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The Right Prescription
Dr. Daschle
Or why we should stop worrying and love ObamaCare.
(Page 2 of 2)
Daschle defends everything that made passage of the legislation possible, from the use of reconciliation to ram the final bill through Congress and the special deals such as the “Cornhusker kickback,” which gave Nebraska extra Medicaid money to win over Sen. Ben Nelson’s vote.
“None of these deals were pleasant to look at,” Daschle writes. “But in the pursuit of a higher goal — health care for millions of Americans — they were a price that had to be paid.”
THROUGHOUT THE BOOK, Daschle scoffs at charges that ObamaCare will lead to a government takeover of health care, and yet in all of the policy sections of the book, he eschews markets in favor of central planning. He also argues that health care reform will be an “ongoing process” with further government interventions down the road.
“Even under the new law, we will have a health care market, with generous and high-quality care for the luckiest Americans and lesser care for everyone else,” Daschle writes. “Instead of a market, we could have a smoothly functioning system, with a central decision-making authority for coverage and payment decisions.”
In the coming years, he notes, HHS will have “a heavy load of responsibilities” to implement the law and fill in details left open in the legislation. Among the questions HHS will have to answer, he writes, is “How strict should we be in limiting health plans’ profits?”
If too many people are choosing to pay the mandate tax penalty rather than purchase insurance and too many businesses are dropping coverage and dumping employees on the exchanges, Daschle argues that Congress will have to pass tougher penalties. He also sees the public option as “inevitable” and hopes that the law will be updated to cover illegal immigrants.
For all his triumphalism, though, one can sense some nervousness over the fierce backlash against the legislation.
While describing what happened in the August 2009 town hall meetings, Daschle laments that, “somehow, the energy and excitement on the pro-reform side seemed to have been lost.” And in his conclusion, he ominously reports on the drive for repeal, as well as the lawsuits launched by states challenging the constitutionality of the individual mandate.
“Even though the odds are against both efforts, they can still do real damage to the cause of reform,” Daschle writes. “By constantly suggesting to the public that the law is illegitimate, they could encourage large groups of Americans to give up on the law, or even fight it, before it has had a chance to prove itself.”
He continues, “The biggest threat to the cause of reform is no longer the decades of deadlock in Congress…Now, the danger is that the critics of reform will kill it before it ever has a chance to take hold.”
For opponents of reform, his warnings should be taken as marching orders.
About the Author
Philip Klein is The American Spectator’s Washington correspondent. You can follow him on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/Philipaklein
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Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 10.14.10 @ 7:04AM
The biggest lie that Daschle promotes is that the health care fiasco was passed to provide health care to Americans.
In fact, it was simply a way to give health care to illegal aliens. Although the Democrats claim that illegals can't get it, you don't even have to present any form of official ID, like you do with Medicare and Medicaid to get it.
This was simply a ruse to give health care to those who don't deserve it, by those who will pay higher costs now for their own health care.
As the bill progresses, thousands of new regulations are being promulgated and all at your expense. At some point in the future, you'll have to fill out five forms to buy an aspirin.
This entire debacle was not about streamlining anything. It was about big government and about that big government stealing your health care to give it to an illegal alien.
WTH| 10.15.10 @ 12:08AM
I found an article relating to the health care bill that nobody read: "Scientologists, Amish, Christian Scientists, and Muslims will be exempt from requirements to obtain health insurance. Dhimmitude is the Muslim system of controlling non-muslim populations conquered through jihad. Specifically, it is the TAXING of non-muslims in exchange for tolerating their presence AND as a coercive means of converting conquered remnants to islam.
The ObamaCare bill is the establishment of Dhimmitude and Sharia muslim diktat in the United States. Muslims are specifically exempted from the government mandate to purchase insurance, and also from the penalty tax for being uninsured. Islam considers insurance to be "gambling", "risk-taking" and "usury" and is thus banned. Muslims are specifically granted exemption based on this. How convenient."
Brian Mc| 10.14.10 @ 7:06AM
Thanks, Phil
You have made it out for what it is, more blathering from elitists who know what's best for us idiots below them. I appreciate the breakdown of his spew and find myself passing over the opportunity to read his crap. Here's hoping he ends up owing the publisher for their trouble...
Ret. Marine| 10.14.10 @ 7:07AM
The fearless reader, aka, obamas Bin Ly'n, continually told lies to promote this monster, had to bribe others to go along with it and to this day still insists upon telling the same lies to market it, gee I wonder what could possibly be wrong with the entire mess outside of it being a lie from the start. And a wash-out, a has been, like daschle has the gull to insult our intelligence with this mess he calls health care because we are insufficiently advised as to the details, get real you fricken loser. There are several things that this article touches on that are completely wrong but, I will haggle over this one fine point, We the People didn't just say no but, "hell no you do not have any authority over my body" because you decided to think you know what is best for the overall population does not give you the authority to give me or anyone else a choice, it does not belong to the idiots r us crowd daschle represents and it never will.
