I feel deep sadness about the death of Ted Kennedy.I have always admired Senator Kennedy. This news, though not unexpected, is a heavy blow.
I was not always a liberal. I grew up in a conservative Republican family. I rooted for Richard Nixon to be elected president in his campaign against John Kennedy. I was in Republican headquarters in Cincinnati on election night when Nixon won Ohio but lost the presidency.
When John Kennedy became president, the world changed.
It is hard to explain what John Kennedy meant to my generation. We suddenly had a feeling that there would be a new politics, a new type of government, a new America. Before John Kennedy, I had felt that the only party opposing racial segregation was the Republican Party. The Democrats in the South were all segregationists. Then John Kennedy and his brother Robert came along and declared that the government would fight against segregation. They changed the Democratic Party and they changed the direction of this country. I became a Democrat. The redneck Democrats of the South became Republicans.
The assassination of President Kennedy was one of the most stunningly terrible days in my life. I had invested all of my political hopes and dreams in this man, and now, through the forces of grim, meaningless misfortune, he was gone. I invested no hope in Lyndon Johnson. I was on the brink of surrendering to apathy and cynicism.
I soon found myself transferring my hopes to John’s younger brother, Robert Kennedy. Although Lyndon Johnson had pushed the Civil Rights Laws through Congress, he had also escalated the Vietnam insurgency into a full-blown war with thousands of American casualties. Robert Kennedy took up the mantel of his late brother and called for progressive politics and cessation of the war. He announced that he was running for president and I became one of his campaign managers for New York City. I organized meetings and canvassing on his behalf. One morning, as I got out of bed, I turned on the television and the announcer said that Robert Kennedy had been shot and killed. I sat on the bed in numb disbelief. For the second time I felt that a bullet had been shot through my heart.
There was still one brother left. I attended the funeral of Robert Kennedy in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, and was very moved by the eulogy delivered by Ted Kennedy. I thought that perhaps Ted could become president and accomplish the unfinished work of John and Robert. There was still a faint glimmer of hope that Camelot could be brought back, that we could return to the idealism and promise inaugurated by the first Kennedy.
But it did not take another assassin to shoot Ted Kennedy. He shot himself at Chappaquiddick, driving my hopes and the hopes of millions of Americans off a bridge in a car with an attractive young woman not his wife. He lost the luster of Kennedy brilliance, and when he did run for president he was still weighted down in the murky waters of a channel between Chappaquiddick Island and Martha's Vineyard. He lost to a mediocrity named Jimmy Carter.
In the 1980 Democratic convention, Senator Kennedy gave the finest speech I have ever heard at a political convention. He called for Democratic idealists to keep the faith, to stand up for liberal values, to fight against the reactionary tide that was sweeping across the nation. He concluded his speech in a thundering voice: “For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.”
For 29 more years the work went on for Ted Kennedy. With all of his wealth, he could have retired to Hyannisport and lived a life of pure luxury. Instead he fought indefatigably for the ideals of his brothers and for all that is best in America. He pushed through legislation that embodied the great liberal causes dear to the Kennedys. He overcame all of the things in his life that had held him back and had caused questioning and scandal. He became the "Lion of the Senate," and in that role he stood for everything that I admire. Because of his work, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream has never died.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Misperceptions About Health Care Reform
It is a tribute to the power and wealth of the health insurance lobby and its Republican friends in Congress that they have been able to influence many people by spreading misinformation about the President’s health care reform plan. It is discouraging to see that in a desperate effort to defeat and destroy President Obama and the Democrats the Republicans have abandoned a critical moral value called “truth.”
One of the main reasons why so many people oppose health care reform is because of glaring misperceptions about the President’s plan. Large numbers of misinformed people believe the plan would cut Medicare benefits, give health insurance coverage to illegal immigrants, lead to a government takeover of the health care system, and use taxpayer dollars to pay for women to have abortions — all claims that have proven to be false.
One false rumor spread by congressional Republicans is that the government is going to require old people to have “mandatory” counseling sessions that will tell them how to end their lives sooner. This lie was promoted by our local hero and House Minority Gasbag, John Boehner, who said that the bill would encourage “euthanasia.” Even that quitter, Sarah Palin, whose rambling and grammatically challenged farewell speech became the laughingstock of late-night comedians, said on Facebook that she didn’t want to have her parents and down-syndrome baby face President Obama’s “death panel.” Death panel?
