Why health care "reform" is an albatross around Democrats' neck and hurting their election hopes

[Better Believe It]

The Best of All Possible Worlds: Beltway Journos Use Sham Logic to Obscure Political Pain of Health Reform
By: Jon Walker
October 30, 2010

Democrats made dozens of serious mistakes with health care

It’s important to remember health care reform hurts Democrats not only because it was health care reform, or that they’ve faced lock-step Republican opposition, or because the economy is really bad. Health care reform hurts them because it was executed in a painfully slow, corrupt and incompetent manner. At almost every turn, they made horrible choices. Deciding to focus on the long-term cost curve and Congressional Budget Office score instead delivering immediate benefits was an unforgivable error in this economic climate. Wasting months trying to get ultra-conservative Mike Enzi (R-WY) on board was an act of nearly unparalleled collective stupidity. Allowing the fight to drag on as the bill became progressively less popular instead of quickly passing it with reconciliation was a very bad idea. Empowering Ben Nelson and Joe Lieberman by taking reconciliation “off the table” made jackasses of the whole party as the two Senators’ ridiculous demands clearly undercut popular support. The backroom corporate deals which netted no GOP votes were devastating. Lying to the base for months about the public option after having promised insurance companies it would be killed ensured the health care fight would end with incredibly bad blood between Congressional Democrats and their base. A mandate forcing people to buy a product from the highly unpopular insurance companies was an awful idea that Democrats foolishly refused to drop or modify. The mistakes are almost too many to list.

Of course since Democrats have free will, they had thousands of good choices in addition to these two bad ones. It is not like Democrats were powerless to do anything about unemployment. Democrats could have used health care reform to focus on current economic problems instead focusing on “bending the cost curve.” Democrats and the economy would likely be in much better shape if they front-loaded benefits to inject billions into the economy and provide coverage directly to millions of voters through Medicaid expansion and Medicare buy-in. They could have passed a better law. They could have jammed through a bill a full year earlier using reconciliation before the popularity of the president and his plan plummeted. They could have then spent the rest of their year focused on programs to increase employment and deal with home mortgage foreclosures.

The theoretical existence of even worse choices doesn’t make something a good idea

It’s true that Democrats could have done something even stupider, even more politically detrimental than health care reform that would have made them look even more corrupt and incompetent. This in no way changes the fact that the terrible way they went about reforming the health care system did them serious political harm. It is not just that Republicans tried to stir up anger, or that the economy was bad–although both hurt support–the main problem is that Democrats pursued health care reform in a horribly long, drawn-out, and self-destructive manner. They played a huge role in killing support for the bill–and for themselves–with their endless string of bad moves.

It was not the act–the attempting of health care reform in face of Republican obstructionism and a bad economy–that really hurt, it was the incompetent and corrupt way in which it was done and the poor-quality product that resulted. Health care reform is an albatross around Democrats’ neck, a clear manifestation of how incompetent they are. This is the real lesson Democrats need to learn.

Please read the full article at:

http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2010/10/30/the-best-of-all-possible-worlds-beltway-journos-use-sham-logic-to-obscure-political-pain-of-health-reform/

[Bitwit1234]

1. The reason people are against the health care bill is fox

Rush, Drudge, Palin and the right wing blow hards on the media. They have drummed it into the heads of the public that it is bad, that it this and that. All lies. Any social program that benefits any American except the super rich and corporations is panned by the republicans and the tea bags. We know this.And the people they target seem to be he stupidest in this country. If they weren't they wouldn't believe fox.

[Cosmocat]

6. freakin A yeah ...

Obama could have swum the Atlantic Ocean with knife in his mouth, captured and swam back with OBL, and the Rs and MSM would have spent two years demogoguing him for having superceded his role as commander in chief and not having faith in the troops ...

[Fumesucker]

7. There are plenty of posters on DU who don't like the health insurance bill..

I'm one of them and I don't even own a TV and never listen to the radio.

The health insurance bill was designed to benefit big pharma and big medicine, any actual health care any "little person" gets out of it is purely incidental.

[chimpymustgo]

59. Hate the bill, hated the process. But we were told to just wait, while Obama played parcheesi.

Face it. We fucked up. We had the political capital and just frittered it away - and came up with an absolutely AWFUL bill. Sit back and watch your premiums rise, as costs continue to spiral out of control.

[Better Believe It]

10. Not exactly. Millions of progressives who support single payer and at least a strong public option

did not support the bill written by the insurance industry and big Pharma.

We are not stupid.

And we are not apologists for Wall Street and corporate America.