This was not a matter of either a or b, not even as though we had a say in the matter, this petulant punk, obamas Bin Ly'n, insisted it would be the high light of his presidency, are you fricken kidd'n me? is this punk really this delusional? Daschle, along with the rest of the demonrat party members, failed to understand that We the People do not work for them, they work for us. The sooner they step into this reality, the better the entire Country will be for it.
coal carrier| 10.14.10 @ 7:47AM
It is quite obvious that Daschle didn’t read the bill either.
Bill| 10.14.10 @ 8:02AM
Daschle loves the bill so much lets put him and all of his cronies on the plan. Those of us who love our freedom and independence will take care of ourselves, as we always have.
Dems now see the freight train coming toward them in the form of the up coming election. Time to vote these socialist out and start a few investigations. Barry needs to be impeached. He is a disgrace to this country.
Henry Rearden| 10.14.10 @ 8:28AM
How much did Daschle make from his lobbying on this bill? How many "ordinary Americans" are going to be able to pay his fees to get a hearing on the next piece of health care legislation or on new regulations? His rice bowl sure ain't back in South Dakota!
Intelligent Design| 10.14.10 @ 8:35AM
The Cato Institute (Cato's Letter Fall 2010) estimates that the cost of implementing Obamacare in the first ten years will be $2.7 trillion. I recall Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) sending me a letter in which he claimed (lied) that Obamacare would result in Deficit Reduction of $140 billion. Then Senator Reid (D-NV) and others were delighted to announce that the Cost would only be $950 billion over ten years. The truth is that the Democrats shoved this abomination down our throats, and they don't care how much it costs. To them, wrecking our health care system is more important than voters and taxpayers. Obamacare deserves a partial birth abortion. Puncture its skull and pull out the rest of the body, then throw it in the hazardous waste bucket.
Redstateboy| 10.14.10 @ 8:41AM
If HussienCare is so damn popular.. why is it that we can't find a Rat who voted for it running for reelection shouting from the roof tops it being one of their great accomplishments? The Rat DNC has even passed out instructions NOT to talk about it as a campaign issue!
Ken (Old Texican)| 10.14.10 @ 8:56AM
I signed up for Medicare in August.
Thank God I have a doctor in the family. Some of you might need to do some sniffing around for a "personal" doctor.
Steve A| 10.14.10 @ 9:09AM
I watched Daschle on Fox this AM explain it all. You see, the people actually are wildly positive about all of the segments of the bill, but when it is looked at comprehensively, they do not have the mental capacity to grasp its greatness. Oh, also: The town hall backlash was not opposition to the bill on a massive scale, it was voter anger over the failings of the current health care system. It was a comedy routine worthy of an SNL skit from the 70s.
Ken (Old Texican)| 10.14.10 @ 9:20AM
Steve A,
I only have to understand ONE thing about the act.
...the 179 times it states "The Secretary shall decide".
Have you signed up for the Obama KGB yet? Man they get spiffy uniforms.
Steve A| 10.14.10 @ 9:39AM
Ken, I am not on the KGB list yet but I do have a nice, long sleeve; "Obama: Trickle Up Poverty," shirt that displays BO wearing a Fidel Castro uni. I have actually had a few Obama supporters mistakenly compliment me on it as they are too dull to interpret the message.
Tim*| 10.14.10 @ 8:57AM
Repealing Obama's Health Care Scam is A Winner Issue in these Midterm Elections.
Hammer this Issue and Unemployment and The Economy .
The Tea Party Rebellion Escalates .
Rise Up
Louis Jenkins| 10.14.10 @ 9:09AM
Another jokester no doubt. Daschel is full of it, he knows it, and he shouldn't really matter anymore. He's a crook. So why is he still hanging around? Oh I forgot. Liberals keep hanging around like a bad headache. Can't get rid of 'em.
Redstateboy| 10.14.10 @ 9:31AM
I would've asked Daschle.. well if this Law is so wonderful.. why aren't Democrats who voted for it and running for reelection touting it?! bragging they voted for it? Why, after all these months... the numbers for Repeal remained steady?
michigander_sandusky| 10.14.10 @ 9:33AM
Obama and others are on the record that Obamacare is just the first step to a single-payer system. That's not a "scare tactic" that is the truth!