It is self-evident that dimwit Sarah, like most other right-wing opponents of health care reform, has no clue as to what is in the bills in Congress. There is nothing in the plan that could even remotely constitute a requirement of “mandatory” end-of-life counseling sessions, not to mention euthanasia or a death panel. I don’t expect people to read the over 1017 recondite pages of the proposed bills, but there are good summaries on the internet.
One claim made by Republicans is that health care reform will hurt small businessmen and make it impossible for them to cover their employees with health insurance. On the contrary, it will greatly help small businessmen. Small firms will be able to buy health insurance at substantially lower rates. Those that currently offer coverage often pay significantly more per worker than larger employers. Under the current bills, the smallest employers will gain quick access to new insurance exchanges — where plans will compete for their business with rates comparable to those enjoyed by large employers.
Another claim frequently heard is that the government will institute rationing. The truth is just the opposite. The health care reform bills will eliminate all forms of health insurance rationing, especially those now being used by private health insurance companies. The bills will forbid insurance companies from denying coverage for people who have had a previous medical condition. They will forbid dropping patients who have current medical problems. No American will ever again be subject to annual or lifetime limits on their coverage.
The health care bills will not cover illegal immigrants. Under the President’s plan, only citizens and legal residents will be covered.
The health care bills will not cover government funding of abortion. There will be no repeal of the Hyde Amendment which prohibits the government from funding abortion.
Republican senators have declared that the bills will cut benefits from Medicare. That is a deliberate lie. The bills will not cut any benefits from Medicare. (This will be the subject of a later commentary).
There will be no governmental take-over of the health care system. We will still have private doctors, hospitals, and health insurance.
It is unfortunate that people have swallowed so many lies put-out by the health insurance industry and Republican leaders. If you really care, now is the time to actually read the summaries of the bills on the internet.
One of the main reasons why so many people oppose health care reform is because of glaring misperceptions about the President’s plan. Large numbers of misinformed people believe the plan would cut Medicare benefits, give health insurance coverage to illegal immigrants, lead to a government takeover of the health care system, and use taxpayer dollars to pay for women to have abortions — all claims that have proven to be false.
One false rumor spread by congressional Republicans is that the government is going to require old people to have “mandatory” counseling sessions that will tell them how to end their lives sooner. This lie was promoted by our local hero and House Minority Gasbag, John Boehner, who said that the bill would encourage “euthanasia.” Even that quitter, Sarah Palin, whose rambling and grammatically challenged farewell speech became the laughingstock of late-night comedians, said on Facebook that she didn’t want to have her parents and down-syndrome baby face President Obama’s “death panel.” Death panel?
It is self-evident that dimwit Sarah, like most other right-wing opponents of health care reform, has no clue as to what is in the bills in Congress. There is nothing in the plan that could even remotely constitute a requirement of “mandatory” end-of-life counseling sessions, not to mention euthanasia or a death panel. I don’t expect people to read the over 1017 recondite pages of the proposed bills, but there are good summaries on the internet.
One claim made by Republicans is that health care reform will hurt small businessmen and make it impossible for them to cover their employees with health insurance. On the contrary, it will greatly help small businessmen. Small firms will be able to buy health insurance at substantially lower rates. Those that currently offer coverage often pay significantly more per worker than larger employers. Under the current bills, the smallest employers will gain quick access to new insurance exchanges — where plans will compete for their business with rates comparable to those enjoyed by large employers.
Another claim frequently heard is that the government will institute rationing. The truth is just the opposite. The health care reform bills will eliminate all forms of health insurance rationing, especially those now being used by private health insurance companies. The bills will forbid insurance companies from denying coverage for people who have had a previous medical condition. They will forbid dropping patients who have current medical problems. No American will ever again be subject to annual or lifetime limits on their coverage.
The health care bills will not cover illegal immigrants. Under the President’s plan, only citizens and legal residents will be covered.
The health care bills will not cover government funding of abortion. There will be no repeal of the Hyde Amendment which prohibits the government from funding abortion.
