Reform, unlike a bat out of hell
Sunday, March 7th, 2010
President Obama keeps pushing for a health overhaul bill, even though what's on the table now is far from what he originally envisioned. Chris Satullo suggests, in his weekly audio essay, that passing a flawed bill might still be better than sticking with the status quo.
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Call it the Meatloaf principle. Back in the late 70s, the chubby singer had a hit song in which he wailed, "Two out of three ain't bad."
The question is, when it comes to health care reform, does the Meatloaf principle hold?
Is it, in fact, the best America can expect to do?
The long-elusive Holy Grail of health reform holds three main elements: Access. Affordability. Quality.
That's been the mantra of would-be reformers for decades: Let's expand access to affordable, quality care. For just as long, health care economists have said this to starry-eyed reformers:
You have to pick two. In other words, you can't have it all or at least you can't on any terms the notoriously tax-averse American voter will accept. The Obama team, convinced they were the smartest guys ever to be in this particular room, thought they could go three for three. They were pretty sure that, by eliminating unnecessary procedures, pushing evidence-based treatments, and cutting down on paperwork, they could sweat enough waste out of the system to pay for expanded access while improving care.
In a perfect world, they might have been right. In an imperfect world of Nancy Pelosis and Sarah Palins, they've been humbled. Battered by Tea Party protesters, single-payer ideologues and Massachusetts voters, they've given up on many of their ideas to contain costs or improve care. Now they're looking for any kind of win they can get, however flawed.
At this point, the bill that might become law – if congressional Democrats can pick up their courage at the dry cleaners – would do a lot to improve access, a little to improve affordability and a tiny jot or two to improve quality.
Add up the fractions, and it might come two out of three. Or a little less.
It's well below Obama's opening bid. It's riddled with flaws. But it will do some useful things that do poll well with Americans, no matter how sour they've become on the phrase "health care reform."
Here's the key thing: Even a little less than two out of three is far superior to the status quo. That is on a fatal trajectory can only get worse if an Obama defeat turns health reform into a new third rail of American politics.
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Great stuff as usual…
I find Chris Satullo's take on the worthiness of health care reform reasonable. But the reasons that we can't "have it all" are totally outrageous. He blames the lack of
progress on the "imperfect world of Nancy Pelosis and Sarah Palins." Yes, blame it on the women, who are surrounded by entrenched white men who have failed to enact change for decades. And blame it on the intellectual arrogance of a black president. Wow. (And the dry cleaning of Democrats, is that a swipe at their elitism, I suppose? (Because Republicans don't dry clean their suits, and neither does anyone at NPR, right?))
Above all, I take umbrage at Satullo's finger-pointing at two female leaders, who are so very different and operate so very differently. By naming them only, he is blaming them for the challenged legislative progress at this time. How about Harry Reid, John Kyl, or the would-be Jim Bunnings of health care legislation? Do none of those men deserve mention? No, highlight the powerful women only.
Way out of line, Chris Satullo. Have your opinions, by all means, but get real and be fair, especially as News and Civic Dialogue Director.
Shannon Davidson
Media, PA
I agree so with so much of your take on the state of Health Care Reform. I find all your points valid; except that you too glibly gloss over the fact that any reform – no matter how diluted, compromised and/or sold out is- de facto- a resounding Democratic victory- one that we could not begin to imagine two years ago.
Your opinions have kept my support for the station hanging by a thread. Yes, I do refer to Nerd Public Radio's fascination with the decline and demise of the Democratic Party is seen as a sure fire way to always have job security; not to mention an easy story to churn out day to day. Why, of course, it's exactly what I have come to expect- so I- a dues paying member supporter, Democrat- will forever blindly give my harder-to-come-by cash to reporters telling me how futile my support for the Democratic Party is- go ahead- take some more!
And you call it deliberative reflection. I have enjoyed your pieces and how they do stand out from the mold; the more thoughtful the reporter sounds saying the Democrats death spiral is yet again, right on schedule- the more that reporter can rest easier that night knowing they are head and shoulders above the partisan fray of the Fox News' and MSNBC's of the world. Proof solid that NPR and WHYY are no stool pigeons of the fanatical Left!
Well my thing is what about the moderate Left? I think you can rest assured that is where much of the support dollars that roll in from hotbeds of 'Deliberative, Moderate Liberalism' such as, let's say- Mt. Airy- comes from. If they are from the far left- then their spare dollars not spent on buying a bigger, better pot bong; can go to places like the Sierra Clubs, Green Peace's, Sirius Left FM's, Democracy Now's of the world. Contrary to your recent spitting on your own mortgage payments- oops I mean your listeners- it's not too far in outer space to say that if there is money coming in to an NPR affiliate- the chances are good that it came from a moderate.
