Ideally some substantial degree of healing between Democrats and Republicans or at least a strong bipartisan agreement that health care must be enacted. Bipartisanship remains as feeble as a newborn calf.
14. Meaningful lobby reform, cutting off to some extent powerful interest-group access. A big Obama promise that has been badly broken is coming back to poke him in his privates. Deals seem to have been made with corporate entities that have a lot more to gain from the plans floating about than do our people.
15. Public financing of elections, again, reducing the influence of powerful interests. Maybe someday, but not even on the horizon. One gets the sense that incumbents care more about retaining their jobs than adjusting our system to make for a more level playing field.
16. Agreement on the shape/scope of a health plan from among various health care reformers. So far the majorities favoring health care reform have been unable to coalesce around a single plan.
17. A significant external shock (e.g., skyrocketing health care costs threatening the collapse of our economy, a major health care scandal, a plague or natural disaster or terrorist attack that injures large numbers of young and healthy middle and upper-income Americans, or other unfortunate occurrences that force change). Well, health care costs are skyrocketing, but the problem with what is being put forth is that no one quite understands it or how it will be funded.
So, out of 17 factors I see no more than a handful that are adequately met at this time. I am one who agrees we need health care accessibility reform, but this time around seems to be way too little way too fast.
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I don’t agree with Barack Obama about anything but it would be foolish to deny he has a lot of strong allies. I am praying these bills all fail. We need REAL reform (stop lawyer windfall malpractice profits; let insurance companies sell policies across state lines; open up the flexible spending account and catastrophic insurance laws to be more usable). This is not reform. It’s a huge power grab by the statists in congress. They don’t seem to care if they keep their majority past next year!
Yep. Just get it done at all costs, just so we can say we did! I can no longer stand democrats!
I think most of your observations are accurate but one that does not seem accurate is:
8. Continuing advancements in medical science, medical technology, and pharmacological treatments (especially those that are cost-effective and detect early or prevent disease). Funding to NIH was cut back during the Bush years, so continuing discoveries may emerge at a slower rate and will remain costly.
Federal funding for medical research and development increased from 17.5 billion when Bush took office to 33.5 billion when he left. a 90% increase 21/2 times the rate of inflation. By comparison Clinton increased this spending over his 8 years about 65%.
Bush was a HUGE domestic spender: health care, welfare, education, transportation, etc. despite the liberal mantra that he neglected these things. This to the tune of $700 billion dollars for a 60% increase.
You are SO right to77. And I thank you for the correction.
I went to check myself and relaized that I had used a bad source. I was also using the list of points that I originally created several years ago, and that I should have checked on this point before “updating” my comments.
Point #8 is gone. Again, thanks for keeping me honest (and informed)!
No problem. Thanks for responding to facts instead of clinging to mindless ideology. So refreshing in a political forum. Thanks!!
That is wrong. Our funding dropped big time during Bush (from >25% funding rate to <12%). Annual increase to NIH did not follow inflation. Also, the money was redistributed from basic science toward clinical (including healthcare initiatives). All together, non-scientist had money and scientists were (and still are)lossing their jobs. And frankly, we will feel this in the future, as very few,if any, important discoveries were made during Bush’s time(unlike 90ties). All he cared about was treating HIV in Africa.
I would like to point out that the cost of medical malpractice suits make up “only” about half a percent i.e. 0.5% of our annual $ 2 trillions
health care cost, whereas the administrative costs constitute over 20% of our health care spending, contrast this with the less than 3% Canada spends on administering its Single Payer health care system.
The necessity of practicing defensive medicine is the problem. When people cry out for malpractice reform, that’s what they’re talking about, not the cost of the actual legal processes. Defensive medicine is hugely expensive.
A recent study shows that medical cost in Texas, where there is hardly any malpractice suit, because Texas law caps medical malpractice reward to $250000(a quarter million dollar), is higher than in the rest of the nation. It turns out that the higher cost there was caused by excessive number of tests being done, presumably to boost profit.
Oh don’t forget the large number of illegal aliens in Texas who quite often have no insurance. So their medical care costs have to be absorbed which contributes to the high cost of medical care for all.
