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.