How easy should it be to get Health Care Reform passed?

[FrenchieCat]

Poll question: How easy should it be to get Health Care Reform passed?

Just want to know, if you were President, how easy do you think it would be for you to get the kind of health care reform you believe is the right kind, including single payer, and how would you go about getting it passed legislatively?

How would you fight the money sources against your plan, and how you would fight the media memes that would shape your message to the general public? Please post your specific strategy and details.....

Thanks!

[Sebastian Doyle]

1. With a Democratic President and majorities in both houses, it should be done already

And it should be single payer. Not watered down, game playing corporate fellation horseshit.

Of course we don't really have Democratic majorities in either house, because of all the DLC tools and blueballed cowards who lie about who and what they are. (fucking corporatist Repuke tools)

And meanwhile you have the Emanuel brothers whispering in Obama's ear, and they not only DON'T want real reform, they want to make it worse by privatizing fucking Medicare!

That's the problem on "our" side of the aisle. Never mind the Repukes, the insurance criminals, the Pharma criminals, and the whore media.

[FrenchieCat]

2. so you say..."Of course we don't really have Democratic majorities in either house

....Never mind the Repukes, the insurance criminals, the Pharma criminals, and the whore media."

So what would you do to deal with the DLC tools, the Repukes, the insurance criminals, the Pharma criminals, and the whore media, in order to get your health care plan through. And what kind of plan would it be? How would you sell it?

[Sebastian Doyle]

4. The best strategy so far seems to be the one Howard Dean is using.

Yeah, he's calling for a true Public Option to exist alongside the insurance corporation plans, but he's doing so with the full knowledge that the corporations would lose that battle in the long run, which would eventually leave a single payer system.

I'd like to believe that's what Obama really thinks as well, given statements he made in favor of single payer earlier in his political career, but there's no question now that he's getting bad advice from Zeke Emanuel, and (at least in the recent past) Tom Daschle (and God knows who else) who profit from the corporatist system.

The Kucinich/Sanders approach (let the states do it) also seems like a good strategy, but not in the current fucked up economy, as many states just don't have the money, and there's no obvious solution for funding as there is nationally (i.e. tax the rich and end the stupid wars).

[FrenchieCat]

7. So again, how would you battle the demons that are in the way?

Howard Dean is fighting the battle from the side lines as in; he's another voice out there trying to rally the people to stand up by raising money to communicate. Is that what you would do? and if so, how do you combat Media & special interest disinformation, if you have all of WH power on your side to use against them?

[Sebastian Doyle]

11. If I had the WH power on my side

I would have put Howard Dean in charge in the first place, and not tried to put a pathetic tool like Daschle in there. Obama definitely does have to take some blame for putting weak people in charge of this, and other areas (i.e. the economy) As I said, he's getting bad advice.

Hopefully he's taking calls from Dr. Dean. If he's not that's a pretty crappy way to treat the one guy (aside from Obama himself) who did the most to make his election possible. Not to mention bad for the country.

As far as fighting the media..... even when you have a voice in TV who's willing to talk about it like Ed Schultz, for example, you tune into his show on MSNBC, and you hear him speak the truth about health care for 15 minutes, then they cut to commercial, and then you have all the corporate tools and drug companies that sponsor the network contradicting everything you just heard.

If I was Obama, I'd channel a bit of the Denver acceptance speech and say "Enough!" of this bullshit. Harry Truman tried to pass health care reform 60 fucking years ago, when the rest of the civilized world did it. It's not only time, it's way past time to do it here. And he needs to tell Congress, "don't even bother sending me a half assed bill because I'll veto the piece of shit".

[quantass]

3. Should be easy but the REAL con is revealed -- regardless of a Party is supposed to care about its

constituents. A lot of interest groups and a lot of pay days. Honestly if i was a congressman, despite my desire for single payer reform, i too would secomb to bribery and take the money all the way to the bank. This is a tough fight since i am as liberal as they come and i can honestly tell you i would be as corrupt as the rest of them.