But in the article I read a Texas doctor did admit that all too often tests were done for financial reason. And indeed it is a well known fact that doctors tend to do more of the tests that are reimbursed by insurers.
You read it, then please site it as other may want to look at it as well.
Thanks.
Source please!
So the poster has not supplied ANY support for this statement which I do not think is true.
I have a good friend who was a medical defense attorney, after the Texas tort reform went into effect he had no cases to defend and had to change to Oil and Gas Law. Now my evidence is anecdotal but the other poster does not seem to have any evidence. I live in a major city in Texas and my friend was a partner in the largest firm in our city. He had no business in medical defense, sounds like tort reform worked here, just not so well fo attorneys, which is pretty much the point.
Pat, honest and excellent on all levels! Please submit this to SFGate, LA Times, and elsewhere.
on this I believe it always was deliberate and intentional to prove that the government is inept to even detect the problems, under Bush it was to further the Republican ideal for smaller government and he did all he could, spectacularly, to further that…
Excellent way to present it, Pat. Thanks.
p.s. my niece was on Clark’s national team, too. She loved the guy.
General Clark is a brilliant man and ourstanding leader. Unfortunately he has so much integrity that he actually says what he really thinks. It’s hard to get elected to public office if you are too smart and too honest.
I think #1 is an illusion. On paper there is uni-party control of the government. But in reality the Dems are divided in both the House and Senate.
I think the more Obama talks and tries to sell health care the more his ratings will slip. He has lost his credibility. That is huge in a president. Ask Bush 2 what happens when the wmd aren’t there and the mission accomplished turns out to be nothing more than a sign.
Agree regarding this bill, but for anything that the Democtats can manage to get behind they have nothing to fear from Republicans who just don’t have the vote.
It’s been how many years that Democrats have had both houses as well as the Presidency?
That Obama can’t pull the party together here says volumns about the quality of the current health care proposals.
I would like to point out that aside from Republicans, there are only 7 blue dogs Democrats (representing about 2.7% of Americans), who are hijacking this health care reform. That Obama has a hard time passing health care reform despite the fact that overwhelming majority of Americans support it (all media propaganda and distortions notwithstanding)speak volumes about our nonfunctioning democracy.
If anything, Obama is too bi-partisan to be effective. He needs to develope some spine to stand up and fight for the good of the nation (just like FDR did). It is naive to expect bi-partisanship from the Republicans, who seem not to give a damn about the country’s best interest and are determined to have Obama fails, so that they may win back the White House at the next election.
We support reform. But not that mess of a bill that Congress is considering passing. Why do you assume anything put out by Congress is really reform? It’s just pandering to special interests and lining their pockets with contributions and making sure the government stays in power by having more control over the lives of the voters.
As for Obama developing a spine, are you kidding?? This is a man who voted “present” 130 times. A man afraid to make a decision, yes or no, 130 times because he was afraid to piss off someone and have to explain why he decided a certain way. Get a clue. Obama is now exactly what he’s always been. Chicken – bawk bawk. He’d rather leave very important things like a stimulus bill and health care reform to Congress to write rather than tell them what HE wants in the bill. Obama should be telling Congress what to do, not the other way around. But as usual, Obama is willing to pass off the hard work and responsibility to others. That way when it all goes to crap, he can distance himself because his administration neither wrote the actual bill nor directed specifically Congress.
Tango,
I agree with much of what you wrote. But reform is a relative term. Adding public option to our health care might be considered reform, though a minor one. However, without public option there is no reform. Real reform would be if we have a Single Payer system like in Canada.
What I find hard to understand is that you seem to prefer letting the private for profit corporations rather than the government have more control over our lives.
In a democracy voters at least have some control over government via the elections. Whereas we don’t have control over private big corporations, who evidently are out to ruthlessly and unscrupulously maximize their profits any which way, with no regard for the health and welfare of ordinary people.
Keep in mind that most Americans like Medicare, Social Security, Veteran Care etc. all programs run by government.
Do not let us be brain washed and manipulated into thinking that the private for profit big corporations are more trust worthy than government. Look at the facts and evidence. Ironically, government comes closest to being our enemy when it is under the control of big business/conservatives.