So please don't spread the nonsense that the main reason why most working people are against legislation written by the insurance industry and big Phrama is because of right-wing propaganda.

[Skittles]

26. bullshit

I watch none of that stuff and I read the bill - it is garbage

[cbdo2007]

41. Good point.

Really, try having a conversation about the health care bill, even with people on DU and I promise you 99% of people do not understand it and will turn into blabbering idiots as soon as you tell them the facts.

[alarimer]

52. And the fact that the health care "reform" bill sucks.

I hate, hate, hate that people will be forced to buy shitty, expensive insurance for shitty insurance companies. It is not health care reform, it is a boondoggle that will prohibit any more reform in the future.

[Naturyl]

2. Correction: Democrats made ONE mistake with health care

They didn't do the courageous thing and use their historic mandate to create SINGLE-PAYER once and for all, no matter who cried and complained about it.

[karynnj]

15. You tell me how they would do this as Bernie Sanders says at most 10 Senators

would support it.

[Better Believe It]

19. So there are only 10 liberal Senators and 90 Senators are reactionaries?

Well, if that's the case, what the hell are we voting for?

[karynnj]

24. No - that might be a good estimate for true liberals, but there are many in the

remaining 90 that are not reactionaries. Why are we voting? Because if we don't vote, we could get a worse group of elected officials.

[Better Believe It]

48. Right. But why does it seem to many that we get a worse group of officials every time we vote?

[karynnj]

53. Depens if you are speaking of the Democratic caucus or the senate as a whole.

If you are speaking of the Senate as a whole, I think the 111th Congress was far better than the 110th which was better than the 109th. All because Democrats replace republicans - in pretty big numbers.

If you are speaking of the Democratic caucus, many of the new Democrats came from less liberal states - and they are less liberal. In addition, the last real liberal era was in the late 60s/early 70s. Many of those Senators stayed in the the Senate for years - and were reelected -

[subterranean]

16. Single payer would never have made it through the Senate.

Their mistake (from our point of view) was taking single payer off the table at the beginning. They started negotiations from the compromise position -- the public option -- and then proceeded to bargain even that away.

[Better Believe It]

Why not? Don't the Democrats control the Senate? If not, who does?

I suppose you could try and convince voters that Democrats aren't really in charge of the government and aren't responsible for what the government does or doesn't do.

Good luck with that.

[USArmyParatrooper]

3. Or it could be...

That the GOP lie machine was so effective that over a third of Americans believe there are "death panels" and 65% wrongly believe the HCR bill increases the deficit.

The American people are easily lied to and by and large are clueless about the bill. Let's start there.

[flamingdem]

5. +1 yes nt

[Winterblues]

22. I don't believe it has "death panels" or that it might increase the deficit

I don't like it because it really didn't fix much at all. Cost are still going to spiral out of control and people will still be denied proper health care...They could have done the right thing for America but instead chose to do the right thing for the Insurance Industry...I want more not less and that is how I differ from the Right wingers. I want America to not be the ONLY Westernized Nation that does not take care of it's citizens.. I believe that the purpose of Government is to maintain the health and welfare of the nation and this bill does not do that..

[sad sally]

42. Today, in the mail, was notice of the increase for this household - two of us.

Went up 25% and we have the least amount of coverage possible, with a high deductible for catastrophic. Husband had pneumonia last winter and because doctor visits aren't covered, he didn't want to go. After many nights of thinking he was going to die, he finally went. The bills were astounding, but thank you, Lord, he recovered.
We are happy 4.5 million more Americans now have some health insurance, and are sure with the number of 20+ year olds who can't afford to leave home or are lucky enough to have parents or scholarships paying their way thru college are glad to have some health care covered by insurance. And no one should be denied insurance coverage because they've had some illness, but if the 2011 increase we see is just the beginning of rate increases, and knowing that getting sick isn't covered, I'm not sure that this insurance reform is very good.
Too bad health care instead of health insurance was the driver...

[leftstreet]

23. What did Americans think campaigning Obama meant by 'universal' healthcare?

:shrug:

[Naturyl]

29. We have a Repuke aunt in the wife's family

Who has indoctrinated other family members with the "death panels" lie and now they can't be talked out of it.

Fear, as always, works wonders.

[USArmyParatrooper]

4. By the way, 'Better believe it', do you have any thoughts of your own you'd like to share?

[leftstreet]

8. We can't post articles unless we comment on them?

When did that change?

[Fumesucker]

11. I'm happy to share my thoughts on the health insurance bill..

I think it sucks rocks and was designed specifically to benefit big pharma and big insurance with a few minor sops for the "little people".

