Healthcare Debate 09, the Republicans and Frank Luntz

I'm Just Wondering... when the discerning American public will see through the crafty attempts of rhetoric to steer the Healthcare For All debate towards the master plan of the Republicans and the Healthcare Industry...

In the mid-90's, when the Clintons valiently forwarded an attempt (though faulted) to address the growing healthcare problem of "the rich stay healthy while the sick stay poor" (a quote from Bono, song 'God Part 2')... the Republicans and the Healthcare Industry came up with the burning phrase "socialized medicine" for the Democratic plan. Their polling showed that the term evoked the idea of Socialism in the minds of Americans, and the fear of the recent-fallen Spoviet Union fueled a repulsion of the Clinton attempts.

Move forward to 2009, nearly 14 years into the future. Healthcare in the United States is in a far worse position than the mid-90's, quality of care is decreased, helathy patient outcomes have diminished... while Americans are paying more for healthcare than ever before, the Healthcare industry profit margin is larger than ever before (forget investment banking or big oil...), and over 60 million Americans have NO or essentiall no healthcare access except public emergency rooms.

Yuck!

Enter the Obama Healthcare debate. Enter the Democratic attempts to place a "Public Option" for people who cannot afford the high premiums of the private insurance companies.

The initial volley by the Republicans, who are heavy contribution-recipients from the Healthcare industry, about Socialized Medicine... but with the Soviet threat a distant memory, and many of us read their playbook from the 90's ... well, the 'socialized medicine' sickle - and- hammer scare didn't work during the Presidential campaign of 2008.

Public Option are the words of the Dem leadership... and they are sticking to message. If you have your healthcare plan and you like it... keep it! If you have a doctor (or writ large, if you can AFFORD your own doctor!)... keep him or her!! BUT...If you don't have a plan, or can't afford the high premium, then a Public Option will be created.

(By the way, the ideas of Biblical Justice and responsibility should come into this conversation right about HERE....)

The Republican leadership, like Sen. McConnell and Sen Alexander, however are trying desperately to keep the 'Public Option' off the table... why? Because their contributors, the Healthcare Industry are trying to force legislation that requires ALL Americans to have health insurance, but it is all private, without a Public Option... meaning, they control the table and all the profit potential. Sen McConnell defends that this is sound economically, "let the market regulate the healthcare industry".

Guess he hasn't studied recent history, or is aware of the 60 milliion Americans with little to no healthcare access.

However, the Republican playbook for their message recently leaked. It is a paper written by a very smart word-smith and national message-crafter, Frank Luntz, called "The Language of Healthcare 2009".

David Welna of npr.org reported today on this playbook, and how the major Republicans are staying on-message, directly out of that document. Check out the Morning Edition text from 16 June.

Luntz did extensive market research with two key terms that he found made Americans cringe or repulse in the healthcare debate:

"Government Plan" and "Washington Takeover".

His playbook: use these terms, never let 'Public Option' stand up in the debate... and the Republican-Healthcare Industry will win, as they did in the mid 90's.

If you want to test the accuracy of this blog, just Google Senator McConnell or Senator Alexander, and look at the transcripts from their recent speeches or interviews about the healthcare bill. They are tripping over themselves to say "Govt Plan" and "Washington Takeover" at least three times in each sentence, and trying to get on every political show and Sunday morning "Meet the Press" they can to get their message out.

I am hoping that Americans will not be fooled by this rhetorical attempt to scare us.

Let the Republicans debate the facts and reality of modern healthcare, not play the 'good ole' boy' game and try to protect their vested campaign contributors.

cbaj