Why is it so tough to sell Health Care in the USA.

[heidler1]

IMO even with super majorities in both the House and Senate at this time we still do not have the votes. Getting more Republicans replaced by most likely Conservative Democrats wont help because we are to the point where election wise no matter which party wins the Senator or Representative will be under the thumb of a conservative constituency. So what to do? The constituency must be convinced that some and hopefully most liberal views have a positive effect that out weighs the advantage of being conservative.

Town Hall meetings stand the best chance of spreading the word. Obama is the best speaker any where using this method. We must prove that universal health care is superior, in words people can relate to. We have came a long way in proving universal education decreases crime for instance, I believe data would show that universal health care would be similar. It has to be true and we must get the word out.

Hopelessness is a terrible influence on human nature. We must connect the dots to prove this condition frequently is worsened by untreated health problems. Our national security and peace of mind require universal health care.

[anonymous171]

1. Because we are trying to create some huge federal bureaucracy from scratch

This needs to be done on a state-by-state basis. Everytime we try to do this federal shit the rich parasites just buy off the senate and nothing gets done.

[AuntPatsy]

2. because in the present system the filthy rich are remaining filthy rich and they have no wish

to simply be dirty...they want filthy and they have the money to buy votes to ensure they remain filthy...

[Echo In Light]

24. #1 response here

:thumbsup:

[izquierdista]

3. Why did they buy 8 years of Bush?

Can't go broke underestimating the stupidity of......

[heidler1]

11. I agree that the voters in the conservative states are blind.

However, that is where the problem of blocking change dominates so that must be the thing that we have to fix. Sure they tend to be thick headed, but we have to try.

[Kalyke]

19. I'm a voter in a conservative state and I'm not blind.

I think you mean conservative voters.

One can be a card-carrying, bleeding-heart liberal and vote Democratic and live in a conservative state. Hell, lots of us on this board fit that description - me included.

I'm a card-carrying, bleeding-heart liberal and I live in Tennessee.

:shrug:

[heidler1]

27. I should of said, "Some of them are blind" Sorry.

[marmar]

4. Decades of free-market, "America's is the Best" dogma to undo

nt

[etherealtruth]

5. Greed

Acknowledging that personal experience may be nothing more than anecdotal .... I believe what I frequently encounter is representative of a larger opinion.

First, I talk to those with "good" coverage who are really afraid their "wait times" for care will be increased ... they are accustomed to receiving each and every test/ procedure (regardless of the nature of "what ails them") very quickly and generally at their convenience. They are afraid their privilege will be reduced.

The second thought expressed is truly "I work hard for my money and my benefits" .... "I feel NO obligation (or desire) to give to others (who do not) anything." There is never any acknowledgment that those who do not have insurance may be just as hard working as they are.

I honestly believe the belief is "if they deserved it they would have it."

[KittyWampus]

6. Mostly, I think Americans ARE sold on Single Payer Health Care. It's the politicians who won't

listen.

[heidler1]

13. I wish I knew why Obama went that way to begin with.

I suspect polls showed it had a better chance of passing. Have you seen any poll that ask why?

[OHdem10]

7. No one tried to sell it. The Democrats on the Hill permitted the GOP

to go on TV day after day and night after night giving their
version of the Democratic Bill.

The American People are probably convinced the bill is a carbon copy of the Canadian System with the absolute worst parts of the British System
thrown in for good measure.

The plan will require Taxes to be raised.

The Plan is causing a skyrocketing Deficit.

The Plan costs too much.

In simple terms the Republicans defined the Health Care Plan which
has not yet been developed. The Democrats have never been able to
get it thrugh their brains: Define yourself before the enemy defines
you.

[global1]

8. I Went To A Town Hall Meeting Held By My Dem Congressman......

it was an 1 1/2hr meeting which started about 15 minutes late. He brought in 8 speakers - and - with his intro given by his aide, then his comments and with each of the speakers going over their time limit - there was only 10 minutes left for audience participation - questions and comments. Then we had to vacate the hall. There were about 300 people at this meeting - the majority there were promoting a strong public option and wanted to get a commitment from him. I learned this from talking with and listening in on conversations about a 1/2 hr before the meeting started.