And when the GOP takes over the only thing they'll leave in place is the individual private mandate and then they'll blame the Democrats for that.

[USArmyParatrooper]

14. Wonderful. Does your client have anything he would like to add?

[Fumesucker]

18. You do realize that implying people are paid trolls is against DU rules?

Probably not, you don't seem like the type to read and abide by rules.

[USArmyParatrooper]

20. It's not enough to just read, it's also important to comprehend what you're reading

I didn't imply anything of the sort. I asked 'Better believe it' a question and you answered on his behalf. "Your client" was a lawyer reference.

Not only am I the type to read I'm also the type to understand what I'm reading and follow the course of a conversation.


Ooops! Sorry about that.

[Fumesucker]

25. This is an open discussion board, anyone can reply to any post..

I'm not responsible for the fact you appear unable to tell who you are replying to.

And "client" is not a term limited strictly to those employing a lawyer, it is used in many other situations, including say having a client that's paying you to post online.

Since I'm not a lawyer and neither is BBI to the best of my knowledge then some other meaning than the excuse you made is far more likely.

And I still think the health insurance "reform" sucks rocks and the Democrats are going to eventually pay a heavy price for passing it.

[USArmyParatrooper]

28. I never said you can't.

So true. I'll let others look at my post and see if I actually replied to the OP as intended.

And "client" is not a term limited strictly to those employing a lawyer, it is used in many other situations, including say having a client that's paying you to post online.

And in the context of my post, your reply and my response to your reply I was clearly referring to the lawyer definition.

Since I'm not a lawyer and neither is BBI to the best of my knowledge then some other meaning than the excuse you made is far more likely.

Yes, because clearly if someone refers to you as someone else's lawyer on a message forum they must mean it literally.

And I still think the health insurance "reform" sucks rocks and the Democrats are going to eventually pay a heavy price for passing it.

Or so you hope. In my view support for the bill would be overwhelming if there wasn't so much disinformation about it. Also, the Democrats will lose seats but that has little or nothing to do with the HCR bill. First and foremost it has to do with the economy, along with other unrelated factors.

[Fumesucker]

30. My mind reading act is just that, an act..

I really had no idea you referring to a lawyer/client relationship, your implication was anything but clear if that's what you were actually implying.

Yes, being forced to buy insurance from the same group of greedhead assholes who've been ripping us off and killing us for decades is just fucking wonderful, I'm positively ecstatic over it. Everyone knows someone who has had a horrendous experience with health insurance, just wait until the Republicans kill every half assed "protection" and leave the private individual mandate in.

This health insurance law was a quintessentially Republican bill and yet it's being touted as some overwhelming Democratic triumph.

I've been around long enough to know the Republicans *always* get back in power sooner or later, this time will be no different, they're just like the evil creature in a monster flick, just when you think they're gone for good there they are, big as life and twice as ugly.

[USArmyParatrooper]

34. Just speculative doom and gloom

I don't view free things like free preventative care, no lifetime limits for coverage, no dropping people for getting sick and no refusal of coverage for preexisting conditions as "half assed"

When do you propose the Republicans will gain the power to repeal those parts of the bill?

[alcibiades_mystery]

37. The usual modus operandi: find article negative on Dems, post with no comment

All day every day.

No consequences, no nothing. Know the thing when you see it.

[SidDithers]

54. Yup...

lather, rinse, repeat.

Sid

[MannyGoldstein]

9. If Americans had actual health care reform, we'd be picking up seats tomorrow

Sad.

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MannyGoldstein]

32. I love you

But you should stop personal attacks - they're not flattering to you, and probably against the terms of service.

Have a great night!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

27. Or even if the Dems had insisted on gradually lowering the age of Medicare eligibility

and allowed people over 50 to buy into Medicare at the same cost as people over 65, that would have had two effects

1. Been immensely popular with the Democratic base and all those unemployed people over 50

2. Would have helped Medicare's financial status through the addition of younger, generally healthier people

[MannyGoldstein]

33. Yep. nt

[bvar22]

40. Not only that, but

expanding "Medicare" is much easier to sell to the American people.
I live in a deep red area of the rural South.
In conversation, it was easy to get locals to agree that "Yes, They would like to be able to buy Medicare."

But as soon as "Public Option" or "Comprehensive Reform" was mentioned, their eyes glazed over, and they "didn't want Big Gvment takin over."

A once in a generation chance......down the drain.
There won't be ANY "fixing it later."
We will be STUCK with Mandates to BUY from the Insurance Cartel with NO Public Option for a LONG time.