Galen| 10.14.10 @ 9:34AM
In the 8th grade I learned"That people learn nothing from History" The law isn't for illegals it has been a "progressive dream for a century. Meanwhile it was implemented in Israel Sweden England etc and has proved to be a fiasco. Why haven't our libs learnt?
Steve A| 10.14.10 @ 10:01AM
Galen, Rule #1 of Liberalism: Logic & results are irrelevant. Feelings, emotion & good intentions trump all.
SpiralArchitect| 10.14.10 @ 2:09PM
Exactly.
Liberals deal with most everything at an emotional level wheras Conservatives tend to use logic under similar cricumstances.
This is a proof, not a theory.
_______________
>> Dump Reid
RacerJim| 10.14.10 @ 10:09AM
Obamacare et al Obamacrap will be null and void the instant Obama is declared a ursuper by someone/some entity with the controlling legal authority to do so. The sooner that happens the better for Americans, America and the rest of the free world.
Longplay| 10.14.10 @ 10:17AM
"Instead of falling victim to these tactics, now's the time for everybody to embrace the new law, because it "will have the best chance of success if the country accepts it."
Daschle obviously is of the school that holds that "when rape is inevitable, sit aback and enjoy it".
Chuck| 10.14.10 @ 10:19AM
Oh my! I had hoped we would never have to hear from or about Daschle again. I guess you have to run this article to expose the continuing utter stupidity of the left, but hope that eventually we can consign him to oblivion ...
Longplay| 10.14.10 @ 10:23AM
"Tom, health care is the most important thing we will ever do," Obama told Daschle days into his presidency. "It will be my legacy. And it is more important to me now than ever before. Don't ever doubt that."
And the sole reason for BO's attitude? To go down in history as having enslaved the American people by transforming the county into a socialist state.
Stan Redmond| 10.14.10 @ 10:40AM
For a moment leave aside the health care aspect of Daschle's logic. In fact, he articulates the same logic all the liberals used to get this law passed.
It is the exact same logic every marxist murdering tyrant uses. The shining example is Pol Pot, a fellow progressive liberally educated comrade to Daschle, who felt it was necessary to MURDER MILLIONS of people to make Cambodia a happy fun paradise. So what if the health care law will destroy a once great industry and lead to substandard care and enslave doctors. It's the thought that counts. Consequences be damned.
Padoux| 10.14.10 @ 10:48AM
Yeah Tom, those who do pay for good health care plans are "lucky." They didn't work to have that ability, it just fell into their lap somehow. This is typical liberal think, people who achieve are just lucky. This smug arrogance gets my blood boiling. One cannot reason with such prejudice.
Doug| 10.14.10 @ 8:33PM
What is there about Daschle and this "luck" thing? He says it again here:
"Even under the new law, we will have a health care market, with generous and high-quality care for the luckiest Americans and lesser care for everyone else," Daschle writes.
LUCK. Drive and ambition had NOTHING to do with, say, Steve Jobs turning Apple into the behemoth that it is today? Blind F'ing luck, says Daschle. Remember that time he talked about those who were "fortunate enough to win life's lottery"?
Tommy, I can only assume that you got where you are today because your peers put their names in a hat and drew yours out of it. There is no other way to explain how you got to where you are today: blind f'ing luck!
Pete| 10.14.10 @ 10:51AM
How does the "they are too stupid to know what is good for them so we will pass the bill anyhow" argument reconcile with the fact that these goons are supposed to REPRESENT the people and their will? Answer: It doesn't and it can't.
I know many older doctors are just calling it quits early rather than submit to their federal masters, but I wonder how many aspiring doctors are reconsidering their chosen path? It will be quite sad when prospective doctors who have their heads in the books studying, who blindly accept the BS the mainstream media spews on the subject, finally graduate only to find out that some bureaucratic ass who can barely tie his own shoes gets to tell him how to practice and how much money he can make.
cavan| 10.14.10 @ 11:09AM
A republican asked to amend the Obamacare bill so that it would require all members of congress,the executive ( president and staff) and the judiciary , and all federal employees to sign up for Obamacare.
The Democratas refused.
Obamacare is for me but not for thee?
Redstateboy| 10.14.10 @ 11:10AM
If HussienCare is so great... then why did his Administration grant 33 companies waivers?
Pete| 10.14.10 @ 11:44AM
Because the bill is about federal power, not healthcare. This is but the first public example of carrot and stick.
Richard| 10.14.10 @ 11:45AM
That SOB Daschle has been pushing socialized medicine for years.
