Defining The Narrative

If you are following the media coverage of the rollout of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) you cannot help but come away with the impression that this piece of legislation is an unmitigated disaster of unprecedented magnitude.  The narrative leads you to believe that the implementation is so flawed and the concept of universal health care so complicated that the only reasonable recourse is to scrap the entire thing and start over. 

That is what the Republican Party wants you to believe.  And they are doing an excellent job of conveying that message through the media.

The question that comes to our mind is: “Why.”  Why are the Obama administration and the Democratic Party allowing this to happen?  Why are Democrats allowing their opponents to define the narrative on their most significant legislative accomplishment in decades?

We stipulate that the website is a disaster.  That the cancellation notices received by individuals holding junk policies should have been both foreseen and better handled. We agree that the 5% of the population impacted by these notices is not an insignificant number.  And we concur that having a minuscule 50,000 people sign up in the first month is far below expectations.

But why are we only hearing these negative stories?

Why aren’t we hearing about the millions of people who lost their jobs and would have lost their health care as well if not for the ACA?

Why aren’t we hearing about the tens of millions of people who are able to get coverage even though they have a pre-existing condition…something they could not have done before the ACA?

Why aren’t we hearing about the tens of millions of high school and college grads who have no prospects of immediate employment with benefits but are able to maintain coverage under their parents’ policy thanks to the ACA?

Why aren’t we hearing from the tens of millions who would have faced bankruptcy simply because they got sick but are able to avoid financial ruin thanks to the ACA?

Why aren’t we seeing testimonials from these individuals on the news?

Why aren’t ACA surrogates pointing out ad nauseam that the cost of health care rose only 4% in the last two years thanks to the ACA…the lowest increase in decades?

Why aren’t we seeing ads touting the success of the state run exchanges in signing up individuals in dire need of heath care and contrasting them with those states that refused to participate leaving millions of their citizens at risk?

Why aren’t we seeing ads featuring personalities who cater to the 18-34 years olds explaining why they should sign up?

Why aren’t we seeing surrogates reminding people of what it would be like if Republicans got their wish and dismantled the ACA?  “Lose your job…lose your coverage.”  “Got a pre-existing condition and need coverage…tough!”  “Just got graduated and can’t find a job…you won’t find health care coverage either.”  “Are you having sticker shock because your health care coverage premium has increased 40% over the past 4 years…too bad?”

Why we aren’t seeing surrogates asking the ACA detractors one simple question over and over and over again:  “You don’t like the ACA…fine!  What’s your alternative?”  “Because going back to the old days where skyrocketing health care costs were bankrupting families and threatening the economy is not an acceptable alternative.”

Have Democrats and the administration been doing some of this “push back”?  Yes!  But it has been sporadic and disorganized.  They need a comprehensive marketing plan to sell this law and remind us  of all the good things that it has provided for the American people.

The biggest mistake that Democrats have made in the ACA rollout is allowing Republicans to define the narrative…

…because there is more to the ACA than a website.

  

   

Trash Day!

If you follow politics you are probably familiar with the phrase: “put it out with the trash.”  For the uninitiated, here is a primer.

Friday is ‘trash day” in Washington DC…specifically, Friday night after close of business.  That is when Washington insiders release volumes of information to the media; most of it nonsense…most of it irrelevant to the manner in which we live our daily lives.

It is among this mountain of nothingness that political class likes to disseminate information that may be politically damaging or embarrassing to whatever their cause might be at the time.  The hope is that the media will overlook the information as they scour this dumpster of material.  The theory is that even if the media manages to find the embarrassing nugget their reporting will fall during the weekend news cycle.  There it will reach smaller numbers and a less interested populace and hopefully lose its legs by Monday morning.  Thus the meaning of “put it out with the trash.”

That was certainly House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy’s plan when late last Friday night he informed the media that the House would not be voting on immigration reform this year.

As the third ranking member in the Republican Party, McCarthy has been pressured for months by Hispanic special interest groups to vote on the senate’s immigration reform bill.  They protested outside his office and badgered him constantly whenever he appeared in public.  Finally McCarthy relented and addressed the question. 

“Will the House take up a vote on the senate’s immigration reform bill?”  “Not his year” McCarthy said.  “There isn’t enough time.”  McCarthy vowed to take up the matter next year.

Not enough time?  Even under Eric Cantor’s lazy congressional schedule of “two weeks off for every one week worked” there are still 13 remaining days when the House will be in session.  The senate bill was passed last June.  Its components have been debated ad nauseam for the past five months.   How long does it take to vote?  Five minutes?  Yea or Nay?  Red button or green button!  Done!

