The Markowitz campaign sent out a fundraising email this week that focused on her announcement of support for the “public option” under consideration in the national health care reform debate, and contrasting that with Jim Douglas’s opposition.
I agree with Governor Dean when he said the only way we can really reform the health system, increase access and bring down costs is to give Americans a choice between a public and private system.
But Jim Douglas disagrees – he’s putting politics ahead of our priorities.
Politically, this may be a good fundraising technique, if many VT voters share her favorable view of the public option then highlighting the difference between her position and the Governor’s makes sense, and mentioning Dean will probably help too. It’s also sticking with the high road in terms of campaigning against Douglas rather than against other Dems. Might help to activate the base and bring in some cash, so I’ll give it a passing grade for short-term political effectiveness.
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But for the long-term, I’m not crazy about this move. Coming out strongly in favor of an issue that has only national application and has no real relevance to the governor’s office does nothing to build a mandate. If we have learned anything in the past few months, it is that any meaningful progressive legislation is only possible by stating clear, basic principles, not by wishy-washy, please-everybody rhetoric.
Markowitz has still not made enough clear statements of principle in my opinion, to make up for her lack of voting record on issues of substance. I hope she will still take the opportunity to do that in the campaign, but this was not an example of visionary leadership.
My hope is that a healthy Democratic primary will produce a general election candidate who has made a strong case for progressive positions, and can carry that message and momentum to victory and can legislate from that platform.
A candidate who runs a safe campaign designed mainly to appeal to moderates may possibly get elected, but he or she cannot turn around after the election and legislate progressively, despite their true intentions, real or imagined, without having created that mandate in the election. Taking a moderate approach to win the election means that we get a moderate mandate.
This primary is a rare chance to do better than that in Vermont, and I hope we will take advantage of the moment.
First, I don’t really imagine moving to a system in which there isn’t a major role for state government, and whatever that role is, the position she is enunciating demonstrates a significant difference between Markowitz from her presumptive opponent in November.
Second, Deb continues along what we here consider the right course–framing her campaign in opposition to Douglas, rather than in opposition to her primary opponents. We want to encourage this.
What do you think Deb? Should you support a public option? Yes, I should. Wow! You really are brave Deb. This is going to hurt the others….for about two hours.
“Single Payer”?
As long as we continue a system with a mish-mash of non-standard paperwork requiring knowledge of the codes used by each insurere; peremptory denial followed by tons of time trying to convince the insurer to cover a test/procedure/whatever; and buckets o’ private profit; up to 30% of every health care dollar, and much of every health care provider’s time will be wasted on something other than actual care.
A private company’s right to earn a profit does not trump the rights of the people to life and health.
The market includes both supply and demand. The demand side is demanding a single-payer health program in which doctors’ role is to provide care, not to argue with insurers who have a conflict of interest involving large numbers of dollar signs.
Insurers should start planning what kinds of supplemental offerings they want to provide, and get out of the way.
True, but, it’s probably more likely that this would force the Progressive Party to run a progressive candidate which would all but hand our incumbent right-winger victory in the non-IRV election.
VT Dems would be well-advised NOT to run a ‘moderate’ candidate.
Was the rudder of our ship of state. Don’t ever forget it.