OpenLeft: The "We Can Do Health Reform Without Taking on the Insurance Industry" Argument

[marmar]

The "We Can Do Health Reform Without Taking on the Insurance Industry" Argument
by: Mike Lux

Thu Aug 27, 2009 at 15:30


There are a lot of folks in the conventional wisdom, establishment-oriented Democratic circles that are trying the sell the argument that reform without a public option is still big, important, transformational health care reform. I totally get why they are doing it, and even have some sympathy for what they are trying to achieve: worried that we can't get a public option bill out of the Senate, they are scrambling to make it seem like whatever passes isn't a failure or disappointment.

The latest example is Third Way's Roll Call op-ed, "Don't Pass on the 'Next New Deal'". The folks at Third Way know how to make an argument, and what they say sounds reasonable enough, that if we regulate insurers to stop the worst things about our current system, that will still be a big improvement in health insurance rules.

What I fear instead is another bill like Kennedy-Kassebaum which, as I have written before, was supposed to solve some of the same insurance problems like people losing their insurance when they switched jobs, or being deprived of pre-existing conditions- all of which continues to happen.

Another bad outcome would be that we get something like the Massachusetts health plan, which passed with a lot of hype a few years ago. It's not working very well, though, as way too many people can't afford to sign up for coverage, and the costs are quickly spiraling out of control. .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://openleft.com/diary/14818/the-we-can-do-health-reform-without-taking-on-the-insurance-industry-argument

[SoCalDem]

1. Like wearing a turtle-neck sweater & thinking it will protect you from a vampire..n/t

[Laelth]

2. kovie's explanation for Obama's behavior (following the lead article) is quite interesting.

Here's what kovie sees as possible explanations for Obama's failure to really take on the insurance industry:

1 - He really is as brilliant as his fanbots say he is, faking out both sides on his way to passing truly progressive reform. The only problem with this is that we've seen just the opposite of this so far. What was so brilliant about FISA, the stim bill cave-in, the bailouts without strings, the cap and trade bill, financial reform, etc.? I'm not seeing any brilliance in those. (I suppose that some might explain these as just "fake outs" intended to lead to real reform down the line. But we're seriously into psychotic territory here.)

2 - Not brilliant, just oversold into the long since disproven cult of post-partisanship, believing not only that it can work, but that it is essential that it be persued, for the sake of the republic's future, the alternative being increasing division to the point where we no longer have a republic. He's like Lincoln before the first shots fired on Fort Sumter (or, perhaps, after it, but before First Manassas, or, perhaps, after it too, the foolishness of the perpetual optimist being boundless), forever trying to avert a bloody civil war, convinced that this can and must be done, yet not realizing--or being willing to admit, due to character faults--that this is futile, that war is inevitable and it will be long and bloody, but that it's the only way to get past the status quo.

3 - Neither brilliant nor deluded, just spineless and unprincipled, forever trying to avoid real confrontation with the establishment, because he fears getting bloodied and bruised, and seeking solutions that accomplish this, yet can be sold to his base.

4 - He's a sellout, always has been, is industry's guy on the inside, and this is just the latest sellout, woven and spun to make it look like it's better than it is. I'm increasingly leaning in this direction, but am willing to reserve judgement a bit longer,

kovie thinks, at this point, that #3 is the most likely answer.

Most of the posts following the lead article are interesting, btw, and worth reading.

Recommended. k&r

:dem:

-Laelth