Your use of the word “reform” is laughable. It reforms nothing but only magnifies the current problems of our broken system. We don’t need more overhead and inefficiency.
LMAO. You get the dumb comment of the month award. I’d dare say you will get the award for the year for this one if you don’t post again.
Ferd Berfle,
Like it or not, my statements are based on facts. Saying that private insurance companies have less overhead and are more efficient than government are the ultimate testament to your utter cluelessness.
I consider being awarded dumb comment of the year from an ignoramus like you a great compliment.
Let’s see how long ago were the veterans hospitals in shit order, and for ultimate government ran health care, Indian Health services; you could call that efficient I suppose if you are in favor of the filth called health care doled out to Native Americans; yes efficient in killing them.
Bluebot:
Talking through your rectal orifice again, I see. That One is more divisive than Shrub, fool. With a single-digit IQ as you seem to possess with your stupid comments, I would be reticent to use the pejorative, ignoramus.
Psst, dink: In case you weren’t aware, those voices in your head aren’t giving you facts.
Even before he took the oath of office.
That Obama can’t pull the party together here says volumes about the quality of his “leadership skills” more than the healthcare reform or any other pearls I have seen so far.
Has anyone ask WHY a majority can’t unify long enough to accomplish said reforms for the country?
How many clown cars would it take to take all the 535 elected officials to the same place?
One. It’s a big tent.
But a SMALL WINDOW.
TeakWoodKite,
The answer to your question is to be found in our campaign finance system, that is tantamount to legalized bribary. It is not a coincidence that the 7 Democrats jeopardizing the health care reform are recipients of financial contributions from the insurance industry.
hijacking this health care reform.
I do not want ANYTHING to do with Nancy/BO/Parma healthcare. So perhaps, blaming 7 “Blue Dog’s” is a farce from the arse, who goes by the name Barry um no Barrak, um no can’t say Hussien, um now you can, um Obama um Sotoroe um no now it is BHO but you can’t be certain of it cause he doesn’t want to be transparent.
BO is “The One” when it comes to “recipients of financial contributions from the insurance industry.”
Again, if your at the circus and the Orangutans flings poo at you and you think it’s hope and change, good luck. No disrespect to the Orangutans.
LOL KITE..
You have such a cool way with words my Friend….
TeakWoodKite,
Am no fan of Obama and he probably did receive contributions from the insurance industry as well, which would explain why he turned away from the Single Payer health care system, the only sure way to effectively reform our health care.
Nonetheless it is no farce that the 7 blue dogs Democrats hijacking the reform had taken contributions from the insurers. This is a fairly well known fact. And I didn’t get this info from Obama neither.
Hijacking the reform? What are you on? These phrases are ridiculous. I am sick of Congress and the Executive “hijacking” my country!
Most americans support a bill almost nobody has read, and which is in fact still a working document? That will create up to 45 new agencies to regulate my body and the medical attention it gets? I dont think so.
Most americans are sheeple who drink kool aid and do whatever Obama says. But his numbers are falling fast. They are waking up.
This bill sucks. Go read it, when you are done come back to discuss it point by point.
Not all change is for the better.
Stopping tyranny of the majority is a hallmark of this Republic and does not represent “hijacking” in any sense of the word. Hogwash, hyperbole, and histrionics do not represent sound arguments for your position. Equivocation is no argument, either.
I for one, am against this monstrosity because it does not begin to address the real causes of difficulties in the system but only exacerbates them.
Very true, Ferd. I used to think we needed a “Centrist” party. Now I’m beginning to feel that what we need is a “Gridlock” party, dedicated to freezing up government schemes and boondoggles, much like they use some kind of gunk to freeze up engines in the “Cash for Clunkers” program.
Gridlock works for me until they can come up with real, concrete, understandable, and justifiable reasons for the bills introduced. I’m tired of fractured, tortured language being used to obfuscate, create diversions, and provide cover for incompetency, chicanery, or outright fraud.
oowawa,
What we really need is stopping tyranny of the greedy and corrupt fews.
