RSS Feed MenuIn the next few weeks, Senate Democrats are expected to release health-reform legislation, sparking a summer of heated debates.
Even with large majorities in the House and Senate, and a President who is “absolutely committed” to health reform, Democrats are in for a fight. Former Senator Tom Daschle has pegged the odds of success at just 50-50.
What’s a winning strategy for them? Economist John Goodman, President of the NCPA, puts forward an interesting idea: Democrats should look to Republicans – literally.
He argues:
The biggest mistake Hillary Clinton made 15 years ago was not endorsing Bob Dole’s health bill, which had more than 40 Republican co-sponsors. The Dole bill would have given her 70% to 80% of everything she wanted anyway, to say nothing of creating a huge bipartisan lovefest. Democrats would have held the Congress in 1994… and, well, you get the picture.
Barack Obama is about to repeat that same mistake. The smartest thing Obama could do is endorse a bill sponsored by Sens. Tom Coburn (R-OK) and Richard Burr (R-NC), along with Reps. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Devin Nunes (R-CA).
Mr. Goodman is brilliant and thoughtful. I don’t always agree with him, but then I’m not always right. Read his full argument here.
sinz54 // May 27, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Even I, a conservative, know the Coburn plan is nonsense. Obama would never accept it, because it doesn’t increase the number of Americans who are covered, and does nothing to cover the poor and unemployed who currently can’t afford any insurance. And insurers won’t agree to cover those with pre-existing conditions, while simultaneously allowing young, healthy Americans to continue to opt out of the system.And a measly tax cut of $5,700 per year for a family won’t cover even HALF of their health insurance premiums. So this is no substitute for group health insurance that is currently provided by employers.This is the umpteenth time that Republican conservatives have proposed this. It was rejected by the voters in November. It will be rejected again. What Americans clearly care about is not access but ASSURANCE that health care will be there for them regardless of changing income status. This, the Coburn plan does not provide.Anyway, it’s probably not a serious proposal; just a smokescreen to cover up the GOP’s attempts to shoot down health care entirely (as a previous discussion thread in New Majority suggested).