Republican senators have declared that the bills will cut benefits from Medicare. That is a deliberate lie. The bills will not cut any benefits from Medicare. (This will be the subject of a later commentary).
There will be no governmental take-over of the health care system. We will still have private doctors, hospitals, and health insurance.
It is unfortunate that people have swallowed so many lies put-out by the health insurance industry and Republican leaders. If you really care, now is the time to actually read the summaries of the bills on the internet.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
The Public Option
There are reports that as of the time I write this commentary the White House is ready to abandon the idea of a public option by which the public could buy health insurance from the government at prices competitive with those of private insurance companies. Apparently, the public option is a deal breaker with many of those Blue Dog Democrats who have taken so much money from the health insurance industry. Senator Kent Conrad says that there are not enough votes in Congress to pass health care with the public option.
Now is the time for the President and the Democrats in Congress to stand-up to the insurance companies and their congressional lackeys, the Republicans, and forge ahead with plans for a public option. If there are not enough votes to pass it, so be it, but don’t surrender before the battle begins. The public option is crucial to hopes of providing health insurance to the 47 million uninsured people in America.
One mindless remark frequently repeated by opponents of health care reform is that we do not want government running our health care because government makes a mess of everything it touches. The statement is simply not true. One need only look at Medicare, TRICARE, and The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP). Far from being poorly run, these governmental health programs are models of efficiency and provide excellent health service to millions of Americans. As a Medicare beneficiary I can testify to the excellence of this program. The truth is that for-profit insurance companies, because of their high administrative costs and their mission to make a profit, are the inefficient providers.
Medicare spends only 3 percent of its budget on administrative costs compared with up to 25 percent spent by private health insurers. The only reason Medicare is running low on money is that doctors and hospitals have for many years been gaming the system by making enormously wasteful charges for unnecessary tests, procedures, and even surgeries (I will cover that problem in a separate column).
At one raucous town hall meeting, a protestor got up and asked the crowd: “how many people are against having the federal government run their health care?” Most of the people raised their hands. The Congressman then asked: “How many people here are on Medicare?” Most of the same people raised their hands. Somehow, these people did not realize that Medicare is a federal government health care program. In one forum a woman said to President Obama: “I don’t want the government interfering with my Medicare.” Millions of obtuse people do not realize that the government runs Medicare, and does it quite well.
Another governmental health care program is TRICARE, the program that covers all military service personnel and veterans. TRICARE is a vitally important part of the national healthcare infrastructure. TRICARE provides world class health care to over 9.4 million beneficiaries who currently serve or have served this nation. In 2008, TRICARE was rated the best health care insurer in the nation according to the Wilson Health Information survey of customer satisfaction.
The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), which currently covers 8 million active and retired federal employees and their dependents, is the nation’s largest employer-sponsored health insurance plan. The program is routinely held up as a model for national health care reform.
The enormously profitable, wasteful, inefficient, deceitful health insurance industry wants people to think that enactment of a public option would mean a complete governmental take-over of health care in America. It would mean no such thing. It would just be another health insurance option. People would be able to keep their previous health insurance, private doctors, and private hospitals. Nothing would change except that there would be one more highly attractive alternative for health insurance.
Now is the time for the President and the Democrats in Congress to stand-up to the insurance companies and their congressional lackeys, the Republicans, and forge ahead with plans for a public option. If there are not enough votes to pass it, so be it, but don’t surrender before the battle begins. The public option is crucial to hopes of providing health insurance to the 47 million uninsured people in America.
One mindless remark frequently repeated by opponents of health care reform is that we do not want government running our health care because government makes a mess of everything it touches. The statement is simply not true. One need only look at Medicare, TRICARE, and The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP). Far from being poorly run, these governmental health programs are models of efficiency and provide excellent health service to millions of Americans. As a Medicare beneficiary I can testify to the excellence of this program. The truth is that for-profit insurance companies, because of their high administrative costs and their mission to make a profit, are the inefficient providers.
Medicare spends only 3 percent of its budget on administrative costs compared with up to 25 percent spent by private health insurers. The only reason Medicare is running low on money is that doctors and hospitals have for many years been gaming the system by making enormously wasteful charges for unnecessary tests, procedures, and even surgeries (I will cover that problem in a separate column).