When the people lined up to ask questions - he saw that the crowd was going to be vocal - so he said for all of them to sit down and raise their hands - and he would call on people.

Needless to say - the meeting was a sham. He really didn't want to hear from his constituents nor did he want to have to make any commitment. His comment was that he wanted to wait and see what comes out of the committee's before he makes his decision.

Upon leaving - I buttonholed one of his aides and told him if the Congressman can't tell his constituents now how he lines up on this healthcare reform - after all the debate going on for years - that he wasn't fit to be a Congressman.

So much for Town Hall Meetings. The only one that holds a legitimate Town Hall is the President. They should learn from Obama.

[sharesunited]

9. See below.

[sharesunited]

10. Failure to brand it Medicare for All and stand up for adequate funding.

[kirby]

12. 16% of the economy!

That is a huge lobby to overcome.

[TahitiNut]

14. Because "people are responsible for their own health" of course.

This is an attitude we see that abounds even on DU. Just a casual perusal of threads on smoking, obesity, or diet makes it clear. The next shoe to drop after we (hopefully) get anything that remotely resembles national health care will be the Nanny State busy-bodies screaming for laws (and sin taxes) on "those people" who do something that the Nannies don't do. (It's NEVER about what the Nanny does, of course.)

I personally find it remarkably hypocritical for anyone that purports to be a "liberal" (or weasel-wording 'progressive') to presume that ill health just isn't ENOUGH of a "penalty" for unhealthy habits. The brain damage seems clear.

[Davis_X_Machina]

15. The last time...

...we from-scratch started a major social provision was in 1936, and Social Security. (Medicare was piggy-backed on SS).

It passed only because most agricultural workers and domestics (i.e Blacks and Mexicans) were excluded. (Those categories were ony added in '55 -- and today they're often illegal immigrants.)

The age-old fear of your money going to Them was, is, and will forever be the hold-up.

If there was a way to provide UHC to whites only, that passed Constitutional muster, you'd have had it sixty years ago.

In this country, it's always about race, even when it's not about race.

[skipos]

16. GATES!

You can't keep people focused on the pertinent issues. Even on DU.

[steelmania75]

17. Because of the mainstream media's lies about it

[BlooInBloo]

18. Because people would rather see Obama fail, than get healthcare for themselves.

[Dulcinea]

20. Elitism.

The wealthy elite can't stand the thought of poor people having the same health care they have. They're entitled to better and more of everything than the "little people," as far as they're concerned.

Share a waiting room with poor black families? The horror!

[spanone]

21. the gods of profit want their money, goddamit

[Chisox08]

22. Because the Faux Nooze on the TeeVee tell them its bad

The Democrats should have framed the aurgement earlier, instead of letting the Repugs frame it. They need to come out with a unified message and hammer it to the ground and don't be afraid to piss off the Repigs.

[MarjorieG]

23. Congress has been either bought off or more concerned for major employer insurance in states, so no

real plan that's good for Obama to sell.

TV and GOP misinsformation aren't helping, because we aren't trying to build a bureaucracy from scratch, only something interim that may or may not work, that doesn't have specifics.

Ideally, I think, we should go with known entities: increased, fixed Medicare and major reforms to the insurance companies. Easy to understand, and more difficult to dilute.

To add: could we say medicare for the uninsured, unemployed, self-employed, and find enough savings in insurance and Medicare reform and taxes to pay for it?

[Echo In Light]

25. Profits Over People = All American

[Orsino]

26. Because our corporate masters are unselling it 24/7.

It's hard to be heard over all that FUD.

[Echo In Light]

28. Bump

[mmonk]

29. Personally, I think it has more to do with lobbyists, money, and power.

The lobbyists and the money they represent have undue influence in that they can run ads during elections against opponents of their agenda.