The only real way for America to change is a dramatic disaster event that affected the entire nation's "real people" (not its banks, or millionaires). A true depression is needed in America for Healthcare reform to take place. Until then we will just have pattycake.

[Wapsie B]

5. Not allowing corporations to lobby government would be the first step.

They are not individuals. They do not have 1st Amendment rights.

And no corporate money in campaigns. Public financing only.

[FrenchieCat]

9. So would you announce that, and if so, wouldn't that open you up to a law suit?

Considering that the SCOTUS has ruled that corporations are people too?

Wouldn't that delay any reform indifinetly, or how do you see that scenario playing out?

And yes, I agree that Public Financing might be the first thing to address....
But again, that would be legislation that would have to actually pass....
and so then if the problem in passing health care, might this move only transfer
the efforts to the problem of getting public financing passed?
So then....Do you think that you would eventually get anywhere,
or would a move to allow only for Public Financing of elections
derail any hope for Health Care anytime soon?

[Wapsie B]

20. As firmly entrenched as corporations are in this country I do not know what the final answer is.

I just know what I'd like to see in my perfect world. At this point and time a fight to get public financing would take away the push for any healthcare reform, whether it be piecemeal, which is what I'm afraid will happen, or the whole enchilada; a true public option, covering every citizen of this country under a plan similar to the Canadian system.

[vaberella]

12. Thanks for showing you don't have a clue. Moving on.

Repukes aren't the problem so much as our own Dems.

[Sebastian Doyle]

14. Thanks for the personal attack, cheerleader

Must be nice living in that delusional little world where you're too young to remember what the real Democratic party was all about.

[vaberella]

16. This issue is irrespective to Party. I'm not about to to play party politics on progressive issues.

There are many Dems I find that are not very progressive and this board is testimony to much of this. And when I see the Senate and health care----5 US Democratic Senators came out and said they would NOT for health care if there is a public option. Plus we already have no Repubs on the list. What does that mean? That means that 5 Dems must be public there are 13 Dems that consider themselves to be Conservatives and a few of them publicly shot down the public plan.

So when you think it's easy----I see utter failure and a total ignorance of the situation. When you say both houses we dominate, we have people in our ranks who are against the American people---and there is nothing the President can do except blackmail if he has dirt on them. When you say it's the Repukes fault....I see a very narrowed scope. In the end...our failure is also met when people don't recognize their own faults.

[Sebastian Doyle]

18. "Narrowed scope"

So I have a "narrow scope" because I don't believe those who do to corporations what Monica did to Clinton should be allowed to call themselves "Democrats"??

Bullshit. I have no tolerance for that shit, and I shouldn't have to. Nor for their apologists. It's not the values of the Democratic party that I've busted my ass off for since Reagan's empty head occupied the White House.

[Jennicut]

22. Um, please don't put people's age down in respect to politics

Those of us in our twenties and thirties are the future of the Dem party. And none of like what it has become, too many corporate interests. We are not "cheerleaders" and Obama has made mistakes. That is what stops us from having real discussions on this board, the labeling of others. I won't label you as some crazy far left nut because you are not. You simply want a fair discussion and Obama to be held to the highest standard possible. However, that does not get to the true heart of the problem...that Congress has many interests that do not include us. We are last on the list. And its been going off and on for over a hundred years. Corruption is nothing new in politics. Sometimes its worse that at other times. Right now is one of the worst. And I do think the culture of greed has been building up since after I was born in the early 80's.

[HughMoran]

24. "cheerleader"

This from the people who hate the use of the term "poutrage"

I motherfucking hate hypocrisy.

[HughMoran]

23. In your ideal world where Dems marched in lockstep

...just like Republicans!

[jody]

6. Depends on the definition of"Health Care Reform" but some will just accept any "Change" declare

"Mission Accomplished" and trumpet victory.

[FrenchieCat]

8. So what would you do if you were President and wanted Health Care reform

as you see is needed? What would be your strategy?

