-
Sep 20, 2007 1:56 pm US/Mountain
-
Digg |
Facebook |
E-mail
|
Print
Clinton's Health Care Plan A Whole New Ballgame
by Raj Chohan
DENVER (CBS4) ―
Hillary Clinton is back again with a plan her critics are already calling Hillary-Care Part 2, her latest attempt at universal health care. CBS4's Raj Chohan gives the proposal a Reality Check.
Sen. Clinton: "... and I still have scars to show from that exercise."
The claim is of course true. Back in 1993-94, as first lady, Clinton's first attempt at universal health care was a spectacular failure. Conservative critics and the insurance industry mounted a devastating attack calling the plan too big, too rigid, too arrogant, and raising concerns the plan would ration health care and limit the choice of doctors. The campaign to kill Hillary-Care was so successful that it would take years before mainstream presidential candidates would bring it up again. Well folks, the political winds have certainly shifted.
Sen. Clinton: "I believe every one, every man, woman and child should have quality affordable health care in America."
Since her stinging defeat in the early 90s, Hillary Clinton has made nice with her biggest critics in the health care industry. In fact her campaign coffers are now full of lobbying money from big insurance and pharmaceuticals. She's given them a seat at the policy making table, and her Democratic Party critics have been quick to point that out.
Fmr. Sen. John Edwards: "The only way to bring real health care reform is to end the Washington influence game once and for all."
Here's the spin. While rival democrats will claim her past failures and her ties to big insurance make her the wrong person for health care reform, a recent poll suggests most Democrats and many Americans think otherwise. A CBS News poll shows most Democrats have confidence in her ability to make the right decisions on health care. And most Americans overall think her past experience will help her reform health care if she's elected.
CBS News PollClinton Health Care Plan Coverage AnalysisBut there is more to the story, the same poll shows more Americans overall are uneasy than they are confident in Clinton's approach to health care reform. Expect Republicans to echo that theme.
Mitt Romney: "Hillary-Care continues to be bad medicine."
Still, even as Republican presidential candidates like Romney push for state based, market-based health care reform, the advantage on this issue has clearly shifted to Democrats and Hillary Clinton in particular. I'm Raj Chohan that's Reality Check.
Additional Source Articles:How Hillary Won Over the Health-Care IndustryHillary Clinton Takes on Health Care AgainHillary Clinton's Universal Health Care Plan PannedClinton to Propose Universal Health CareClinton calls for universal health careClinton unveils mandatory health care insurance planCapitalists for HillarycareHillary Clinton Believes America Is Ready For Universal Health CareHillary revisits health careHillary Clinton's healthcare 2.0
(© MMVII CBS Television Stations, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)