The truth is that the senate bill has bi-partisan support and will pass in the House if Speaker Boehner allows a vote.  But Republicans want no part of this bill.  Because if there is one thing Republicans care about as much as keeping their own jobs…its preventing this president from doing his.  The president wants to pass immigration reform.  Republicans will do anything to keep him from getting a win.

McCarthy’s vow to take up the matter next year is simply a lie.  When was the last time you saw anything of consequence passed during an election year? 

Whatever happened to the “kinder, gentler more inclusive Republican Party that we were promised after the last elections?  Remember!  Romney had just gotten his butt kicked by the president.  Republicans retreated behind closed doors to finger point and figure out away to avoid another embarrassment in the future.  They emerged from that conclave promising to work with Democrats, to be more inclusive, to reach out to women and minorities.  They even produced a slick pamphlet out lining all the wonderful things they were going to do to be a “more inclusive” party. 

The only thing Republicans have done since that meeting is to vote to defund or repeal Obamacare 40+ times.

Republicans are stalling on immigration reform.  They will stall again next year as well.  They are gambling that in 2014 they can maintain control of the House and gain control of the Senate.  Then they will craft their own immigration reform bill…one that is heavy on fences, walls and alligator filled moats bet missing any path to citizenship.

Meanwhile, if you want any real news out of the Republican Party you’ll have to look in the trash.

 

            

Boehner Should Allow Vote On ENDA

The US Senate passed the Employee Nondiscrimination Act yesterday.  The vote was 64-32, with 10 Republicans joining Democrats in bi-partisan support of the measure.  The bill protects employees from being discriminated against on the basis of their sexual orientation.

The bill now moves to the Republican controlled House where it faces an uphill battle.  Speaker Boehner has indicated that he is not inclined to schedule the measure for a vote, stating that he believes the legislation will only serve to encourage frivolous lawsuits that will hurt small businesses and cost American jobs.

Speaker Boehner should take a moment to brush up on his US History.  His argument is the exact same hollow argument used by those who stood in opposition to the Civil Rights Act in the 60’s.  It stands in ignorant opposition not only to the cultural shift in our society but to the basic tenants on which our nation was created…that all men are created equal.

How do you fire a good employee because of their sexual orientation?  How do you deny a promotion, or withhold a raise just because you are uncomfortable with their gender identity?  In 20 states across this country such discrimination is now legal under the law.  The Employee Nondiscrimination Act would render such behavior illegal.

This is a no brainer! 

We call on Speaker Boehner to do the right thing and schedule the senate bill for a vote.         

Republicans Rain On Their Own Parade

You can’t make this stuff up!

Republican Governor Chris Christie has just been elected to a second term…by 22 points…in a very blue state…a state which Barak Obama won by double digits in 2012.

One would expect Republicans to be celebrating this very important landslide victory.  Kudos all around to the governor and his incredible campaign staff…right?

A party on the verge of political irrelevance thanks to its own political infighting and the wrongheaded decision to shut down the government finally has cause to celebrate a major victory.

“Celebrate good times, c’mon!”

Not this bunch!

Barely 24 hours after a major win Christie finds himself under attack…from within his own party.  Christie’s unpardonable sin apparently is his willingness to compromise to get things done.

When asked to comment on Christie’s victory, Senator Marco Rubio downplayed the win as insignificant.  “I think we need to understand that some of these races don’t apply to future races….every race is different…it has a different set of factors…but I congratulate him on his victory “

Senator Ted Cruz also congratulated the governor on his victory but added this caveat: “I think it is terrific that he is brash, he is outspoken, and that he won his race…But I think we need more leaders in Washington with the courage to stand for principle. And in particular, Obamacare is not working.”

Senator Rand Paul had a different take.  When asked to comment on Christie’s victory he went off on a rant criticizing political figures for using tax payer money to promote their candidacy.  Paul was referring to a series of television ads to promote tourism in New Jersey in which Christie made a cameo appearance.  The ads ran during the governor’s race.

To be clear…we do not agree with most of what Governor Christie stands for politically.  And his record as governor leaves a lot to be desired.  Unemployment in the Garden State is higher than the national average and 70% of those affected by Sandy are dissatisfied with the governor’s handling of the rebuilding efforts.  In fact a few of the storm’s victims have filed lawsuits to ask a very specific question…What happened to the $850 million in federal relief aid designated for Sandy victims?