Cash for clunkers program is associated with several beneficial effects i.e. it gets rid of old gus guzzlers bad for the environment; it helps support the ailing car industry and stimulates our economy, last but not least, it helps support the indigents (the well-offs are less likely to own clunkers)
blue orchid, there are few here who would disagree with “stopping tyranny of the greedy and corrupt few.”
As for “Cash for Clunkers” helping the “indigents,” I don’t see it. It is going to deplete the stock of available used cars and used car parts, driving up the prices of these necessities (since the “clunkers” must be destroyed and cannot be recycled).
Ferd Berfle,
Face it, our democracy is non- functional, destroyed by our campaign finance system.
The fact is, the 7 blue dogs Democrats obfuscating the reform represent 2.7% mostly poor constituents in rural areas who stand most to benefit from the reform. But of course, who cares? What is more important than getting financial contributions to win re-elections?
Btw when it comes to true democracy and stopping tyranny of majority, check out Sweden.
Once again, bo, we are not a democracy. You should look it up sometime.
You fail to understand even the most rudimentary aspects of our system of government. Those 7 blue dogs represent those of us who don’t want that mishmash of a bill, which does nothing but exacerbate the problems the system already has.
In lieu of pointing fingers, why don’t you answer their charges? Oh, because all you have are pointing fingers.
LMAO. True democracy IS a tyranny of the majority, dink. That is why our system is a Representative Republic. Look it up sometime.
HCI,
You seem not to mind having teams of insurance-companies bureaucrats (whose bonuses and promotions depend on denying your claims and limiting your care)regulate your body and the medical attention it gets.
Apparently you don’t mind the private for profit insurance industry hijacking our health care, destroying lives and bankrupting the country in the process.
No wonder we are in such a mess. No democracy can function without informed and educated voters.
Blue Orchid, as I happen to agree with your statement that ;
No democracy can function without informed and educated voters.
Please inform us which 7 “Blue Dogs” you are speaking of and educate us on what their donations are.
If a fiscally conservative Democrat is objecting to the current propaganda, then you might expand on why it is they do and not seek the cover generalizations.
Campaign finance reform is something you should talk to BO about since he is the one who turned off the validator on his web site during the primaries in order to receive contributions from foreign nationals and other countries.
I would offer you an observation, that since BO has NO credibility and is making his “transparency” meme a joke, people are not buying anything he is selling.
If any light will be shining through that tiny window of opportunity you so beautifully illustrate it will be coming out of the Senate Finance Committee. Because I feel that a bipartisan bill is the only kind the American people will stand for.
Even if all of the necessary characteristics were aligned, Obama and his Pelosi/Reid led henchmen let their motives become crystal clear to the nation. They wanted to rush something through before anyone had the opportunity to question what it was they were getting. And when members of Congress were confronted by their constituents who were paying attention and they admitted that they hadn’t even read the bills they were going to vote on the outrage took on a whole life of it’s own.
This isn’t/wasn’t manufactured outrage. People are really sick of Congress going about their business without a care in the world of the consequences of their actions. All that most of them seem concerned with is looking good so they can raise more money and get re-elected so they can start the whole cycle over again. All at taxpayer expense.
I too would like to see some type of meaningful health care insurance reform. But not this/these bill(s). The Administration and House attempts to just ram this through tells me that the bill(s) stink and need to die a swift death. Maybe Obama will suggest the appropriate pill.
In the end the Democrats will likely blame the Tea Party Republicans for bursting their bubble. And I am certain that is how they are going to spin things as we approach the next elections. But the truth is that the Democrats AND the Obama Administration badly managed this debate. And they got caught doing so. Thank Goddess!
These bills really have nothing to do with healthcare or its reform but more to do with power grabs, a bloated bureaucracy, and quid pro quo politics. That One is determined to put the last nail in the coffin of the middle class.
Pat, I actually think your toon has more timely presence than you give it credit for. I think the current situation, however, considering the principles you listed, could be graphically reduced to a single pane of glass.
I agree with you–we need genuine healthcare reform. We’re bankrupting ourselves under the current system. But I’ve resigned myself that even if a bill is passed, it will be weak, too expensive and catering to the special interests, rather than the public at large.
