I think all of us who truly believe that converting the remaining 53% of health care dollars that are not currently single payer (47% already is and that fact is universally ignored in any media discussion of the status quo) need to face up to the fact that our Dear Leader may be on the verge of caving into the Baucus and Grassley types just to get a phony win on his record. "Obama Reformed Healthcare" will be the claim and we can now just tweak our way to better health.
Get ready for the following: "Don't let the good be the enemy of the perfect. Health Care Coops may not be perfect but they are better than nothing. At least we got rid of 'pre-existing condition'." Will that be good enough for you and your family?
60 Senators in the Democratic caucus and a 38 vote cushion in the House. The AMA, the Pharma Lobby and Walmart on board. 70 percent that want something done sooner than later. And all we are going to get is some watered down giveaway to United Health, Aetna, Wellpoint and Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Why is this all falling apart? One word: fear. The forces against change use it magnificently and the forces for change run from it. Let me repeat. The forces for change run from using fear. After all they are the forces of hope, aren't they? Forces of hope can't use fear because that would be somehow counterproductive, right? WRONG!!!!!
The only persuasive force for the majority of America is fear. The inability of the Obama Administration to effectively marshal the awesome power of fear is the reason we get crumbs instead of the loaf.
Think how easy it would be to sell real Health Insurance Reform is you used just fear:
- Without this bill Medicare will be slashed. All current benefits will be cut in half and all copays will double over the next 8 years.
- Without this bill everyone's insurance premiums will double over the next 8 years just as they have over the last 8 years. If you paid $2,500 10 years ago and are now paying $5000, get ready for $10,000 a year.
- Without this bill 15 million more Americans will lose their coverage over the next 8 years. Are you next in line?
- Without this bill, if you get cancer and are insured, don't count on any effective treatment being actually paid for by your insurance company. You have no protection because insurance "bureaucrats" can deny coverage without any penalty. In fact they are encouraged by their bosses to do so.
- Without this bill, America will go broke in 8 years.
Fear sells. [Hope floats, like other things in your toilet bowl.] Only 45% of America will listen to an appeal to their "better angels". They have been sold already. The rest only respond to fear. Make them afraid, very afraid and we might be able to salvage some true reform. Right now the forces of evil are winning the "fear war". Time to take the gloves off Democrats!