Oldefarte| 10.14.10 @ 11:55AM
This little weasel UNFATHERED CHILD [along with a FEMALE DOG'S litter of Reid, Pilosi, Obama, Schumer, Rangel, Waters, Conyers, Durbin, Cliburn,etc] is the reason why the incoming congressmen from November's election [along with the decent incumbents] will have to waste their time/energy over repealing/amending/deleating such socialistic garbage as welfarecare and the upcoming tax increases/explosion that these aforementioned morons have passed in the name of socialistic welfare of wealth redistribution. It's just a shame that these crooks are/were allowed to represent this country and to pass this garbage that effectively is destroying America!!!!!!!!
Ken (Old Texican)| 10.14.10 @ 12:24PM
Oldefart,
Fear not!
Ballots are merely the first step.
dnha14| 10.14.10 @ 12:41PM
I wish I was born an idiot. Then I could be elected to the Senate, not pay my taxes, and be nominated as HHS Secretary, before I had to drop out for not paying my taxes. It just burns me how idiots rise to the top so easily. That is to say nothing of his "Sally Jessy Raphael" glasses. Great fashion statement, Tom.
Dagny Taggert| 10.14.10 @ 1:55PM
What is it about liberals where the term "Comprehensive __________ Reform" has such appeal to them? Fill in the blank: Healthcare, Immigration, Financial, Education they love the headline, but can rarely voice what actually needs to be done in a simple analytical statement. For example in my mind the biggest problem with healthcare is that fact that market forces have been usurped by the phenomenon of "spending other people's money." Costs run away when you're spending OPM. This legislation does NOTHING to curb that, in fact only makes it worse by having more people on the plan spending OPM.
You know just putting the word "immigration" in the blank will end up in nothing more than another amnesty. Steve A summed it up best above: "Logic & results are irrelevant. Feelings, emotion & good intentions trump all."
Mark Anderson| 10.14.10 @ 2:14PM
We've already put my just graduated daughter back on our healthcare plan. Thanks Obama. Just try to roll back healthcare. I didn't see one solution mentioned in any of the comments. I guess Grayson was right, the Republican solution is "just die". Obama doesn't need to do anything else, he's already won.
JP| 10.14.10 @ 3:47PM
Mark,
You haven't seen anything, yet. Wait until next year when HR managers through out the nation try to explain to the workers why thier premiums have sky-rocketed (the subsidies do not kick in until 2014). Wait until businesses institute hiring freeze; wait until more and more insurance companies opt out of offering health insurance (this is occuring right now). Wait until you have a billing or coverage issue and must drive to an HHS office and wait all day in line only to be told by some federal bureaucrat that your family is covered for such and such or so and so. Wait until some HHS bureaucrat tells you that one of your parents are not covered for such and such because of acturairal considerations (ie money).
There is going to be a tidal wave of rage in this nation beginning next year, and the following 3 years as ObamaCare is gradually put in place. The people will be begging for the "old system".
BTW, the GOP has so many solutions that it would take a book to contain them Niether Pelosi nor Reid every entertained of the Republican ideas.
What the stock market crash did to Hoover, ObamaCare will do to the Dems.
Steve A| 10.14.10 @ 4:01PM
JP, You are correct in theory but you leave out the fact that there will be a massive campaign to blame the Insurance Industry along with a complicit media to overcome. Just look at the Property & Casualty Insurance industry in Florida for an example. If you were to poll registerd voters in Fla. they would be placing the blame squarely on the Insurers, not the Liberal Regulatory Environment & economic reality of the severe risk weather.
Pete| 10.14.10 @ 3:53PM
Wonder why your daughter needs to get back on your plan? Could it be because she can't find a job? Thank the Mocha Messiah for that one, ace.
skip| 10.14.10 @ 5:10PM
Whoa. My preconceived notions have been shattered. You figured out how to procreate? Be honest, it was because of those invaluable sex ed classes you took, wasn't it? Just how much of my and others money is enough to support you and your family anyway?
Steve A| 10.14.10 @ 2:21PM
Congrats. Mark, Tort Reform, Cross state lines to purchase, assigned risk pool for pre-existing conditions, no 80/20 mandate, no ban on non cadillac plans. Private market based solutions. Just for starters.
Sounds like you have a nice little Socialist training camp developing in your basement. Good luck with that.
Meg| 10.14.10 @ 3:20PM
Just out! starting Jan. 1, 2011, you will NOT be permitted to walk into pharmacy or dept. store and buy any pain relievers such as Tylenol, Apririn, Advil or any other pain relieving medicine with your insurance, WITHOUT a Prescription. Oh my, why do some of you people not find out what horrible things are in this health care bill. You, as Pelosi said, won't find out what is in it until you read it. How many of you have read the entire bill? My guess is NONE! Well, when you find out what you are going to have to do, you are NOT going to like it!