At one raucous town hall meeting, a protestor got up and asked the crowd: “how many people are against having the federal government run their health care?” Most of the people raised their hands. The Congressman then asked: “How many people here are on Medicare?” Most of the same people raised their hands. Somehow, these people did not realize that Medicare is a federal government health care program. In one forum a woman said to President Obama: “I don’t want the government interfering with my Medicare.” Millions of obtuse people do not realize that the government runs Medicare, and does it quite well.
Another governmental health care program is TRICARE, the program that covers all military service personnel and veterans. TRICARE is a vitally important part of the national healthcare infrastructure. TRICARE provides world class health care to over 9.4 million beneficiaries who currently serve or have served this nation. In 2008, TRICARE was rated the best health care insurer in the nation according to the Wilson Health Information survey of customer satisfaction.
The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), which currently covers 8 million active and retired federal employees and their dependents, is the nation’s largest employer-sponsored health insurance plan. The program is routinely held up as a model for national health care reform.
The enormously profitable, wasteful, inefficient, deceitful health insurance industry wants people to think that enactment of a public option would mean a complete governmental take-over of health care in America. It would mean no such thing. It would just be another health insurance option. People would be able to keep their previous health insurance, private doctors, and private hospitals. Nothing would change except that there would be one more highly attractive alternative for health insurance.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
What It's Really All About
"If we're able to stop Obama on this, it will be his Waterloo. It will break him." Sen. Jim DeMint
It is not really about health care reform. It never has been. If the current health care reform bills had been presented by the Republicans in Congress instead of the Democrats, conservative Republicans would have greeted them enthusiastically. Everybody knows that we need health care reform. Everybody knows that the cost of health insurance is soaring out of reach for most people and businesses. Everybody knows that millions of people cannot get health insurance because of prior conditions, current conditions, or inability to pay. No, it’s not health care reform that has conservatives up in arms.
There are other issues that motivate the anger of right-wing conservatives against President Obama’s health care reform. Those people are fanatical about issues like abortion, same-sex marriage, gay rights, guns, and immigration. I am also convinced that for many of those people the issue is the President’s race. To them it is simply unbelievable that a biracial individual has taken-over in the White House. They read news stories saying that by 2042 white people will be a minority in the United States, and it makes them crazy. They don’t seem to realize that they do not have to wait until 2042. They already are a small minority.
The stone-cold businessmen who run the health insurance companies do not care about these issues. They just want to keep-on making billions of dollars by soaking the public. They are in a survival mode. It reminds me of the movie “The China Syndrome” where ordinary businessmen were willing to do anything, even kill, to keep people from revealing the facts about their malfeasance. I believe that the insurance companies are willing to do anything, ethical or unethical, legal or illegal, to destroy health care reform.
One thing they are willing and happy to do is tap into the ugly mood and anger of right-wingers against President Obama and the Democrats. Aside from the spreading of lies in all available media about the bills in Congress, they are organizing and paying for demonstrations against congressmen who favor reform.
Now that federal lawmakers are home for their summer recess, right-wing opponents are disrupting town-hall meetings about the health care reform. Screaming protesters have turned normally respectful meetings between representatives and their constituents into unruly scenes of chaos and violence. These demonstrations are not spontaneous. They are not grassroots. Democratic leaders have described them as “Astroturf”--the opposite of real grass. They have been carefully organized by health insurance companies and far-right organizations. People outside the congressional districts are being brought-in to demonstrate. Those demonstrators have no idea what is in the health care bills. They know only that they hate President Obama.
A strategy memo circulated by the Web site “Tea Party Patriots” instructed demonstrators to “Pack the hall” and “Yell out and challenge the Rep’s statements early.” “Get him off his prepared script and agenda.” The memo continued: “Stand up and shout and sit right back down.”
Congressmen have been receiving hundreds of calls demanding town-hall meetings on the health care proposal. They are becoming wary of such meetings because they now realize that the callers want to show-up and disrupt. A North Carolina congressman who supports health care reform had his life threatened by a caller upset that he was not holding a public forum on the proposal.