I will put my money where my mouth is [or visa-versa] [spelling?]. As far as I can tell, the only demographics of its supporters done, or reported on by NPR and WHYY, is a polling of the letters that roll in. Well there will always be the 'opiniated' that will take the time to write in. I'm talking another language- I will give up some personal information when and where I plunk the cash down. Most notably, I am quite eager [I would say 'dying for the chance' if it weren't so literal in this instance] to let the truth stand. When I give the money, I want someone ask me if I am willing to state which political party I am in. I am. I am Democratic, and I will drag my own party into fighting if I have to do it with them kicking and screaming!
Please note- I will also remove my cash from a bunch of reporters that will only tell me that they are doing their job safely to prove to the world that they're not afraid to put a little more critical thinking onto their own. Neutrality is not always the truth. Neutrality is not always ethical, or moral. {Go ask your God}.
All this editorial control to be free to obsess over neutrality can easily be snickered at by the Karl Rove's and Grover Norquidst's of this world- who through the Bush years, played NPR like a fiddle. But, boy-oh-boy, are you guys in control the moment you sit down at the keyboard. The keyboard payed for through my 'support' dollars- or do you guys forget how many times that notion gets repeated during the fund drives? I didn't think so…
So, when my fists get done flying; I will repeat, something I lobbied for right before you got hired to be on 'my' station- a position just like yours! Yes I did call in and ask for Democratic representation, at my Phila. [heavily Democratic] affiliate; on a network taking my money to tell me how futile the support for my own Party is. [please reference a recent Fri. evening discussion by EJ Dionne- against David Brooks- who always gets to advocate as much as he wants!-but hey hands off lefty- we have our neutrality to prove here!].
I will hold up your work as getting done what I asked for. I just want you to know where the ideas of your position came from. Also; I do really want you to know what you're talking to-people like me! If you're having trouble coming up with a column idea- have some alternates out there to TAKE UP YOUR VOIDS!
I am telling you now- throw in the trash that old reliable NPR standby editorial column about how intolerant vegetarians are- boy am I sick of that one!
How about instead of bashing atheists [boy, how original...] you find something like the growing fanaticism of anti-global warming advocates who have begun sending hate mail and death threats to climate scientists- but gosh- isn't the fact that the vegetarian entrees sold in most supermarkets anymore have tasted much better over the last few years; easier to lie about- call it 'tasting like cardboard' and gosh, 'what a bunch of intolerant hot-heads vegetarians are'- just that much easier to make an editorial about? What was I thinking?
I really have not forgotten all the Media in 2005, having a moment of refection of "How did we get the lead up to the Iraqi war so wrong?” None so 'hand-wringing' as NPR…yet so eager to prove they weren't the old 'bash the Right' NPR they had grown themselves out of nothing from. They took it easy on a Repub. President- helped screw things up- now have to take it hard on a new President to show they know better now.
Easy on Repub. and hard on Democ. IS PLAIN OLD JUST NOT FAIR!
The unfortunate truth is, [to be heard against the context of me endorsing and supporting your pieces], is when you take a sober look at Mr. Obama's groundbreaking, and against the grain of a broken, partisan Washington- where his reforms do make advances in busting into partisan arrest, and then come away with "Hey- not bad…"; well, there will be those like me out here to remind you that the crap we saw from the Bush years and how many universes away from any imagining of taking on such important concerns those tragic years took away from all of us- is what made your voice slot on 'my' station possible- DO NOT TAKE IT FOR GRANTED!
You are not magically separated from the issues in a wondrous zone of ethical protection so many at NPR think they live in because they use a more parsed language.
There will be plenty to mourn over a health care reform most of America is looking for, and expecting. Will there also be nothing to celebrate?
You're the God guy- you wanna kick-off tomorrow to go and meet Ted Kennedy- and say- hey thanks for doing God's work on Earth for 40 years [fighting for common health]- against the odds- and even though it comes incrementally- just the way Ted would expect ,and be happy to have- old Chris is there to say- "Hey, I could've said in my editorial-'good work Ted'- but that would've actually been talking of Democrats with a backbone- something the network officially never allows". I guess your job is to find any of that backbone and surgically remove it? What a great day in heaven that will be…
Chris, I like you. Drop the fluff. Get some of your friends in there when your ideas are slow. But at the end of the day I want you there badly.
And at the end of the tirade- I want to tell you to keep up the good work! [Didn't exactly expect that- did you?]
If you're still reading- thanx for a few minutes of your time.
James "Jimbo" Daily