Obama and the Dems are squandering the moment and the message. And “way too little, way too fast” sums it up nicely. Whoever was standing at the helm, the message had to be absolutely clear, convincing and uncompromising. Instead, we’re getting a mishmosh, crossed signals and in some cases, flat out lies with backroom deals to all the wrong parties.
It’s a disaster and a lost opportunity. And we will all ultimately pay for the incompetent way this issue has been handled.
Agreed. Great post Pat.
And I agree about how it seems way too little, way too fast. I worked on a health care post today, and the more I worked on it, the more it seemed the reform has been piddled away, and even as I was typing, they were talking abut doing away with the public option.
Frankly I don’t even know what much is left…
Exactly. Even people who supported the ‘bill’ at one point, finding out it was changed at another point, have withdrawn their support. Who knows what bill we are talking about? (I only want single-payer or nothing. Everyone in; no on out.)
no on out = no one out
I agree, AGI. In fact, I think the public option fell off the rails weeks, maybe months ago. But the Dems keep mentioning it because they know that if they admit their duplicity, their most ardent, koolaid followers will wake up and tear them apart.
The refusal to have Howard Dean at the table is beginning to make more sense. He has said repeatedly, “if you give away the public option, you have no health care reform.”
This whole thing is a political kabuki dance.
What will be left, will be exactly what Obama and his minions wanted all along. A mandate forcing everyone to get insurance. The tax breaks and any financial help will of course disappear, so everyone will be forced to pay out of pocket even if it means giving up food/shelter/utilities…etc etc to pay for it. Unless of course, you are an illegal alien. Then you will get it all free as well as a shiny new Government Motors car at tax payers expense!
Peggy Sue. You have summed it up perfectly, if not sadly.
I think this is the one that will really sink the O-Whole-Health plan, and also the factor that explains the urgency in rushing it through right now. The powers that manipulate the markets have really been pushing the “green shoots” and “better than expected” mantras, but I think the big financial storm is just on the horizon and headed our way.
This is really a remarkable list of criteria, Pat. Thanks very much for putting it together. The cartoon: that little window of light is really way up there. I feel that I’m in solitary confinement, sprawled helplessly on the cell floor, looking up at it–far, far out of reach.
Spaminated, Pat. If I could only reach that little window of light . . . please admin, rescue my pitiful comment from the darkness . . .
You always make me chuckle lol
Thanks Pat, awesome post.
Good points in that post. And I’m hoping that little window is glued shut.
Here’s a funny WSJ article comparing NHS to dog care.
The dogs get better treatment.
I hope they scrap that unreadable bill(It’s written in unintelligible lawyer-ese) and start over.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204908604574334282143887974.html#mod=todays_us_weekend_journal
Facing health-care oblivion, the left finally wonders: “Who really is Barack Obama?”
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/08/15/facing-health-care-oblivion-the-left-finally-wonders-who-really-is-barack-obama/
I can only say “Amen” to your excellent article and to all the comments that have followed.
The Democratic leadership in Congress, allied with many in the MSM, and of of course our current President and his cronies have done tremendous harm to health care reform as well as to their own credibility.
“Change in Washington” has become “business as usual”, just the flip side of the coin. The one bright note is that so many ordinary citizens are passionate about this health care reform and want a voice. To watch these brave people endure crude name-calling and sometime physical intimidation to exercise their constitutional rights gives me hope that the republic will endure.
If I had my druthers, I’d like a moratorium on spending…for the foreseeable future.
Superb analysis, Pat. And on this topic I haven’t seen much of that.
Re: #2 – compared with Ozero, Bush was a “uniter”. Ozero’s attitude seems to be “if you don’t agree with me then f*** you”.
Excellent!
This is quite a big change and it needed to be done deliberately with a studiousness unmatched. But Obama is not gutsy enough to take on the naysayers and those who throw hurdles at him, so he made deals with them. That is one big reason they don’t want to present anything deliberately on this issue — the more the people find out, the more they will be up in arms.
