In the first part of an article series called The Game Plan I said that it was time for the Democrats in congress to stop negotiating and start fighting for what they wanted in healthcare reform. I further said that one of the thing they should be doing moving forward was pass a new part to Medicare that would be open to all Americans. As most of my liberal friends will know, suggesting that the Democratic party grow a spine and go it alone in passing healthcare Reform with a government run public option caused great consternation, hyperbolic rage, and general foaming at the mouth for the conservatives out there. One of those conservatives who I call No Name, made a point of repeatedly yelling follow the will of the people. I happen to think he is absolutely 100% unequivocally correct. The Democrats SHOULD follow exactly the will of the people.
Research 2000 conducted a poll of 600 randomly selected people in Nevada, Illinois, Washington, Missouri, Colorado, Minnesota, Virginia, and Iowa. These 600 people were selected at random by a pull of phone numbers out of the whole state directory of numbers. These are the results. Respondents were first asked the following question; “ What would make you more likely to vote for Democrats in the 2010 elections: If they pass health care reform that includes a public health insurance option but gets zero Republican votes OR if they pass health care reform without a public option but with some Republican votes?” The results were clear. In Nevada 53% overall and 56% of Independents preferred Democrats fight for what they want over compromise and seek Republican votes. The same was true in Illinois 61% overall, 68% of Independents, Washington 61%, 69% of Independents; Missouri, 49%, 55%; Virginia, 55%, 63% of Independents, and even in Iowa 58% overall, 67% of Independents. In Minnesota and Colorado the question was slightly different; “Which do you think should be a higher priority for congressional Democrats right now – working in a bipartisan way with Republicans in Congress or fighting for policies that will benefit working families, even if those policies can only be passed with Democratic votes?” Even with that change the results in Minnesota stayed consistent 51% overall and 53% of Independents favoring democrats fighting over seeking a compromise. Only in Colorado were the results close with a 46% – 43% spread overall and a 47% – 38% spread among Independents. The people are speaking. As a whole and even Independents would prefer that the Democrats fight for their bill rather than seek a compromise.
The Results were even more telling when the people were asked; “Would you favor or oppose the national government offering everyone the choice of buying into a government administered health insurance plan — something like the Medicare coverage that people 65 and older get — that would compete with private health insurance plans?” The responses to this question were, without exception higher across the board. Nevada, 56% overall, 61% of Independents; Illinois, 68% overall, 69% of Independents; Washington, 65%, 67%; Missouri, 57%, 56%; Virginia, Iowa, Minnesota, all reporting 61% – 62% Overall and for Independents. Even Colorado, 58% Overall, 59% of Independents. Not surprisingly, the Senate Bill specifically did not poll above 38% overall or among Independents in any of the States polled .
The people are speaking, and their will is clear; No, to stop and start over, not to seek a compromise, but to charge ahead boldly with a Democratic plan with a public option modeled on or part of Medicare. The people are clear. NO, to the Senate bill. YES, to Democrats fighting for the Reform they proposed and saying to hell with bipartisanship. YES to the Public Option akin to or a part of Medicare. Democrats, you have see the will of the people. Start carrying it out.
This article first published by John Festa on the Left Turn Blog. See it and others at johnfesta.wordpress.com.
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{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
After bringing no new alternative for months and stepping back on public statements about the need for reform- in fact some in the GOP went back to the “we’re #1″ and so the system does not need reformed statements- they went back to the same lame stuff they had over the summer and dusted it off just for the public forum. They also recycled the line that they will not cooperate on making changes to the current proposal, they will only sign on to health care reform if it goes totally back to the drawing board and gets done all over again from scratch with them calling the shots. If they were truly interested in reform, they would work on making changes to the proposed legislation instead of saying we only want to play if we can make the rules.
The key part of the GOP proposal I have seen that are supposed to fix everything is to open up the state markets to ousiders. I have addressed that at least once on this site. It will be a short term fix at best- a year or two tops. State rates are what they are not because of regulation, but because of local risk pools and local costs. They are not the same throughout the country. Most plans cost less because the cost of healthcare is less where they are, so coverage costs them less, and that does not translate across the country. Plus the “high risk pools” the GOP proposes do nothing but give lip service to the issue of those who need coverage, but are denied. If you have premiums that are thousands of dollars a month, you can’t afford them and so will not get coverage. The insurance companies get to say that coverage is “available” without having to actually cover anyone and can justify a healthy profit on those they do cover. Unless that risk is distributed over a wide enough group, those people will never be able to get affordable coverage unless it is subsidized by the government, which at that point you may as well have them included in Medicare/Medicaid. As a healthy person who goes to the doctor once, maybe twice a year, as does my son, and by having to pay a “family” premium to cover just myself and my son, I am already subsidizing health care for everyone else. I’d rather there be an honesty about it.
