by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright Sept. 6, 2009
All Rights Reserved.

             Putting all his chips on the table, President Barack Obama plans to address a joint session of Congress trying desperately to save his health care plan.  For months, the president’s plan has been hammered by the GOP, digging into an historic battle to defeat his ambitious plan.  GOP opposition has been fierce, well coordinated and methodically planned, making the strongest possible case for the status quo.  Opponents say Obama’s plan would wreck the American health care system, ushering in a new brand of socialized medical mediocrity.  Apart from outrageous claims by former Alaska Gov. Sara Palin about “death panels,” Obama hasn’t articulated his plan well enough to respond to GOP charges that it would weaken, not improve, an already beleaguered health system.  Barack’s detractors have made a powerful case that a government-run bureaucracy would be worse than today’s system.

            Obama’s speech must do more than rehash old platitudes about the estimated 46 million uninsured citizens, or, for that matter, go into a litany about preventive medicine or streamlined cost-savings.  Barack must stick to his health plan and loudly proclaim the costs, premiums, co-payments, deductibles, waiting periods, exclusions, limits, eligibility requirements, etc.  All else is smoke.  Before consumers jettison their employer-based or individual and group private health plans they must compare and contrast the costs and benefits.  Given the massive federal budget deficits now approaching $2 trillion, taxpayers also have a right to know the costs of Barack’s plan, especially to the federal Treasury, likely to pick up the tab.  “This is different; it’s coming much later in the game at a more difficult time than if he’d made it earlier,” said Princeton University politics professor Julian Zelizer.

            Barack doesn’t have much wiggle room to give an impassioned plea like he’s done about race or national defense.  Health care is a different animal.  While he and the liberal wing of his Party show real zealotry toward the subject, the vast majority of taxpayers simply want to know whether or not they’re going to benefit.  Apart from the uninsured audience, the bulk of his primetime talk will hit middle class working taxpayers concerned about he bottom line.  If Barack can reassure them that his plan will exceed the benefits of most employer-based plans for a lower cost, he’s go a shot of cracking through GOP propaganda.  If he gives more platitudes, on the other hand, his speech will kill what little chance he has of prevailing.  Most consumers are asking at what price are they willing to support reforming health care.  If it benefits only the uninsured or illegal population, he won’t succeed.

            Barack’s high-wire act comes at a time of great uncertainty in the economy.  His national health care plan comes with a high price tag, some estimates have ranged between $100-200 billion.  Recent polls have indicated that a sizable majority opposed national health care, giving Barack around 41% approval ratings on health care.  His overall job approval rating is hovering around 50%, 18% down from the early days after the inauguration   Continued economic weakness and rising unemployment have battered his ratings, despite improvements in stock market and banking sector.  When former President Bill Clinton spoke before a joint session of Congress Sept. 22, 1993 to rescue former First Lady Hillary Rodham’s Clinton’s national health plan, it marked the beginning of the end.  One year later, Hillary-care, as it was affectionately known, fell into history’s dustbin.

            Obama’s oratorical gifts won’t save him unless he can convince middle class taxpayers they stand to gain by his health care plan.  Everyone knows nationalizing health care comes with a price.  Barack must reassure voters that his plan offers to reduce the heath care costs of average citizens, while, at the same time, improving benefits.  If he intimates that his plan saves money by herding subscribers into a government HMO, he’ll encounter even greater opposition.  Barack wants the so-called “public option” but hasn’t explained how the government’s supposed to pay for national health care without raising taxes and rationing benefits.  Clinton-era health care watchers believe Hillary put too many details into the bill and frightened off the Congress.  “I am not going to deal with the details of the president’s speech,” said White House chief strategist David Axelrod, playing his cards close to the vest.

            Stepping up the plate next Wednesday, Barack must deliver more than an emotional plea.  He must get down to the brass-tacks of specifying boring details of his plan, including premiums, deductibles, co-pays, exclusions, waiting periods, applicable groups, etc.  He must clarify whether or not undocumented workers would be eligible for benefits.  “I don’t think anyone will leave the speech without a strong sense of how he believes we should proceed,” said Axelrod on CNN, refusing to offer any specific details.  Everyone already knows how Barack wants to proceed with national health care.  What people don’t know are nitty-gritty features of Barack’s plan that taxpayers can compare with existing health care coverage.  With the GOP winning the first rounds in the health care debate, Barack must score a decisive knockout punch to prevail.  Anything short of a real deal is bound to backfire.

 John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.