[jody]

13. No easy answer because a President needs 51 Senators and 218 Congresspersons to pass a "president's

bill" and those elected members of congress represent diverse constituencies, e.g. in the House from Barrow Alaska (population 3,982) to New York City (population 8,363,710) and in the Senate from California (population 36,756,666) to Wyoming (population 532,668).

Note Wyoming has the same number of senators as California and that’s an important fact when one seeks a compromise on any controversial bill.

IMO no president's bill will pass but a bill that gets the votes of 51+ senators and 218+ congresspersons will pass but it could be vetoed by a president.

The specifics for which you ask will probably include some form of increased taxes on the middle class and rationing aka Comparative Effectiveness that Obama will spend $1.1 billion to justify.

[Brigid]

10. It would be extremely difficult.

Though some say circumstances are different from those in the the 1993 debacle, we still have the usual suspects fighting against us. I chose option 2 -- so long as the compromises are limited, and past that point I would dig in my heels, use my popularity with the people (which Obama still has at this point), plus the fact that fewer and fewer people are in denial about the fact that our health care system is broken (despite what idiots like Glenn Beck say), to get it done.

[Bluenorthwest]

15. Easy would not be on my list of needs

That which is easy is usually also worthless. Why is easy you first priority in dealing with this? Who told you it would be or even should be easy?
Easy. What a way to think.

[ipaint]

17. I'll play

I would have told the truth and involved the public in every step. I was elected despite being labeled a socialist so I would use that to my advantage.

I would plan weekly 1 to 2 hour televised platforms where experts and citizens(of each country) would present country by country around the world (one every week) the different varieties of government health care and the pro's and cons of each program.
Charts, cbo estimates, numbers from other countries studies etc. would be used to educate people.

I would have appointed dean, as others have suggested, and tasked him to use the same grassroots connections he cultivated to get me elected and I would mobilize them to help get info out locally. Knock on doors etc.
I would provide grassroots organizations in every state literature to provide to folks outlining the different programs with comparisons and the sites online folks can find additional info.

I would also set up town halls across the nation, again using the grassroots already developed during my campaign for folks to air their questions and concerns. I would set up a website where people can ask questions of the experts and a telephone number for those with no access to the internet. I would answer the main questions from the website online.

The last tv program would outline our system with experts from the for profit medical industry, community health centers, medicare and hospitals to explain what they offer.

In the end I would make it clear what I thought was best and the reasons why and I would let the american people decide by contacting their representatives locally and nationally.
As citizens we need to do the work.

All negotiations would truly be open, every word on paper and publicly available.

Most importantly I would tell the truth.

Impossibly naive, I'm sure, but business as usual for 30 years in washington isn't working so I would go with education and facts. Most folks want some form of single payer, it's getting the facts to them in a way that involves them as citizens not consumers, shows a clear respect for their intelligence but also with the knowledge they elected a progressive with a clear message for change.

[Chisox08]

19. Just say Jesus wants me to get health care passed

It worked to get us into Iraq.

[MadBadger]

21. Not all Democrats are alike, some are more conservative or libereal than others.

So we shouldnt expect it to be easy to pass healthcare, when there is a certain group of Democrats, specifically the ones in the Senate that more conservative then we would like. We can be pissed off at them, and we are, but we shouldnt expect it to be easy.

[DailyGrind51]

25. The American people are too gullible and fall for the R-W propaganda every time.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

26. Real reform won't happen

Too many influential Democratic senators taking too much money from insurance, pharmaceutical, medical industry.

Like the bill that forbids medicare (or was it medicaid) from negotiating drug costs, this one too will be completely swamped by payoffs.


The best I hope for is federal help for families to buy into corporate health insurance plans. The plans that make money by paying only part of medical bills and by refusing medical procedures.

I'm hoping my prediction is dead wrong.

:hi:

[endarkenment]

27. kleptocracy firmly in control - nearly impossible to reform anything

other than the capital gains and estate taxes, where reform is 'more tax breaks for billionaires'.