As with all things Republican these days, it is truly a marvel to see them reflexively turn every single time to their Rovian toolkit of debunked lies, obfuscation, and projection, to hoodwink the American people into rejecting Healthcare Reform.
Republicans still believe that the public will always fall for their tricks, so long as it is prettied up in "schmoozy" lingo. Why do they believe that despite their repeated failures since 2006? Well, Republican pollster Frank Luntz told them so. It must be true.
More after the jump...
Frank Luntz has delivered a 10-point plan to the GOP, complete with poll-tested language, on how to steer the American public to support their corporatist view of NO REAL REFORM to healthcare. The 26-page report details right down to minutiae, how Republicans should TALK about healthcare reform.
His advice in a nutshell? Don't directly oppose President Obama's plan. The public WANTS healthcare reform. Instead, sweet talk the public into rejecting all meaningful change.
Frank Luntz's strategy for turning GOP frogs into Healthcare princes states that:
"You simply MUST be vocally and passionately on the side of REFORM,"
In other words, Luntz wants the Repugs take advantage of the current lull in the debate while congress prepares to take up the healthcare bill, to jump ahead of the gun. They should position themselves to become the public's trusted mediators who will EXPLAIN and ADVISE them on just HOW BAD the President's and the Democratic congress's proposals.
Then like all good snake oil salesmen, they must quickly move in for the kill:
"Republicans must be for the right kind of reform that protects the quality of healthcare for all Americans. And you must establish your support of reform early in your presentation."
Next, dress up the current turd and make the American people think it is caviar. Steer the American people to willingly choose to remain in their:
"current arrangement by asking at "every healthcare town hall forum": "Would you rather ... ‘Pay the costs you pay today for the quality of care you currently receive,’ OR ‘Pay less for your care, but potentially have to wait weeks for tests and months for treatments you need.’"
Then instill FEAR of all things Washington. The key FEAR-INDUCING buzz phrases on Obama healthcare are:
—"It could lead to the government setting standards of care, instead of doctors who really know what’s best."
—"It could lead to the government rationing care, making people stand in line and denying treatment like they do in other countries with national healthcare."
-"President Obama wants to put the Washington bureaucrats in charge of healthcare. I want to put the medical professionals in charge, and I want patients as an equal partner."
THE TEN POINT PLAN
To enable the American people to drink up all this pap, Luntz says Republicans should:
- First furrow your brows with deep concern about the Healthcare crisis:
Acknowledge the "crisis" or suffer the consequences. If you say there is no healthcare crisis, you give your listener permission to ignore everything else you say. It is a credibility killer for most Americans. A better approach is to define the crisis in your terms
- Hide all the Frankenstein-ish parts of your body and demeanor. Instead HUMANIZE, HUMANIZE, HUMANIZE" (by the way, how does one humanize Boehner and bobble-head Cantor?)
Humanize your approach. Abandon and exile ALL references to the "healthcare system." From now on, healthcare is about people.
- Tell the American people that Obama healthcare will mean they will have to wait till eternity to see their doctor, even though with their CURRENT private insurance they probably wait till eternity to see a nurse practitioner, forget about a doctor.
- Tell the American people that, "horror of horrors" a congresscritter will be performing their lobotomies and pap smears. Can't let that happen. Of course, it's not as if the health insurance executive is not currently deciding whether your ailment is covered or not, right? If Repugs repeat these evil words often enought the people's ire will turn on Obama.
"politicians," "bureaucrats," and "Washington"
- Also, Scream CANADA!!!!, CANADA!!!! CANADA!!!, CANADA!!!, CANADA!!!! at the top of your lungs.
"In countries with government run healthcare, politicians make YOUR healthcare decisions. THEY decide if you’ll get the procedure you need, or if you are disqualified because the treatment is too expensive or because you are too old. We can’t have that in America."
- Insist on "Healthcare quality" (meaning, can't sit in the doctor's waiting room with homeless people now, can we?)
"getting the treatment you need, when you need it." That is how Americans define quality, and so should you. Once again, focus on the importance of timeliness, but then add to it the specter of "denial." Nothing will anger Americans more than the chance that they will be denied the healthcare they need for whatever reason.
But is care not being denied under this current privatized healthcare? Wasn't President Obama's mother, Ann Duhnam originally denied care for her ovarian cancer by her insurance company, and the matter resolved when it was too late?
- No muu-muu tent dresses; No "One-Size-Fits-All" pantaloons. My question is if the point is to protect doctor-patient relationship then what is my HMO doing in the middle of my relationship with MY doctor
The idea that a "committee of Washington bureaucrats" will establish the standard of care for all Americans and decide who gets what treatment based on how much it costs is anathema to Americans. Your approach? Call for the "protection of the personalized doctor-patient relationship."
- Government is BAD. WASTE. FRAUD. ABUSE. The high cost of healthcare is the fault of Government Waste & Fraud. There's a gem lodged in what he says, though:
You can’t blame it on the lack of a private market; in case you missed it, capitalism isn’t exactly in vogue these days. But you can and should blame it on the waste, fraud, and abuse that is rampant in anything and everything the government controls.
- Repackage yet again the current healthcare crap sandwich which is no health care at all and call it a day.
"A balanced, common sense approach that provides assistance to those who truly need it and keeps healthcare patient-centered rather than government-centered for everyone."
- Whatever you do keep talking. Say anything or else Americans will suspect you have nothing to offer.
It’s okay (and even necessary) for your campaign to center around why this healthcare plan is bad for America. But if you offer no vision for what’s better for America, you’ll be relegated to insignificance at best and labeled obstructionist at worst.
So there you have it, the GOP 10-point plan to healthcare insanity. Watch out for a kindler gentler Republican psycho-therapist, complete with refurbished toupees, to tell you that what ails you is BAD GUBMINT, not unaffordable and poor quality healthcare.
The GOP, as always is ready to hawk you the latest warmed over cow patties? Do you like them Rare, Medium or Well done? Fries with that?