He is a bigger divider than his predecessor. He divided Democrat from Democrat, white from black, male from female, the wealthy from the not-so-wealthy, young from old. And that just came to me in the time it took to post this. He can only divide people further and is so doing at an amazing clip. The more he flaps his jib, the less inclined I am to listen to him.
I think that Obama and his cronies have utter contempt for the American people. Their intent was to rush through all these awful bills with no debate. They wanted to save money on Medicare. The only way they could do that is severely curtail services to the elderly but that was never part of their dialogue. They lie about everything. They seem to think we can’t count but the CBO said their projections for expenses and savings were way off. Big O never stops yapping but he never says anything. He has no credibility. Now word of all the back room deals with the industry is coming out.
What a great cartoon that makes a very powerful statement. Timing is everything and the window of opportunity is closing, and I feel that is too bad. I do believe we need to do something to improve healthcare, but it needs to be done by someone or some party that has a track record of being capable and of being right. Unfortunately I do not see that person or that party at this time.
The Democratic Party said they would be different but they are not. They, as the Republicans try to pass things in the middle of the night and want their party and others to vote on things without being given a chance to read, understand, or digest the information and without being given time to see if the information, even if understandable is accurate.
Everyone is asked to trust, but trust who based on what? The government said we needed a stimulus package and even maybe a second one. We have not disbursed the majority of the first one and it looks like things might be getting better without the second half being disbursed. On the surface that looks good, but for me way over-estimating something and scaring people to death says you still do not know what you are doing. Then there is Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, all of which are in deep trouble. And the government is telling us they need this new healthcare plan to fix this. Does this make sense? You cannot fix what is broken until you take on another project in which you have no experience? Even the Post Office, which has been in existence for a long time, is losing gobs of money every day. Add to this their latest project, “cash for clunkers,” where they put in X amount of money that was supposed to last for 5 to 6 months and only lasted a few days before it ran out of money. I could go on with cost overruns on a war, on a plan, or even on a wheelchair.
If you want my trust, first show me you can do something right.
Also consider this. The Democrats and the Republicans do not like any plan that any other government has or that any U.S. State has. But what have they learned from what they do not like that would make ours better? So the window of opportunity is closing, but for me it is the window to show me that they can do something right and fix something that is broken, and come in on budget.
Rich
Rich,
Am not crazy about Obama, I think he is too eager to compromise and appease everyone and therefore risk jeopardizing everything he set out to accomplish.
Am feeling more and more sorry about the unfair way he has been treated lately though. One thing I find mind boggling is that although most people seem to like Medicare, Social Security, Veteran Care (all government run programs), yet despite the ruthless and unscrupulous way the private sector seem to go about maximizing its bottom line in total disregard of our lives and welfare, many people seem to naively trust and prefer the private sector over the government.
No wonder our country is in such a mess. No democracy can function without informed and educated voters.
Isn’t ours supposed to be a government by, of and for the people? In a democracy voters at least have control over government via election, whereas we have no control over private sector, which is why government is supposed to control/regulate it and to protect the ordinary people from the abuse of the powerful big business. It is unfortunate that we have been manipulated us into viewing our government as the enemy and the predatory for profit big corporations as our friends.
1. We aren’t a Democracy
2. We do have control over the private sector via regulation. It is a power not being wielded effectively, fairly, or competently.
3. The government can’t effectively maintain current social programs.
4. I doubt many view the government as the “enemy”. Rather, we view the government as bloated, corrupt, and ineffective.
It was interesting to hear Joe Sestak say (and he is correct) that we are NOT a democracy, we are a representative democracy. When you stop to think about it, our voices are so very tiny.
Our delegate to the nomination convention, for example, voted for Obama even though Hillary Clinton won our district. There are a million stories like that. These people often do not represent us.
Also, Medicare has many good qualities, but those who are on it have lots of complaints. There are so many things that it does NOT cover that are important for the life quality of older people. Also, the serious chronic problems of older age are not covered. My mother is 97 and we pay over $5,000 a month for her care. She does not have the typical physical problems, but cannot walk well and her memory lasts for about 3 minutes. There is no outside help here.