The GOP plan lets insurers do exactly what they have always done, while getting the public, lawmakers and regulators off their backs. Which is exactly what they want. The GOP is hoping that if they delay things long enough, the Dems will do what they want just to be on the record for doing something about healthcare reform (and it is working)- but in the end they will be doing nothing of any real substance or value. The public will stay quiet for a long enough time because they got their “reform”, which the GOP first and foremost will be right there to remind them when they start to see no real change and begin grumbling. But that will be a kettle of fish for ANOTHER politician to deal with later, so who cares, right? They can always try to pass more reform later, after corporate money has become an even more integral part of the election process than it already is (thanks Supreme Court). The GOP plan is RINO- reform in name only.
If you want more specifics on why the opening up of the state plans will not work, please look through the other comments I have posted.
BTW if you actually pay attention to what any of the GOP have said, they openly acknowledge the need and the publics desire for healthcare reform. Yet still the opposition tries to paint an alternate picture instead of working together for reform, or manning up to say why this bill is better than the repubs version, they revert to childish phrases and labels of “the party of no.”
Hey Laura,
The GOP have a plan and it’s actually been up on the net for the country to see:
http://www.gop.gov/solutions/healthcare
If you want to defend the dems can you answer to why they continually accuse “the party of no” as having no alternatives? that’s pretty petty on their part if you ask me. What would be transparent and honest would be to acknowledge it and point by point provide a rationale of why they do not believe each compnent would be beneficial to health care reform. No redderock, a point by point acknowledgement. That would be a change I can believe in.
No Name,
Thanks for the nightly laugh. Being lectured on truth and intelligence by a man that thinks the U.S. has 3.2 billion people and Blah blah blah is the rhetorical equivalent of a right cross. Might as well let a blind man drive a bus and wonder why you never get where you want to go.
Dough boy,
No not all Union members are thugs. Just you and your admitted violence. Weren’t you already talked to you about your language as well? You don’t annoy me… you amuse me immensely. And only in your mind do you give it back with interest. A legend in your own mind I would say. And the truth? You wouldn’t know the truth if it snuck up and bit you when you weren’t looking. You are a joke, and your zealotry is on display for all to see.
The village just called. They want their idiot back.
Oh I’m sorry… am I picking on you little Dem girly girl? Don’t wet your panties…
Wow No Name,
I thought it would take you at least another week before you got to the dismissive Blah, blah, blah’s. You really should stop that by the way, makes you sound like a bitchy school girl.
Don’t worry about me repeating thing, I’ll keep hammering you with the truth until you get it. I often wonder what annoys you more, the fact a liberal is willing to go toe to toe with you and not back down, or that I take every one of your little verbal slaps, never get hurt and give them back with interest. It must annoy you so much; a liberal that fights back.
Oh, since you asked, no haven’t slapped around any old men, you know me and my union brothers are saving that for you. After all, since two guys acted on emotion all union members must be bloodthirsty thugs bent on destroying anything that opposes us.
Jackass.
Dough boy,
Blah, blah, blah… broken record much? Thank you for the correction on the population despite the disparaging name. Nothing less than what I would expect from a loud mouth lout as yourself. Beat any old men selling anti-obama stickers lately?
Ok No Name, let’s try this again.
People are upset with congress because congress isn’t doing anything. They aren’t doing anything because A. Republicans in the Senate are filibustering everything from presidential nominations to discussion of what to have for lunch at their next meeting….ok, made that last one up, but I’m sure the Republicans would find a way to object to something as trivial as they. They object to everything else. B. democrats have been to weak willed to actually do what they said they would during the campaign and get tough with their own members who get in their way. The poll of 600 randomly selected people PER STATE, clearly showed that if Democrats do what they said they wanted to, including establishing a public option, people would vote for them. But I guess polls are only relevant when they agree with what you think.
Oh, before I forget, the U.S. population is approximately 308.7 Million, not 3.2 Billion. There are only 6.8 Billion people in the world. The U.S. does not have almost half the worlds population.
Jackass.
Speaking of the will of the people… only 10% approve of congress. I’d say it’s pretty clear what the will of the people is. And it’s not suprising that the liberal loons want to FORCE this upon the public. Because we are morons who can’t raise our kids or balance our check books. The BENEVELENT and HONEST liberals will do it for us. I say COW PIES!!