That said, the guy just won a major landslide victory in a very blue state.  You would think his own party would give him some “props.”

Not this bunch!

Republicans continue to line up in a circular firing squad.

Democrats are smiling!     

   

The Empire is Back?

A few weeks ago Tea Party Republicans took the country to the precipice of debt default and shut down the government to the costly tune of $24 billion in lost productivity.  At that time we warned that if the Republican Party establishment continued to allow the radicals in their ranks to lead them down this destructive path,  it would mark the end of the GOP’s influence on the national political stage.  It appears that the Party leadership has gotten the message.

In what can only be billed as a very bad night for the Tea Party, moderate Republicans, conservative special interest groups and the voters finally said “enough is enough.”

In the highly publicized New Jersey Governor’s race, incumbent Republican Chris Christie won a decisive 22 point victory over his Democrat challenger Barbara Buono.  Christie is a squishy moderate in the eyes of the Tea Party.  But he has demonstrated that a Republican can win in a very blue state if he is willing to work with Democrats to forge compromise and get things done.  Chris Christie is a big man with an even bigger personality.  He can be abrupt and abrasive when challenged.  People in this liberal state often find themselves at odds with his politics.  But they appreciate the fact that he is willing to work toward finding common ground to get things done for the people.  His much publicized embrace of the president during the Sandy tragedy is a case in point.  His actions drew scorn from the Tea Party but endeared him to New Jersey citizens desperate to put politics aside in order to get the federal assistance they needed.  Christie’s willingness to find common ground even when faced with withering criticism from the Tea Party will hold him in good stead as he runs for president in 2016…a candidacy he all but announced during last night’s victory speech.

In the Virginia governor’s race, Democrat Terry McAuliffe defeated Tea Party Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli.  Republicans had bowed to Tea Party pressure by agreeing to select their candidate by means of a state convention vote rather than the traditional open primary where the voters decide.  The Tea Party wanted to make sure that their nominee in this key battle ground state was a “pure conservative” and they understood that state convention attendees tend to be the more ultra conservative of the party faithful.  Cuccinelli was chosen and he did not disappoint; taking his anti- Obama, anti-birth control, pro-life, homophobic small government message across the state.  McAuliffe was a flawed candidate who had never won a political campaign.  His lone claim to fame was his personal relationship with Bill and Hillary Clinton; something which only fanned the furor of the Tea party caucus.  In the end the Republican establishment refused to back Cuccinelli’s radical agenda.  They refused to open the party’s war chest.  Cuccinelli received only 1/3 of the financial support that the party gave to current governor Bob McDonald four years ago.  Republicans lost a governor’s race they could have won had that put forth a more reasonable, more electable candidate.  For the first time in 75 years Virginians elected a candidate to the governors’ mansion that belonged to the same party as the sitting president.

But the race that is most disconcerting for the Tea Party is the Republican primary battle that occurred in the Alabama first district. Former state senator and Republican establishment candidate Bradley Byrne defeated Tea Party Republican candidate Dean Young in a runoff election.  Byrne’s victory was fueled by contributions from the business community, Chamber of Commerce and even the NRA; all joining together to send a clear message to the Tea Party:  “Enough is enough.”  The Alabama 1^st is a very, very red district in the very deep south.  Republicans have held the district for almost 50 years.  Byrne’s victory sends a clear message to the Tea Party…that the Republican Party is interested in winning and governing.  Radical ideologs need not apply.

Smart Republicans are beginning to realize that the road to winning and governing does not run through the Tea Party caucus.  Last nights’ results would indicate that there is a movement afoot on the part of the establishment Republicans to retake control of the Party from the Tea Party radicals.

We’ll see!

                     

No "Profiles in Courage" Here!

Today is Election Day in many local districts.  Perhaps as you scan your ballot you will find a “Profile in Courage,” a candidate or two that will have the political courage to make the tough decisions necessary to get things done.

You certainly won’t find any of those in Washington D.C.  One need only look back on the past twenty four hours to prove the point.

You are all familiar with the much publicized disaster that is the rollout of the Affordable Care Act.  We have now learned that this train wreck goes much deeper than a website that simply doesn’t work.  We have learned that in spite of the president’s assertions to the contrary, millions of people are not able to keep the health care coverage that they currently have.  We have learned that the technology company hired to implement the project had little understanding of the massive scope of the startup and had been recently fired by the Canadian government for performance issues.  And we have learned that no one in the administration charged with overseeing the rollout had any previous business experience or any experience whatsoever in implementing a startup.  In fact the administration dismissed recommendations from outside advisors to bring in an experienced “overseer” choosing instead to assign the task to its more trusted yet woefully inexperienced inner circle.