I think your cartoon and presentation depict the current reality that there is little consensus about what needs to be done with what most people recognize is a national health care crisis and dilemma. In my view, the most sensible solution is a single payer system similar to the one describe in the link below.
http://www.nhchc.org/singlepayer.html
It is unfortunate for everyone, and especially the poor uninsured, that this has become a complicated multifaceted monster that few understand and has generated more fear than rational discussion. Rushing through legislation on healthcare is similar to rushing through the budget before people had time to read and assimilate what was being voted on.
Canadian-style healthcare isn’t even the answer in Canada.
The incoming president of the Canadian Medical Association says this country’s health-care system is sick and doctors need to develop a plan to cure it.
Dr. Anne Doig says patients are getting less than optimal care and she adds that physicians from across the country – who will gather in Saskatoon on Sunday for their annual meeting – recognize that changes must be made.
“We all agree that the system is imploding, we all agree that things are more precarious than perhaps Canadians realize,” Doing said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
“We know that there must be change,” she said. “We’re all running flat out, we’re all just trying to stay ahead of the immediate day-to-day demands.”
I actually like the idea of having member-owned health co-ops as an alternative to government health insurance. Now…who sets them up?
Cooperatives might be the best response to the problem. As to the question of who sets them up, I am clueless.
For a good discussion and contrast of the single payer option vs. private insurance with public option, see the Health Care Reform Report Card at the following site
http://www.healthcare-now.org/docs/spreport.pdf
I think Obama will drop the public option in order to get something through congress.
wsj article on human and dog health care in the UK; thoughts for America
” I also want, wherever I am, the Americans to go on paying for the great majority of the world’s progress in medical research and technological innovation by the preposterous expense of their system: for it is a truth universally acknowledged that American clinical research has long reigned supreme, so overall, the American health-care system must have been doing something right. The rest of the world soon adopts the progress, without the pain of having had to pay for it.”
Jangles,
I would like to point out that our medical research is funded among others by our government, not by the insurance companies.
Our disaster of a health care system serves as a deterant to the world, you seem utterly out of touch with reality. Have you even lived abroad at all?
I’d add another factor: the President and Congressional majority must be willing to pay the political price — lose seats in the next election — if that’s what it takes.
When pigs fly? Maybe. John McCain comes to mind.
Another great post, Pat.
I remember when WKC was working on his health reform plan and an electronic record keeping system…too bad he was thrown under the proverbial bus!
The chasm in the Democratic party is growing wider and deeper, instead of uniting when the party has the majority to create a better government than we’ve had. The “throne” is BO’s for whatever he makes of it, and it appears he’s doing the job many of his “un”supporters believed would do. He didn’t have the “experience” to take on and manage the many obstacles which he inherited, but insisted he could handle.
The health care non-system we have cannot be solved until there is some cooperation with or regulation of the insurance companies….and they sure as hell aren’t going to give up any of their billions of profits, and the Repubs and shareholders will fight to the last one to give up any of their “goodies”. I understand BO’s theory of a public option, which would eventually lead to a universal care system at the failure of the insurance pushers.
Personally, I think adding a public option is the only way we would make any change for any improvement for cost-cutting health reform. But I also fear your small window is growing smaller and farther away, and that some of the Dems that want “something” done RIGHT AWAY, will preclude having a good result.
I also believe that if BO would have crafted his ideas, whatever they might be, and presented it to the Congress, instead of handing the whole kit-n-kabootle to the Congress to make up their own policies, the procedure would take on a different side of life.
I’m on Social Security with a supplemental insurance, which is good, but is much too expensive for a single person. And, I’m scared to death what Congress will do to hack away and change my benefits…it’s all being crafted with the window shade pulled to create darkness, and I feel no security as I believe I should.
Keep the ‘toons coming……
Great comment ksclematis!
Caved already! He didn’t last too long.
Some good points. But the biggest problem was that Obama and the Dem’s made the problems in passing the legislation.
The timing may be the best that he will have. (Doesn’t say much about his presidency, I know) But, they still pushed to fast and hard when the timing was right. They did not need to to his thug, push it through get in their face tactics.
