Now and again issues come along that shift the political goal posts. Think the passing of our Social Security Act in 1938. It set the stage for the post-war welfare state. Or the Fourth Labour Government’s blitzkrieg of financial deregulation, privatisation and corporatisation in the 1980s. Such deep changes transform institutions and the terms of political debate.
The United States is having one such moment with President Obama’s healthcare reform bill, passed by the House Democrats in the face of total Republican opposition.
It will give tens of millions of uninsured Americans coverage at last. It plugs one of the major gaps in the US government’s duty of care to its citizens. It is an advance for social justice, and a victory after nearly thirty years of one-way political traffic in the US (give way to the right).
This has been a herculean battle. There have been casualties along the way: the loss of the ‘public option’ which would have seen a state-run insurance company competing with the private sector, the fact that an estimated 19 23 million Americans will still be left uninsured, and the last minute deal with anti-abortion Democrats that public money provided by the Bill could not be used for abortions.
But if politics is mostly about the role of the state in our lives, this is surely a victory. It is an advance for those of us who believe it is the role of government to ensure social justice and equality of opportunity. May there be many more. At home and abroad.
P.S. IMO, the current debate over the future of Auckland local government is similarly a game-changer. It doesn’t affect life and death or as many people as the US healthcare debate, but if the Government succeeds with its plans for the corporatisation of local government, it will be a massive setback for democracy and for the left.
This is great!
Can you explain why 19 mill will still be uninsured – wasnt that the point of the bill?
Paul me too. 35 million in but who why 19million not?
“…the current debate over the future of Auckland local government is similarly a game-changer.”
Phil, indeed the Auckland Super City debacle is a game-changer and may well be the biggest game-changer for the next election. To me, the name “Phil Twyford” is synonymous with the fight against the Auckland Super City debacle. Keep up the good work! Make them pay. Power to the people. Thank you for your tireless leadership and effort in fighting the corporatisation and privatisation of the Auckland local government!
@ Paul, Ianmac – According to the Congressional Budget Office the 23 million who will remain uninsured in 2019 (sorry the 19 I posted originally was an error) will be made up of approximately 7 million undocumented migrants, and 16 million eligible but not enrolled in Medicaid which is the means tested health insurance scheme for the low income.
The irony is that ACT would have quite easily voted for Obama’s healthcare bill…
“Paul me too. 35 million in but who why 19million not?”
Historical American social darwinist attitudes.
Despite the compromises it’s strangely exciting to see the end of the “century-long struggle” from the other side of the Pacific.
And Obama’s speeches on the eve of the vote to George Mason University and to the House Democratic caucus are a pretty inspiring reminder of the call to public service and to participation in the democratic process.
@ millsy – Different country, different history.
Yee haa!!!!!
Have you had a good look at the bill..?
Still leave control of the industry in the hands of the insurance companies, I can see why so many democrats felt squimish about voting for it…
One democrat has the equivalent of a private members bill extending medicaid to every single American, half the cost, twice the coverage and the end to American corporate control of healthcare…
This isn’t a step change but rather an obfuscation of mainly business as usual…
On a brighter note any change is better than what they have now…
Franklin Roosevelt, then Lyndon Johnson, then Barack Obama. It’s been a long time between drinks. President Obama is in mighty fine company.
Jeremy, consider the context. The American left has been unable to deliver on this question for the best part of 40 years. It is not a total solution, everyone recognises that. But it is a major advance, in the face of massive opposition from the Right. The Right tried to privatise social security under Bush but they failed. In many ways that was a similarly defining battle. If they had succeeded it would have been a setback for social welfare, in the way that healthcare reform is a big step forward.
I guess the old saying, “don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good” applies here… It is very disapointing to me that Obama didn’t come in with sweeping change like FDR did, his initial support was huge but he tried to play pals with the GOP… Every year 18,000 Americans are dying needlessly because they don’t have state medicine, that is 6 9/11s..! This measure will maybe reduce that by half to two thrids, for far too much money…
Key is making more gains here than Bush ever did… Bush wanted mining in National Parks but was never able to drill ANWR, Bush gave tax cuts to the rich but he exploded the deficit he didn’t pay for them for via new poor taxes (GST increase) and even Bush wasn’t pro-whaling…
All things I used to laugh at Americans for allowing Bush to do… I might have to move to Australia to avoid the abuse Americans got while on holiday under Bush…
Phil et al
This is a momentous achievement I agree; huge! I have been eating some humble pie today as I had been beginning to think that Obama was just fine windy speeches. And it was a reason that I had supported Hillary Clinton in the candidate battle as I thought she was better placed – and more determined – than Obama to finally take on the AMA. Looks like I was wrong. Now, if he makes some progress in the Middle East he will truly be on course to go down as one of the great presidents (noting of course the limited parameters within which any US president has to work for that title.)
Great to discover this debate, Phil! Good on you for breathing life into keeping those flames glowing.
With an American grandfather (a gold mining manager who died young because of breathing in dust underground) and an American-born granddaughter who is just 7 years old, I have been actively involved in the Organising for America campaign to promote Obama’s less than perfect but historic health care changes. David Plouffe certainly knows how to mobilise support. Today I received an email stating:
“As the President wrote last night, it was you who made this improbable victory possible. … Supporters like us now have a chance to add our names as “Co-signers” of this historic legislation — adding our names next to President Obama’s to show our pride in helping to bring about this great achievement.
Organizing for America will establish a permanent archive with all the signatures, so that generations to come will have a record of those who stood together in this moment and won this fight for our future. And I will personally present all the names we collect to the President. Will you add your name?
It’s rare to be part of something so meaningful that will help change the course of history. But you are. Please consider adding your name as co-signer today to commemorate your efforts.”
I’ll be signing …
The Democrats had to sign something off. It was a BIG part of the Obama campaign, hands ti dor no, it would have been suicide to not sign.
JH makes a good observation, imo. It’s a shift but not ahuge shift. The insurance companies still rule.
Michael Moore says healthcare reform will save Republican lives too http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-moore/the-great-thing-about-the_b_507852.html