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/mood_of_america/congressional_performance
For the rest of you reading this article and thinking this is another rant session I just want for you to understand that 600 people don’t make even a close cross section of the country as a whole (3.2 Billion). Meaning it’s not an accurate representation of “The will of the people”. All I am going to say is Massachusetts. And what’s actually in the supposed respected press doesn’t reflect this dribble posted here.
There is spin, and there is outright twisting of the truth.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Consumer-confidence-falls-apf-3776797118.html?x=0&.v=11
DF,
So I’ll put you and your party down as a “NO” on bipartisanship?
Interesting considering your initial point (less)
Yes. Democrats must fight. Fight and lead. It takes two to be bipartisan. The repubs, with a few exceptions, do not want bipartisanship. The Party of No takes its orders from K Street. Their plan is to discredit Obama, let the country collapse and get their guy in in 2012, and more of their guys and gals in the Congress. Democrats were elected to lead and should lead, and reduce the party of No to a distant echo.
This is from an Associated Press article from today…
“Senate Republicans also rejected the White House plea for a simple up-or-down vote on Obama’s health care plan, indicating they would offer hundreds of amendments to stop the legislation.
Insurance market reforms like barring insurers from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions would be difficult or impossible to pull off without a large risk pool achieved by a requiring nearly everyone to be insured. Smaller measures could be done individually, such as money for insurance pools to provide coverage to people with health problems…”
“…finding of a poll released Tuesday by the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. Americans were evenly divided on the legislation, in a 43-43 percent split.”
Most still want Congress to pass something this year, and 58 percent say they’ll be disappointed or angry if that doesn’t happen. But 20 percent say lawmakers should pass a scaled-back bill, and 22 percent say it would be a good idea to call a time-out on health care and come back later in the year.”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35539047/ns/politics-health_care_reform
This means 80% don’t want a scaled back bill, or don’t know. 78% do not want a time-out, or don’t know. And 58% will be angry if something doesn’t get passed. Which is exactly what will happen if the GOP have their way. They had 6 years of a GOP controlled White House and Congress to pass health care reform, but didn’t.
The people WANT health care reform and the GOP is doing everything they can to make sure it doesn’t happen, just like they did before. The GOP leaders aren’t even giving lip service to the fact that it needs reformed anymore, as they did over the summer. They see numbers like the 43% and think they are done and can go back to business (in the true sense of the word) as usual. They aren’t paying attention to the fact that the same 43% WANT reform and a good amount-14%- of people don’t know. Where is the GOP compromise they constantly talked about all summer? Where is the GOP attempt to give the 43% that want reform and the 14% who aren’t sure some kind of help. I notice there’s no mention of that anymore either.
If the GOP succeeeds and nothing gets done, which is just what they want, then there is nothing to stop the double digit annual increases that are detrimental to everyone. Small bvusinesses can’t afford them and still give cost of living increases. The American worker will bring home less and less real income BEFORE paying for their increased co-pays, deductibles and contirbution. The GOP acts as if doing nothing doesn’t cost anything; that the status quo is stable. It is not. There is considerable cost to inaction. The GOP has fueled that misperception and the Dems have not done enough to inform the public otherwise, trying to be nice and not rock the boat while lie after lie was spewed on the Internet and by public officials that should know better. They need to show how much the inaction of the last 15 years has cost- and how much it will cost in the future. Then maybe the American public can get angry for the right reason.
I’m not going to bother getting into the pitfalls of statistical analysis again like I did with Florida Blogger, JBS already started down that path and I’m tired talking about it.
But… The majority of the people don’t spend their life engulfed in the political arena like you, me and all the other bloggers on here. Most people hear public option and think… What the hell is that? But when a smooth talking politician paints a beautiful picture behind the term, “we’ll take care of you, you are entitled to it” sure people love it. But when those same politicans fail to make this public aware of the consequences of such an action of course they accept it. However over time as others voice their opinions and the realities come out the picture doesn’t look so good. The point is details don’t matter to the public at large. They want solutions that make their lives better. Politicians have the responsibility of developing these solutions with honesty and integrity and the will of the people in mind. If you want to talk polls, polls show the majority do not support the current plan. They want reform, that’s what they know. When the dems shove the bill down the country’s throat with reconciliation we’ll see how much they like it! The reality is people only know the result they want, not the process to get there. Some of us care, some us understand the specifics (or think we do) but most really don’t care. That’s why we have politicians to begin with. When the public realizes the public option isn’t all it’s cracked up to be those polls are going to shift real quick! Having the insight to realize this is the will of the people should be a prequisite of being in office, but sadly it is not.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/233890
Just over 50% people say they are against the “Obama Health Plan,” but then turn around and say they are in favor of every major component of it. That’s not a rejection of health care reform or Obama’s plan, that’s people buying into propoganda and rejecting something without knowing the facts. Rejecting a plan that they would support if they actually took the time to find out what was in it instead of listening to people like Sarah Palin, for example, about what is in it.