President Obama has said that this is not about him. This is about reforming the health care system. But for Senator DeMint and other right-wing extremists it is all about the President. They care nothing about health care. They want only to hobble this President and his party which have reduced them to a small, squealing minority.
It is not really about health care reform. It never has been. If the current health care reform bills had been presented by the Republicans in Congress instead of the Democrats, conservative Republicans would have greeted them enthusiastically. Everybody knows that we need health care reform. Everybody knows that the cost of health insurance is soaring out of reach for most people and businesses. Everybody knows that millions of people cannot get health insurance because of prior conditions, current conditions, or inability to pay. No, it’s not health care reform that has conservatives up in arms.
There are other issues that motivate the anger of right-wing conservatives against President Obama’s health care reform. Those people are fanatical about issues like abortion, same-sex marriage, gay rights, guns, and immigration. I am also convinced that for many of those people the issue is the President’s race. To them it is simply unbelievable that a biracial individual has taken-over in the White House. They read news stories saying that by 2042 white people will be a minority in the United States, and it makes them crazy. They don’t seem to realize that they do not have to wait until 2042. They already are a small minority.
The stone-cold businessmen who run the health insurance companies do not care about these issues. They just want to keep-on making billions of dollars by soaking the public. They are in a survival mode. It reminds me of the movie “The China Syndrome” where ordinary businessmen were willing to do anything, even kill, to keep people from revealing the facts about their malfeasance. I believe that the insurance companies are willing to do anything, ethical or unethical, legal or illegal, to destroy health care reform.
One thing they are willing and happy to do is tap into the ugly mood and anger of right-wingers against President Obama and the Democrats. Aside from the spreading of lies in all available media about the bills in Congress, they are organizing and paying for demonstrations against congressmen who favor reform.
Now that federal lawmakers are home for their summer recess, right-wing opponents are disrupting town-hall meetings about the health care reform. Screaming protesters have turned normally respectful meetings between representatives and their constituents into unruly scenes of chaos and violence. These demonstrations are not spontaneous. They are not grassroots. Democratic leaders have described them as “Astroturf”--the opposite of real grass. They have been carefully organized by health insurance companies and far-right organizations. People outside the congressional districts are being brought-in to demonstrate. Those demonstrators have no idea what is in the health care bills. They know only that they hate President Obama.
A strategy memo circulated by the Web site “Tea Party Patriots” instructed demonstrators to “Pack the hall” and “Yell out and challenge the Rep’s statements early.” “Get him off his prepared script and agenda.” The memo continued: “Stand up and shout and sit right back down.”
Congressmen have been receiving hundreds of calls demanding town-hall meetings on the health care proposal. They are becoming wary of such meetings because they now realize that the callers want to show-up and disrupt. A North Carolina congressman who supports health care reform had his life threatened by a caller upset that he was not holding a public forum on the proposal.
President Obama has said that this is not about him. This is about reforming the health care system. But for Senator DeMint and other right-wing extremists it is all about the President. They care nothing about health care. They want only to hobble this President and his party which have reduced them to a small, squealing minority.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Buying-Off the Blue Dogs
For many years now it has been one of the primary goals of genuine Democrats to obtain broad health care reform through a governmental health insurance program. I do not understand how anybody can call himself a Democrat and not be in favor of a “public option” under which the government would provide health insurance for all Americans regardless of their financial situation, employment, current health, or prior condition. This has never been a desire for socialism or government take-over of the entire health-care system. It has been, rather, a yearning for fairness and equity. Many of us would have the Congress go much further and enact a single-payer system.
I realize that conservative Republicans do not want this to happen. Conservatives prefer to live with market economics even if poorer people have to suffer under such a system. It has always been at the core of disagreements between liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans. Republicans say: “If you want something, you have to work hard and earn it. The government should not be in the business of helping-out the needy.” Liberals say: “Helping the unfortunate should be one of the basic goals of government.”
Today, millions of people are suffering terribly because of the Recession. Many of those people are out of work and they or their children have terrible diseases and medical conditions. They cannot afford health insurance and they cannot afford to go to the doctor. They cannot afford necessary surgeries and treatments. Bush said that they can always go to the ER. That’s how thoughtless and numb some Republicans are to the problem. Many of those people are going to die as a result of their conditions. I believe that it is right and proper and moral for the government to help those people. A health care bill with governmental health insurance is what is needed.
