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When it came to
policymaking,
Franklin
Roosevelt once
offered this
piece of advice:
“It is common
sense to take a
method and try
it. If it fails,
admit it frankly
and try another.
But above all,
try something.”
Today across
America,
Governors are
following this
advice and
moving ahead
with various
policy proposals
that may or may
not succeed.
Health care is a
good example. In
state after
state, Governors
are taking
action to make
health care more
affordable and
accessible to
the people they
lead.
In Georgia, for
instance, Sonny
Perdue recently
announced the
Health Insurance
Partnership
initiative, a
new incentive to
help small
businesses offer
coverage for
their employees.
In Connecticut,
Jodi Rell has
created a
private-public
partnership
offering state
residents a
state-defined
benefit package
through private
insurers. And in
Minnesota, Tim
Pawlenty has
established
“Healthy
Connections,” a
health reform
plan to increase
access to
affordable
insurance and
enhance the
quality and
value of care.
Surprisingly,
these and many
other efforts to
improve health
care in states
are being led by
Governors who
are Republicans.
This is
surprising
because if you
have been
following the
news coming out
of Washington
this fall, the
perception is
that Republicans
are against
doing anything
about health
care. Indeed, in
the debate over
expanding the
State Children’s
Health Insurance
Program (SCHIP),
battle lines
have been drawn
that depict
Democrats as
being in favor
of improving
health care for
children and
Republicans as
being opposed.
Of course, the
story is more
complex than
that, and there
are valid
arguments on
either side. But
in the battle of
perceptions,
Republicans in
Washington are
losing the
health care
debate.
There are
several reasons
for this, not
the least of
which is the
core governing
philosophy of
both political
parties.
Democrats tend
to favor direct
federal
assistance to
help people who
are in need,
while
Republicans
generally
believe the role
of government
should be to
create the
conditions and
lower the
barriers so
individuals can
succeed. The
higher ground is
easier to
acquire when you
are throwing
cash down from
the top of a
hill. That’s why
Democrats
usually have the
advantage in
most domestic
policy debates.
It’s also why
the GOP usually
ends up with a
much harder
sell.
But you’ve got
to have a
message before
you can make the
sale.
Unfortunately,
when it comes to
health care,
Republicans in
Washington
haven’t had much
to promote. As a
result, they are
left arguing
about numbers,
criticizing, for
instance, the
fact that the
Democrat’s
proposal would
expand SCHIP
benefits to
people who live
at 300% of the
poverty line.
That’s obviously
a relevant
point. But how
many people know
what that
actually means
in terms of
income? I didn’t
until I checked,
and yet that has
been one of the
main Republican
talking points
in the SCHIP
debate. It
brings back
memories of the
1995 government
shutdown, when
Congressional
Republicans got
bogged down
talking about
the difference
between CBO and
OMB numbers when
it came to
balancing the
budget, while
Bill Clinton
simply talked
about the fact
that senior
citizens might
not be receiving
their Social
Security checks
if the shutdown
were to occur.
We all remember
who won that
debate.
One of the few
issues these
days where
Republicans
still hold an
advantage over
Democrats is
terrorism.
There’s a reason
for that. Ever
since 9/11, the
GOP has done an
exceptional job
of personalizing
the war on
terror. A dirty
bomb in the
mall. A shoe
bomb on a plane.
A chemical
attack on the
subway.
Republicans have
succeeded in
bringing this
issue home to
the American
people. To
communicate
their goals on
health care,
they’ve got to
figure out a way
to do the same
thing. And just
as importantly,
they’ve got to
do it in a tone
that conveys
both empathy and
humility – a
tone that not
only says “I
understand what
you’re going
through,” but
also
acknowledges
that “There, but
for the Grace of
God, go I.”
In that regard,
it does
Republicans
absolutely no
good when a
conservative
commentator such
as Michelle
Malkin stakes
out the home of
a 12 year old
boy to refute
claims, made by
Democrats, that
he is the type
of young person
who will benefit
by SCHIP being
expanded. The
GOP should
condemn these
kinds of actions
and tactics for
what they are:
mean-spirited
and petty. It’s
not the boy’s
fault he has
been brought
into this
debate.
Republicans use
kids as
political props,
too. It doesn’t
matter if it’s
right or wrong.
It’s politics,
and politics is
about people’s
lives.
When it comes to
health care,
Republican
Governors around
the Nation seem
to understand
that.
Republicans in
Washington often
give off the
impression that
they don’t. But
it’s not too
late for them to
change this
perception. All
they have to do
is follow FDR’s
advice -- they
have to try
something. If it
fails, admit it
frankly, and try
something else.
But above all,
try
something.
-###-
Louis M. Zickar
is the Editor of
The Ripon Forum.
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