A couple of days ago there was a brilliantly articulated essay on what has gone wrong with our quest for health care reform. The PolicySpeak Disaster for Health Care was written by George Lakoff, a recognized leader in our community with expertise in framing messages for the media.
One of the first points he made was that PolicySpeak was burying us and making it harder for our message to be accepted and understood. And he pointedly attacked the use of the name "Public Option" as an example of where we were failing.
Yet everybody is still using it. Well...STOP IT!
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Lakoff did not just bash a label that has gotten stuck in our throats, he actually gave us an outstanding alternative: "The American Option." Why aren't we using it?
We have every right to package our initiatives in any manner that we think advances their adoption. It is not too late to recast this debate in terms that are more appealing and descriptive. In case you don't know it, our opponents are presently attempting to change the branding to something they find more to their liking: "Government Run Health Care." They were even kind enough to display a graphic on Fox News that said...
Public Option = Government Run
The anchor, Trace Gallagher (who makes every report sound like he's talking to 4 year olds) cautioned his audience that when they hear the phrase Public Option, what it actually means is Government Run. This was his (and Fox News') introduction to a new framing, so they generously provided a legend for their viewers to figure out what it all meant.
Are we going to leave this battlefield to the enemy? They have already had a fair measure of success with regard to the public relations battle. Polls have shown support for the President and his handling of the issue declining. Yes, I know that polls can be manipulated and there are other polls that lean more in our favor, but the fact that some "mainstream" sources report these results adds ammunition to the anti-reform forces even if the data isn't credible.
If we can't modify our own behavior and use the framing that benefits us, how can we ever hope to get the press to change their habits? It is imperative that we start to use "The American Option" religiously. That's what it is. Public Option tells us nothing. Health insurance companies are public companies. We are offering something different. And it isn't a Canadian or British option either.
So what do you say? Can we exercise some discipline in pursuit of clarity? Can we take this simple step to advance our cause? It really isn't that hard. Say it with me:
The American Option
This Is How America Does Health Care:
- Affordable Coverage for all
- Choice of doctors and plans
- Improve care with lower costs
- Invest in prevention and wellness
- End Insurance company rationing
- No denials for pre-existing conditions
- Reduce wastefulness, greed, and fraud
Got it? </soapbox>
Update: Apparently Lakoff used the phrase "American Plan." I still like option because it implies choice, but I can go either way. And for those who say it's too late...Fox News doesn't think so. Neither should we.