We need to sell national health care not as a nice thing or a moral responsibility, we need to sell it as a way to keep America’s businesses competitive. Dean was almost right when he compared us to all those other countries who grant their citizens health care. But he framed it as a morally enlightened policy and tried to shame us into providing it. Kerry needs to compare us to those other countries, and countries with no worker rights or standards, and explain how it is a business imperative.
One way to do it is to make national health care a piece rather than a policy. Put out a major package called “The American Advantage” or something similarly patriotic. The package should have 3 main components:
Incentives for businesses to stay in America and hire here. Unveil a logo that businesses who make X amount of goods stateside and treat their workers well can put on their products. Make sure Americans know about it and they can decide who they wish to support. Roll out tax breaks for businesses who move back to America and create jobs here.
Much more, go read.
The irony here is that — as I understand it — back in the thirties, businesses fought the unions to keep control of health care, as a means of keeping control of their workers. Now, in a classic example of the law of unintended consequences, they’re getting crushed by the costs, and at least some of them are beginning to realize that a national health insurance plan is actually a pretty good idea.