Not only did he try to push this, he tried his thug tactics to intimidate, demean, name call. That does NOT inspire and make folks feel good. But, the other fact is, he has done completely opposite of his campaign promises, again, nothing left really, but there was nothing BUT secrecy, private deals and meetings.
Yes, the rest of our economy is not doing well, and Obambi has signaled more War, making Afghanistan’s new reason for his right war, he wants to natian build and now train their army like Bush did for Iraq (wink wink) and their soldiers always being high on Hashish, proves to be a difficult task, so now he says he wants to TRIPLE the size. lol So, we are spending min 4 bilion a month on wars we shouldn’t be conducting and the rest of our economics don’t look so good, so yes, that too is not good.
And, then, the final. That he wants to play God and choose who gets health care. The laguage IS in the bill and HObama even campaigned (before they realized they were losing even more support) on what he WAS going to do. Cut care from Seniors, limit procedures more to that group. “They have to come to term with their age”. Will deny procedures if they are diagnosed with a terminal disease, even though no one can put an expiration date on a persons body or know when that disease will kill the person. And instead, as he put it, because a procedure could be expensive, he may tell them to take a painkiller instead. (Which is probably why Buffet just bought up Johnson and Johnson’s stock in the 2nd quarter)
So. Like I said. The Democrats caused themselves to lose the opportunity for health care reform because of their God like (taking the Daddy complex to extremes) no reform because they are in bed with the special interests and made their secret deals, proven not too smart in economics by past actions and now forcing to pay for market prices with a new special program for the government to run added and thug tactics to push it through.
When the upcoming flu season hits, I promise you they will drag this out and hammer it over and over again; even though as of right now, there is barely enough doses of vaccine for a quarter of the population. One of their main special interests, the vaccine and the company producing it, also a main campaign contributor to the democrats.
Pat,
The way I see it, “you can’t fix a broken system, WITH a broken system.”
Our government is corrupt primarily because our elections are corrupt. You can’t vote them out, if you didn’t vote them in and they know it. This is why our so-called representatives feel they can get away with such arrogant disregard for the will of the people.
Do we really believe that our government can be shamed into doing what’s right for the people or that we only need to lead them to the “light” and they will suddenly see the error of their ways? Who are we fooling here?
I’m not being cynical, I’m being realistic in what I’ve been witnessing take place for decades — the slow undoing of the republic and the freedom that gives people power over their government. The destruction of AMERICA. President Lincoln said America would not be taken over from the outside, but from the inside and that’s exactly what’s happening right now.
We can splice and dice it any way we want, but we cannot take “corruption” out of the equation and because of that fact, we cannot maintain the illusion that our government will ever consider the will of the people in how they govern.
IMO, the WH is like the ALAMO — we are witnessing the last stand of the patriarchy in its unwillingness to give up the need for “dominion and control” and is determined to take over health care, the auto industry, banks (not to mention obama’s unbelievable directive to give MORE centralized power to The Federal Reserve Bank), and its taking control of housing.
This is not democracy or government protecting the people, this is FASCILSM. The sooner the American people come to terms with this reality, the better the chance we will have to stop it before it’s too late.
The best and only way for us to take back our government is to take back our elections first.
Thanks everyone for the truly interesting and congent comments. Even the disagreements were mostly instructive.
With appreciation,
Pat R
Pat here i a topic that needs urgent discussion and I am sure that you could construct one for us.
The president is busy setting up a czar system. The count is now up to 44 with more planned. The vacant seats are.
1.Income redistribution czar
2.Land-use czar
3.Mortgage czar, formally “consumer financial protection czar” (source)
4.Radio-internet fairness czar
5.Student loan czar, to oversee a program of mandatory service in return for college money
6.Voter list czar
7.Zoning czar
http://aipnews.com/talk/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=7149&posts=1
Does a ‘death panel’ equivalent already exist?
http://www.redstate.com/
[...] to discuss for now. Are you for or against a single payer health care system? Does it seem doable? Pat has a great post about the window of opportunity, and what needs to be aligned in order to achieve this goal. Make sure to read [...]
Wow! An insightful list of factors, Pat!
Indeed a very complex–and perhaps even a precarious and volatile mix–of factors. . .