Suddenly, one hears that it is not only conservative Republicans standing in the way of universal health coverage. One hears that there is a little club called “Blue Dog Democrats” who style themselves “Moderates.” I dislike such use of the term “moderate.” It implies that there is something immoderate about people fighting for humane, liberal values.
When you look at where these Blue Dog Democrats come from, it is mostly those backwaters of benightedness called “Red (neck?) States.” One would assume, therefore, that it is the local conservatism of their districts that govern their politics, but perhaps there is more to the story. Perhaps they are being bought by the health insurance and health care industries.
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the health insurance industry and the health sector have, since 1989, given $62,650 more to the typical Blue Dog House Democrat than to the typical non-Blue Dog Democrat. A number of Blue Dog Democrats in the House have received close to $1 million from the insurance and health sector since 1989. Ohio Blue Dog Representatives Zachary T. Space and Charlie Wilson got $165,444 and $143,224 respectively.
Democracy for America says that Blue Dog Senator Max Baucus received over $3.9 million from the health and health insurance industries. Blue Dog Senators Kent Conrad ($2.54 million) and Ben Nelson ($2.21 million) were also well paid. What chance do legitimate Democrats have against such obscene spreading of wealth by the health industry?
The health insurance industry is engaged in a heavily financed campaign to stop the enactment of health care reform. It is much more sophisticated than the old “Harry and Louise” ads from the Clinton years. Today it includes phony, misleading news stories, columns, letters to the editor, e-mails and other items planted in the news media and internet. If health care reform goes down to defeat, it will be because of the raw power of health insurance company money.
I realize that conservative Republicans do not want this to happen. Conservatives prefer to live with market economics even if poorer people have to suffer under such a system. It has always been at the core of disagreements between liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans. Republicans say: “If you want something, you have to work hard and earn it. The government should not be in the business of helping-out the needy.” Liberals say: “Helping the unfortunate should be one of the basic goals of government.”
Today, millions of people are suffering terribly because of the Recession. Many of those people are out of work and they or their children have terrible diseases and medical conditions. They cannot afford health insurance and they cannot afford to go to the doctor. They cannot afford necessary surgeries and treatments. Bush said that they can always go to the ER. That’s how thoughtless and numb some Republicans are to the problem. Many of those people are going to die as a result of their conditions. I believe that it is right and proper and moral for the government to help those people. A health care bill with governmental health insurance is what is needed.
Suddenly, one hears that it is not only conservative Republicans standing in the way of universal health coverage. One hears that there is a little club called “Blue Dog Democrats” who style themselves “Moderates.” I dislike such use of the term “moderate.” It implies that there is something immoderate about people fighting for humane, liberal values.
When you look at where these Blue Dog Democrats come from, it is mostly those backwaters of benightedness called “Red (neck?) States.” One would assume, therefore, that it is the local conservatism of their districts that govern their politics, but perhaps there is more to the story. Perhaps they are being bought by the health insurance and health care industries.
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the health insurance industry and the health sector have, since 1989, given $62,650 more to the typical Blue Dog House Democrat than to the typical non-Blue Dog Democrat. A number of Blue Dog Democrats in the House have received close to $1 million from the insurance and health sector since 1989. Ohio Blue Dog Representatives Zachary T. Space and Charlie Wilson got $165,444 and $143,224 respectively.
Democracy for America says that Blue Dog Senator Max Baucus received over $3.9 million from the health and health insurance industries. Blue Dog Senators Kent Conrad ($2.54 million) and Ben Nelson ($2.21 million) were also well paid. What chance do legitimate Democrats have against such obscene spreading of wealth by the health industry?
The health insurance industry is engaged in a heavily financed campaign to stop the enactment of health care reform. It is much more sophisticated than the old “Harry and Louise” ads from the Clinton years. Today it includes phony, misleading news stories, columns, letters to the editor, e-mails and other items planted in the news media and internet. If health care reform goes down to defeat, it will be because of the raw power of health insurance company money.
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