If Obama is guilty of anything, it’s not playing the PR game right and thinking that the majority of people were more savvy then they apparently are. I don’t think that he thought that people would actually BUY the BS and misinformation being peddled by the fright wing (death camps, mandatory socialized medicine, etc.) But they did- hook, line and sinker- just like the health care insurance companies and their cadre of full time lobbyists wanted them to. Just ask FreedomWork’s Dick Armey, Bachmann and Lieberman and all the others who are on the payroll of the healthcare industry.
The Dems should stand up for what the American people have said, and are still saying, they want and call the GOP’s fillibuster bluff. Let the GOPs in Congress have to publicly choose sides and work for it. Let the GOP publicly commit to killing health care reform with actions, not just rhetoric. That way, when the American people look at this in 2012 after getting a 25-30% hike in their insurance rates (as one major carrier just did), or in 2016 when it is just as bad or worse, it is clear who is responsible. Let the GOP try to backpeddle from that one…
Ok No Name,
We’re going to try an exercise I like to call higher level reasoning. I know it will be tough, and you’ll probably strain yourself, but it will get easier the more you do it. Obama’s and Congress both have approval ratings in the toilet because they haven’t done anything. They’re getting pushed around by Republicans playing school yard bullies. Every time they get shoved down they get right back up and go right back to them saying “come on, we can be friends.”, only to get shoved down again.
Now, enter this poll. This is where you have to start thinking. I know it’s tough; I’ll give you a second to get ready. Good. In this poll the people are saying that instead of trying to make friends if the democrats would FIGHT BACK!! The people would be pleased and vote for them. If the give the people the things they promised like the PUBLIC OPTION!!!! They would vote for them. Clear questions clear answers. People don’t want their garbage compromise willed with Republican ideas, they want a Democratic bill. They said it and they said it by a large majority IN THIS POLL. All you have to do is READ and comprehend. Two things it’s apparent you couldn’t do if someone held a gun to your head and told you your life depended on it.
People WANT healthcare reform. What they don’t want is the massive compromise piece of crap congress is working on. They are saying, give us the Democratic bill we were promised and we’ll vote for democrats. Even the Independents are saying that.
Erik,
I don’t need to say it. You already know what I think you can do with your insightful video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=7n2m-X7OIuY
Only a third of US voters think their Congress members have earned the right to get sent back next year — a record-low number, a poll released yesterday shows
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/congress_poll_ralfzutWeCzpTpC6x1wrhP#ixzz0gNSJyQhv
CNN poll: 52% say Obama doesn’t deserve reelection in 2012
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/81213-52-say-obama-doesnt-deserve-reelection-
Dough boy,
Here’s a dose of reality for you. I suggest you take the red pill and get out of the matrix.
http://www.gallup.com/search/default.aspx?q=healthcare&s=&p=1
Dough Boy,
5 months after releasing their healthcare bill approval for it was below 50%. You live in a dream world and I won’t waste my time showing you the numbers since you couldn’t read them anyway. Anyone who SERIOUSLY wants to know the truth can find it. And it proves you wrong. Deception is as stupid does.
After reading your highly scientific study, the lost voice of Mark Twain came to mind. There are lies, damn lies and statistics.
That was a little quip from him we all remember. What we may forget are his time honored deeper sentiments about the government you wish to swaddle you…… (Even if you hate the direction, enjoy a true writer, too often neglected)
“The mania for giving the Government power to meddle with the private affairs of cities or citizens is likely to cause endless trouble, through the rivaly of schools and creeds that are anxious to obtain official recognition, and there is great danger that our people will lose our independence of thought and action which is the cause of much of our greatness, and sink into the helplessness of the Frenchman or German who expects his government to feed him when hungry, clothe him when naked, to prescribe when his child may be born and when he may die, and, in fine, to regulate every act of humanity from the cradle to the tomb, including the manner in which he may seek future admission to paradise.”