Will someone explain why American industry hasn't lobbied for a National Health long ago?

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

I simply can't answer this conundrum. If worker's benefits in the US are being blamed as a cause of lack of competitiveness globally, then why didn't the car industry, the aviation industry, and every other industry for that matter try to pass the buck to the government like all other so called industrialized, modern societies?

I am not being facetious, but am looking for a REAL reason they didn't do this long ago in order to stay competitive.

[antigop]

1. Something I have always wondered is....

Most (all?) large corporations are self-insured.

Is health insurance for their employees/retirees a profit center for these corporations?

I'm sure if we just followed the money, the answer would be obvious.

[Lerkfish]

4. DING DING DING, that's one reason

large corp. self-insure plans are big moneymakers and a convenient shell to swap funds around.

Another reason is that Insurance co. lobbies are flush and powerful.

[leftstreet]

2. Why didn't the auto industry lobby for Single Payer Auto Insurance?

They don't care. Just mandate it and privatize it and Big Business R happy.

The same thing will happen with health insurance.

[Ian David]

3. Because Jesus will return and make all things new again? n/t

[TWiley]

5. Free market types typically oppose "socialization" in every form

It creates a moral dilemma in their feeble minds that is tough for them to rationalize. You will notice how fast these types have stuck their hands out for tax money though.

Airlines .... white collar .... republican ..... bailout
AIG ..........white collar......republican.......bailout
Wall Street...white collar......republican.......bailout
agriculture...white collar......republican.......bailout

Auto mfg......blue collar.......democratic.......the shaft

[HereSince1628]

8. However, they are usually willing to allow the middle class tax itself

in order to supply social programs to the middle, working and lower class.

I suspect that Obama's health care initiative will settle onto the same model.

[BrklynLiberal]

17. Excellent point!

[marybourg]

6. Not only didn't the auto industry lobby *for * universal care, GM actually

lobbied *against* it, calling it "socialized" medicine. The best I can remember this would have been in the late 60's or early 70's. I couldn't understand it at the the time, but looking back I think, because they were awash with cash then, they thought they would be in the best position to compete for (somewhat scarce) labor, since they could afford to offer the best health benefits (and they did).

[OHdem10]

7. Here is one irony: When HRC was working on her health care

plan for universal coverage, INITIALLY, the BIG THREE committed to
supporting her. As things progressed, other BUSINESS TYPES got ahold
on the Big Three and buckled not supporting Hillary's Plan. The
Drug and Medical Fields, Insurance etc. I often wonder how differently
things would have been had we gotten Universal Coverage at that time.
Detroit might well be in another place.

[SharonAnn]

9. Thank you. That's what I remember. They supported HRC's plan at first.

[anigbrowl]

10. Because it reduces people's incentive to switch jobs if they get healthcare through their employer

Er, that's it.

[Upfront]

14. Bing go

You nailed it.

[nichomachus]

18. No more calls, please -- we have a winner!!!!

I left my job a year and a half ago -- we had excellent health benefits. However, the job sucked big time. I can't tell you how many people came up to me and told me how much they envied me and would like to do the same thing, but they needed the benefits.

I have a friend working in a job he hates, but he needs the health care, and can't find another job that will provide it.

If we had universal single-payer government health care, workers would be able to tell employers to take the job and shove it -- and go look for a better job.

[leftofthedial]

11. i was a higher priority to destroy unions and bring American workers to their knees first

[jpljr77]

12. Two reasons: one is accounting, one is HR

Companies get tax credits/deductions in many places for their part of funded health coverage. If they bake their total cost of the benefit into slightly (almost unnoticeably) reduced wages, they actually come out ahead.

As for HR, full-paid, or high-percentage paid, healthcare can be a key differentiator when competing for talent and/or labor.

[Cleita]

13. Because they have drunk the insurance lobby's Kool-Aid, all the propaganda

about how horrible NHC is in other countries. How Canadians come here by the bus loads to take advantage of our wonderful health care,( paying exorbitant prices here for the same health care they get for free in Canada. :sarcasm:) Really, there is a real big glut of misinformation put out by publicists hired by the industry to pepper otherwise respectable publications with propaganda about this and it's been done for decades. Also, Americans, particularly businessmen have bought into the mythology that capitalism solves all problems and anything else is communism and unAmerican.

[Uncle Joe]

15. Because mega corporations don't give a damn about the people and

mega corporations for all practical purposes own the government.

[Ganja Ninja]

16. Because the car companies are run by republicans.

They don't want a health care system for the peasants. It's bad enough they have to pay it for the surfs.

[Xolodno]

19. Follow the economics....

By that I mean lets look at the incentives.

1. Company will lose tax-deduction...therefore drop in profits = lower stock value = lower executive pay.

2. Republicans do not support universal health care, and are very influential on this.

2a. If the big 3 supported it, good chance a Republican congress could zap away tax breaks for the industry. See #1 for impact...but now capitalized on top of #1.

2b. Could also zap away tax breaks for the executives. That there gives them plenty of reason to drop support.

2c. Give the industry more regulatory hurdles and that usually increase costs...now its (1+2a)+2c x (1+2b).

3. Given the effects, I'm sure enough republican leaders know enough people of influence to "vote out" current auto leadership in a proxy war.

And there you go. The industry got friendly with the pro-business republican legislation, problem is, the republican legislation also tied up the industry inside its dungeon full of leather, whips, chains, various "swinging devices" and other tools that have an "alternative use". Plus they were told if they leave, their mistress would punish them even more severely.

[izzybeans]

20. Stupidity and pig-headedness

"Nah, man that's damned socialism. Now let's get back to the real problems, how can we meet budget with all of these healthcare outlays? fuck it, let's cut production. Yeehaaaw!!! You know, I blame the unions. I truly do. it's their fault. it really is. woohooo!!! I gotta count that money."