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August 10, 2009
What Obama can learn from gay marraige in VT (re health care reform)
Posted by: Andoni
What does trying to pass health care reform legislation have in common with trying to pass gay marriage in Vermont? Answer: in both cases there was/is a very vocal and energized opposition spewing lies about what passage would mean.
There is probably nothing one can say or do that would change the minds of the core people who find either gay marriage or health care reform repugnant. But there is something that can be done to immunize against those lies and help put a firewall in place between the liars and the public.
In Vermont one huge lie causing fear among the population was that if gay marriage passed, all churches would be required to perform them even if their core beliefs were against recognizing gay marriages. The solution to this problem was the inclusion in the bill of specific language saying that churches that did not recognize same sex marriages would not be required to perform them or recognize them. Although most of us who read this blog know that the First Amendment already protects churches on this, it was very helpful to be able to point to this specific provision to counter the arguments of the those lying to try to prevent gay marriage in Vermont. There is nothing wrong with putting in writing something that is already true.
The inclusion of this language in the Vermont bill swayed enough concerned and fearful minds, that it passed.
Similarly, opponents of health care reform are spewing lies about what is in the bill in order to excite people into opposing this legislation. If President Obama and Congressional leaders were smart, they could defuse a lot of the spreading fear by adding language to the bill that specifically addresses these concerns.
For instance, they can add a preamble saying that euthanasia is not part of this bill, there are no provisions for euthanasia and no one will be forced have euthanasia. After that, they can say the government will not nationalize the insurance companies, hospitals or your doctor's office.
I think you get the idea. Opponents of health care reform are stoking the flames of ignorant people by telling them things are in the bill that are not. Considering all the bills are over a thousand pages in length, no ordinary person can read them for himself to determine the truth or falsehood in the opposition's statements. But if all the falsehoods are addressed head on and on page one of the bill, proponents of health care reform will have something to point to, to counter the lies.
If I were advising President Obama, I would tell him to go on national television and say that he hears the public's concerns loud and clear, and that although what they fear is not in the bill, to prove it, he will ask Congress to add a preamble to all legislation guaranteeing that the points they fear are not part of the legislation. Then he can go through the points one by one and cite a web page for people to go visit to see the guarantees in writing. He could also say that he will not sign any bill that does not include these guaranteed protections in it.
President Obama needs to gain control over the health care reform discussion. By going on TV and saying he is asking Congress to specifically address these fears, I think he can do it. And he might even get credit for listening to the public.
If something is not true and you know it,you shouldn't be afraid to put it in writing. And when you do, you get a lot of credit for being an honest broker.
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Comments
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Terrific editorial by Robert Reich on Huffington --- worth the read:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-reich/how-to-fight-heathcare-fe_b_257825.html
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I like how you linked these two things! Good point!
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The idea that a law should have a preamble with all the things that that law is not going to address or regulate, seems quite odd to me. Because the list, to be complete, should be infinite. And even focusing on the only issues that the reactionary propaganda raises, wouldn't work, as they will always have some other lie to be thrown in.
I think Obama should just exploit the force the Democrats have in Congress, and his good imagine + rhetoric. So let him go on tv speaking and explaining what his health care is about. Bring the example of UK and Canada and France and Italy as countries that have a national health care and yet are everything but socialist countries.
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I'm agree with gay marriage because I'm lesbian
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It's sad how this blog has fallen off the face of the earth....
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" If I were advising President Obama, I would tell him to go on national television and say that he hears the public's concerns loud and clear, and that although what they fear is not in the bill, to prove it, he will ask Congress to add a preamble to all legislation guaranteeing that the points they fear are not part of the legislation. Then he can go through the points one by one and cite a web page for people to go visit to see the guarantees in writing. He could also say that he will not sign any bill that does not include these guaranteed protections in it." Completely agree that.
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It is a Very Nice Post
http://www.8pills.com/buy-cialis.html
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I totally disagree on gay marriages I think its ridiculous nothing more to say..!
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I really admire this, I mean it really looks interesting thanks for sharing..!
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this is a great paragraph "Prejudice has no place in the United States of America"
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I am somewhat a little surprised that nothing major has happened yet on this issue, especially since it is a domestic question and not an International one. It is part of one of Mr. Obama's leading electoral promises and he has been in office for over 100 days now.
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I like how you have linked the two together
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I just love this site
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Nothing with with marriage, if two people love each other that is all that counts!
The comments to this entry are closed.
Hawyer on Aug 13, 2009 5:59:13 PM:
That Obama and the Democrats have allowed the healthcare lobby to seize control of the healthcare reform debate speaks volumes of the proverbial "elephant-in-the-room" in our democracy: specifically, there can't be any substantive reform of ANYTHING without election reform. So long as big phrama and big insurance continues to lard Republicans with cash (estimated at a current sluice of $1 million a day) - and Republicans [and frankly a few Democrats] continue to put their own election above the peoples' interest they swore to serve, status quo reigns supreme.
But it gets worse: With the utter collapse of "news" as the vaunted fourth estate - we have no watchdog to call bullshit on such things as the "Tea Parties" or "The Birthers" or rabid "Anti Healthcare Reformers" - all of which have Dick Army's and his so-called "Freedomworks" E-Street lobbying firm's fingerprints all over them. Fueled by clients like Bristol Myers Squib and the American Council of Life Insurers which represents ALL of the major medical carriers, Freeomworks is a literal juggernaut for ginning up astroturf uprisings. For that we have everyone from Lou Dobbs (CNN) to Glenn Beck (Fox) carrying water for the fake national outrage.
I think it's time that Obama slammed his fist through the plate glass window, kicked-ass, and took some names - and he has the bully pulpit to do it. At this juncture, I think it's the only course of action. Make no mistake about it, to the Republicans, this has little to do with healthcare; it has everything to do with bringing Obama down. If healthcare reform fails - which it is about to do - Obama will be emasculated politically.