[SammyWinstonJack]

58. That would have been far, far better than what was passed.

[lib2DaBone]

12. Should have been Single Payer or Expand Medicare.....Public Option

Mr. Obama wasted a lot of politcal capital on a bill that benefits Big Insurance.. (jmho)

[Better Believe It]

13. That would have meant a big pick-up of Democratic seats in Congress, even for mid-terms.

[leeroysphitz]

21. K&R This article describes exactly the reason I am angry and disapointed.

Tired of supporting government that goes out of it's way to do the wrong thing.

[McCamy Taylor]

31. All the health insurance industry and Big Pharm money is what is hurting the Dems right now.

Health reform can be spun any way you want it---including as a reason to stay home and not vote.

[OHdem10]

35. I believe if you go back and review news tapes around the time

the Senate was making sausage in Public, The Louisiana Purchase, Landrieu
Nebraska's deal on being exempted from Medicaid. all those deals.
We will find this is when the people began to turn against Health Care.

NO ONE WAS OUT THERE explaining exactly what they were trying to do
for the people in Health Care.

You must bring the people with you. Explain what you are doing, one
step at a time. Poll on that idea after people have had time to
think about it. BE ready to fight Republicans when they start to
smear.

[Curmudgeoness]

36. Valid points, but the fact that prices are still rising is a serious problem.

Insurance companies are price gouging now to protect themselves from future regulations on increases. Those regulations should have been immediate.

[Better Believe It]

39. My spouses rates just went up 17.9% and a friends went up almost 20% with higher deductables.

Some health insurance "reform" hey?

That's what millions are saying and the other shoe hasn't dropped yet.

[bvar22]

38. Think its bad now?

Wait until 2014 when 30 MILLION Americans will be herded into the Exchange Pens to be sheared of their money by the For Profit Insurance Cartel.
They will be forced to BUY Insurance they won't be able to afford to use.
It won't be pretty.
ALL the Republicans have to do is sit back and say, "Yep. We opposed it."
Democrats will be unelectable for a generation.

[BlueIris]

43. HRC is the new Iraq War Resolution. Democrats will live to rue the day.

And before you ask, "Who talks like that?" save it. The OP is spot on.

[BzaDem]

46. I think it is in this sense: any Democrat who voted against it or opposed it will have no chance of

winning any highly contested Democratic primary.

Just like progressive opponents of Social Security in the 30s (for not being "liberal enough") were relegated to the dustbin of history, so will people opposing this healthcare bill "from the left."

[Canuckistanian]

44. I blame Baucus and the Blue Dogs

This was a missed opportunity. Squandered because of big Health Insurance money and weak-kneed cowards quivering at the thought of being mentioned on Faux.

[BzaDem]

45. More fact-free bullshit, debunked many times. Though I would not expect anything else. n/t

[jillan]

47. Give me a break! It's because of healthcare reform that my daughter is getting the treatment that

she needs instead of getting kicked off of our insurance.

I am so tired of all the selfish naysayers. Healthcare reform IS helping people that need it.

It's the first step.

[BzaDem]

49. But that is what the OP is angry about: that you and others are actually getting helped.

It disproves their idea that passing HCR was a bad thing, or that people who claim it was a bad thing "from the left" are somehow not delusional.

[Better Believe It]

51. More nonsense. Do you honestly believe that advocates of Medicare for All are opposed to the sick

getting medical help?

I don't think so.

But, it's a nice bit of political rhetoric without substance.

A few are getting help when everyone who needs quality health care should get it.

We don't need a "for profit health insurance companies" to stand between us and health care providers.

They serve absolutely no useful medical function.

But I'll support your right to defend them.

[rasputin1952]

56. ...

[BlueDemKev]

50. Amen!

The health insurance reform law is not perfect, but compared to the old way, it's a pretty darn good law! And it will be repealed over my cold, dead body....

[SidDithers]

55. Unrec...

for a multitude of reasons.

Sid

[dbt]

57. Back to the top.

Very insightful piece. Democrats also need to learn that if you don't have a job, health care is a moot point.

[xchrom]

60. Recommend

[Vinca]

61. If the bill had been "Medicare For All" and sign up had begun immediately,

people would have been using it and would have realized what a good thing it was. Only a handful of people have been affected by the bill so far and to counter balance any good from it, big insurance is raising rates again on the poor slobs still lucky enough to have any coverage. And the number of uninsured has increased since people can't afford COBRA at full tilt. Democrats did themselves no favor by passing a bill that was supposed to garner Republican support.

[Ganja Ninja]

62. Spot on.

It was the bluedogs "work" on the healthcare bill that destroyed the party's chances in this election more than anything else.