Yesterday the White House pivoted into full on damage control.  And as we have seen so many times before, the cover up is always worse than the act itself.

There is video proof that on 26 separate occasions over the past three years the president has said: “If you like your current health care plan, you can keep it.”  No “ifs” “ands” or “buts”!  “You can keep it.”  Period!  Now we hear him saying that the law has always stated that the “junk” policies in the “individual market” were grandfathered unless “you or your insurance company changes the plan.” 

While that is true…that’s not what the president said…on 26 separate occasions.  “If you like your current health care plan, you can keep it.”

The president now tells us that if the insurance company cancels your plan you can go the exchange and get a better plan for less money. 

But you can’t…because the website doesn’t work.

The president now tells us that you don’t have to go to the website.  “You can apply by phone, or in the mail, or in person.”   

But you can’t because those applications must pass through the same screening portal that has jammed up the website.

The president needs to stop trying to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.  He needs to own his administrations’ mistakes and put forth his detailed plan to fix the problems…even if it means taking the political hit and suspending the rollout for six months or a year. 

We have said all along that the ACA is a flawed attempt to provided health care for everyone through the current free market insurance system.  But it is the law and the administration has to make it work. Health care is far too important to all Americans to be subjected to the whims of politics. 

The President needs to find the courage to do his job.

The other example of the “spine free zone” that encompasses all of Washington involves the LGBT community.

Yesterday the senate passed a cloture vote on the Employment Nondiscrimination Act, a bill that if passed would make it illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of their sexual orientation.  The reason for the bill is that it is legal in twenty states to fire someone on the basis of their sexual orientation. 

The bill is expected to pass the senate with bi-partisan approval.

The bill will then move to the House where it is already finding opposition.  Speaker Boehner’s office has issued a statement that the Speaker is hesitant allow a vote on the bill.  “The Speaker believes that this legislation will increase frivolous litigation and cost American jobs, especially small business jobs.”

Translation…the Speaker does not want the members of his caucus to be forced to go on the record on this issue.  Any Republican that votes “Yea” will incur the wrath of the Tea Party and face a primary challenge come Election Day.  Any Republican that votes “Nay” will get hammered by the LGBT community.  So even though passing the bill is the right thing to do for the country, Boehner will take the coward’s way out and pretend the senate vote didn’t happen.

We would pose this question to the Speaker.  “Mr. Speaker, please explain why we should expect members of the LGBT community to pay the same taxes as straight individuals when they are not given the same rights and protections under our laws?  Why not bring a vote to the floor and allow the people’s representatives to vote their conscience?” 

The Speaker needs to find the courage to do his job.

No “Profiles in Courage” here.       

          

Do Republicans Practice What They Preach?

“And the Lord will say unto them: For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited me in. I was naked and you clothed me.  I was sick and you looked after me.   I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

“Then the righteous will reply: Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you?  When did we see you thirsty and give your something to drink?  When did we see you as a stranger and invite you in? When did we see you naked and clothe you?  When did we see you sick and care for you?  When did we visit you in prison?”

“And the Lord will say unto them:  Amen I say to you, whatever you did for the least of my brethren that you did unto me.”      

                                                                                                                              Matthew 25: 35-40

The Republican Party likes to portray itself as the party of “Christian family values.”  Many of its members have been known to proclaim that the constitution itself is based on these very same Christian values.  Setting aside for a moment the factual inaccuracy of the latter not to mention the insensitivity toward patriotic American Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and a host of other religious sects of the former; these self aggrandizing proclamations ring hollow when exposed to the light of current events.

We believe that this quote from Matthew’s gospel forms the very foundation of how we should act, not as a Christian, but as one human being to another; that we should treat others…even the most disenfranchised…as we would like to be treated. 

Since the Republican Party has branded these as “Christian values” and has presented itself as a pillar of these beliefs; let’s take a look at how they put their words into action.

When I was hungry you cut my food stamps.

When I was thirsty you polluted my water.

When I was a stranger you refused my marital rights.

When I was naked you shut down my government services.

When I was sick you refused me access to health care.

When I was in prison you gave me mandatory minimums.

It is one thing to proclaim ones’ “Christian beliefs.”

It far more difficult…and far more important…to practice what one preaches.