Losing the War on Healthcare

Everyone lauds the passing of the latest law extending antitrust to the health insurance companies.  The DNC seems to think that they have scored a major victory in the war for healthcare reform.  Unfortunately, the Democrats tend to be more interested in winning battles while losing the war.  The sad story is the passing of this law should appease most middle income Americans to the ultimate delight of the GOP.  It is enough of a psychological concession that many people will believe reform has already happened.  Nothing could be further from reality as this new law has yet to be tested in court and any meaningful results are years away from happening.  This will have no significant impact on the health insurance industry for years to come so the industry is free to continue its pricing policies and coverage denial policies – The GOP knows this.

The GOP gave up very little and gained a nuclear missile to be used during the next election: the Democrats failed to deliver on the promised healthcare reform.  When one has to take down a brick wall, one does not use a rubber mallet but a wrecking ball.  The GOP has stood its ground on meaningful healthcare reform so the DNC needs to put away its rubber mallet and break out the wrecking ball.  Obama should have insisted on a take-no-prisoners tactic, and by doing so, he would have gained a significant speaking point come the next election: the chance to paint the GOP as wanting people to die in the streets and expose the party for whom it really is.

The trick is to let the system collapse under its own weight and believe you me, it will and it already has begun.  By not appeasing the American public with stupid, idiotic little laws like the aforementioned one, Americans will only get angrier that nothing significant is happening with healthcare reform.  Americans will continue to get sicker, more desperate, and more motivated.  This is where Obama can shine by continuously championing single-payer healthcare while the existing system deteriorates.  Obama can do some real grass roots campaigning for healthcare reform while sitting in the nation’s top office.  He has an unprecedented opportunity to hit the barriers to healthcare with the said wrecking ball.  Nothing breaks the inertial barriers faster than oppression and once Americans truly feel oppressed by the existing healthcare system, the flood gates will open.

Alas, the DNC does not see the larger picture so we will have a half-arsed reform in which the health insurance industry gives up maybe 100 million of their collective billions which they will write off to taxes.  In the end, nothing will change and the health insurance oligarchs can breathe a collective sigh of relief.  This law will get challenged in court and nothing meaningful will result.  The industry may have to pay more in legal fees for one or two years but ultimately will come out on top.  Until Obama goes back to his grass roots style, Americans will be let down.

Posted by maschwar on March 1, 2010. Filed under Opinion Editorial. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.