Damned if you do, and damned if you don’t! That is the kind of situation the Democrats are finding themselves in at the moment on the issue of health care reform in US.
First of all, what the heck is this so-called healthcare reform? Did the message not go out to masses in US as to what this reform is all about? Did the message not go out loud and CLEAR why this reform is needed by US economy?
Well, as expected the opposition, i.e., Republicans did their best in attacking the reform and along with it the Democrats. The Republicans succeeded in confusing the issue – they got the so-called tea parties organized, they used the stream of media, which supports them, to fullest advantage. And in their efforts, it is also alleged (and it seems this may be true) that they were strongly supported with all the resources by the vested interests, namely, Insurance lobby.
Result: The anti-Democrats are dead against the reform; and the Democrat vote base is hugely confused about efficacy of this reform, if any.
Things that helped the Republicans: Essentially poor dissemination of information about the urgency of this reform, and why the reform is important for US. There was hardly any coherent and sustained dissemination as to the need for reform in order to save the American economy in the long run.
If this reform is/was so darn important from the economic standpoint for the average American and US as a whole, then why was this friggin' message not spread by the dint of the loudest of the drums?
First of all, what the heck is this so-called healthcare reform? Did the message not go out to masses in US as to what this reform is all about? Did the message not go out loud and CLEAR why this reform is needed by US economy?
Well, as expected the opposition, i.e., Republicans did their best in attacking the reform and along with it the Democrats. The Republicans succeeded in confusing the issue – they got the so-called tea parties organized, they used the stream of media, which supports them, to fullest advantage. And in their efforts, it is also alleged (and it seems this may be true) that they were strongly supported with all the resources by the vested interests, namely, Insurance lobby.
Result: The anti-Democrats are dead against the reform; and the Democrat vote base is hugely confused about efficacy of this reform, if any.
Things that helped the Republicans: Essentially poor dissemination of information about the urgency of this reform, and why the reform is important for US. There was hardly any coherent and sustained dissemination as to the need for reform in order to save the American economy in the long run.
If this reform is/was so darn important from the economic standpoint for the average American and US as a whole, then why was this friggin' message not spread by the dint of the loudest of the drums?
· There was hopelessly feeble rebuttal of dis-information/mis-information spread regarding ‘Death Panels’, applicability of the reform to illegal immigrants, public option and so on.
· There was no proactive planning to anticipate Republican negative campaign and counter it – the town hall meetings were hardly arranged in numbers by Democrats that could effectively dispel and rebut the dis-information/mis-information spread by the vested interests.
· Democrats (including President Obama) and the supportive media tended to use long winded professorial verbiage to explain the purported advantages of health care reform and/or rebut Republican sponsored dis-information/mis-information.
So, the net result is that the upcoming elections (and to be held in Nov 2010) are making Democrats jittery – the once safe Senate seat of Massachusetts is going to the wire now. If the Republicans win that seat, life for the Democrats in the Senate will become lot more difficult in terms of getting new legislative measures put in place.
Did Obama bite more than he could chew? Not if this was the only issue to be dealt with. Did he underestimate the bog-down potential of the various issues that were on his plate in the first year of his presidency? The turn of events seem to suggest so.
Can anything be done by the Democrats to salvage the situation? Yes! Arrange a nation-wide barn storming campaign to clarify the confusion/questions the average American has with regard to health reform; and to explain how s/he stands to benefit (individually immediately and as society as a whole in the long run), how USA stands to benefit, the perils to US economy if health care aspect is not handled properly NOW.
Also, the campaign needs to stress that health care is not a Democrat or Republican issue – it is a human being issue, a national issue for the future of USA. Is it a bit too late in the day? May be, but no harm in trying.
And, for God’s sakes simple short sentences have to be used to explain the various aspects of the reform. Long sentences with journalistic verbosity are never helpful in communication with masses– this simple cardinal rule of mass communication needs to be drilled in the heads of the Democrat speech writers and the so-called liberal media practitioners.
President Obama is said to have lots of tenacity – he needs to bring all of that now to get over this major hump in his current political journey. He seems to be sincere, working for and on behalf of the people of US for the greater good of the society. If this is true, the power that be from the Heavens above will turn the course in favour of the good-doer.
· There was no proactive planning to anticipate Republican negative campaign and counter it – the town hall meetings were hardly arranged in numbers by Democrats that could effectively dispel and rebut the dis-information/mis-information spread by the vested interests.
· Democrats (including President Obama) and the supportive media tended to use long winded professorial verbiage to explain the purported advantages of health care reform and/or rebut Republican sponsored dis-information/mis-information.
So, the net result is that the upcoming elections (and to be held in Nov 2010) are making Democrats jittery – the once safe Senate seat of Massachusetts is going to the wire now. If the Republicans win that seat, life for the Democrats in the Senate will become lot more difficult in terms of getting new legislative measures put in place.
Did Obama bite more than he could chew? Not if this was the only issue to be dealt with. Did he underestimate the bog-down potential of the various issues that were on his plate in the first year of his presidency? The turn of events seem to suggest so.
Can anything be done by the Democrats to salvage the situation? Yes! Arrange a nation-wide barn storming campaign to clarify the confusion/questions the average American has with regard to health reform; and to explain how s/he stands to benefit (individually immediately and as society as a whole in the long run), how USA stands to benefit, the perils to US economy if health care aspect is not handled properly NOW.
Also, the campaign needs to stress that health care is not a Democrat or Republican issue – it is a human being issue, a national issue for the future of USA. Is it a bit too late in the day? May be, but no harm in trying.
And, for God’s sakes simple short sentences have to be used to explain the various aspects of the reform. Long sentences with journalistic verbosity are never helpful in communication with masses– this simple cardinal rule of mass communication needs to be drilled in the heads of the Democrat speech writers and the so-called liberal media practitioners.
President Obama is said to have lots of tenacity – he needs to bring all of that now to get over this major hump in his current political journey. He seems to be sincere, working for and on behalf of the people of US for the greater good of the society. If this is true, the power that be from the Heavens above will turn the course in favour of the good-doer.
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