PhilBtheneocon| 10.15.10 @ 9:45AM
Just want to correct this. Under Obamacare you can't buy aforementioned drugs using your FSA/HSA with pre-tax dollars starting on 1/1/2011. Either way its some BS.
PhilBtheneocon| 10.15.10 @ 9:52AM
I'm sorry correction to MY statement. That is you can't use pre-tax dollars to buy OTC medication WITHOUT a prescription from your doc. But either way I work in employee benefits for one of the largest insurance brokerages in the nation and you would not believe the red tape this bill is creating. This bill does absolutely nothing to reduce costs. You can't cover D,E,and F on top of A,B,and C without expecting it to cost more than just covering A, B, and C. That is unless we had REAL reform. And I saw someone else mention those points somewhere else on this forum. The biggest being interstate competition for premium dollars. Tort Reform would do tons. But the biggest way to get your premiums to go down now is to REPEAL THIS SCAM.
Meg| 10.14.10 @ 3:25PM
Mark: Just what do you think OBAMABOMB has won? Pay attention: You have ONE small part in your corner. What about all the others things? You evidently, do not care about any other things, HUH? Well, IF you will read the bill, which not ONE person has read completely, you come back and give us an opinion. For one thing, you will NOT be able to keep your present insurance, so what does that do to your policy? A panel, appointed by this man in the WH, will tell you what doctor you may see and what medications he will be permitted to give you. You will have no choice in hospitals. There are so many things you, and millions of others do not know, I do wish you the best of luck!
Fergie| 10.14.10 @ 3:52PM
Is this moron for real? What? He hasn't read the news lately? How Micky-D and some other BIG Corporations now have waivers so they don't have to abide by the law, or the fact that over 1,000 Medicare holders have lost their Medicare Advantage programs and must seek this insurance elsewhere at MUCH LARGER costs to these elderly VOTERS! YES, you moronic imbecile, let's give the white elephant of a law that this equally inept Congress passed, a chance.
One question: How are you going to make a killing in this Insurance mess? How much money are you going to make from all of this? NO ONE CAN CLAIM THEY LOVE THIS LAW UNLESS THEY EXPECT TO REAP TONS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS FROM IT? What's your scheme, DR?
somnolence| 10.14.10 @ 5:13PM
Well, at least you won't need a prescription for a bottle of Jack and lemon juice for a bad cold. Just add some peppermint candy for vaporizer.
Emma| 10.14.10 @ 5:22PM
You can't negotiate with a liar. Unfortunately, liars with power don't even pretend to negotiate: they just issue orders and tell us what's good for us.
Michael| 10.14.10 @ 8:12PM
Over 70 exceptions already granted to large employers who balked at the financial choices created by ObamaCare...McDonald's being just the latest. My own self-insured hospital is facing its own "new world" with sudden jacked up costs covering 26 year old lay abouts and caps on high risk employees (to name but two new expenses) -- we will be passing such costs on to our employees. Yes, health care costs will go down, right Mr. Daschle? Sure they will. Something tells me the dike has sprung some leaks and there won't be enough fingers to plug them all.
Tony in Central PA| 10.14.10 @ 8:54PM
" Instead of a market, we could have a smoothly functioning system with a central decison -making authority for payment and coverage decisions ".
Cue John Lennon's " Imagine ".
moron| 10.14.10 @ 9:41PM
Yes, the greedy insurance industry, greedy doctors and George W will be blamed. Instead of making Daschle and Congresscritters that voted for the plan also be served by the plan, they should have to be on the UK plan, transportation provided by Nancy's private taxpayer funded jet. Hey Nancy, no Botox there and no separate pool of taxpayer money for cosmetic crap. Go to the back of the line, British doctors are busy seeing patients on the side for under the table payments, which will be felonies for doctor and patient here, the doctor can't pay his overhead much less profit and WILL retire. Daschle is a useful idiot.
John II| 10.14.10 @ 9:53PM
Wow--check the portrait of Daschle attached to this piece. Another beautiful juxtaposition of image and message. He looks for all the world as if he can't quite follow his own message as he strains to ignore the whoopee cushion he just sat on.
Has there ever before been a period in American history in which so many lightweight jackasses were exercising so much influence?
homebrewer| 10.14.10 @ 10:26PM
Did Daschle let his kids pick his eyeglasses?
voted against carter| 10.14.10 @ 11:46PM
Will some one PLEASE go nail this idiots feet to the floor so he won't get out of his house and cause any more trouble? Pretty PLEASE? Anyone?
bluecollarbytes| 10.14.10 @ 11:54PM
Large groups of Americans never 'signed on' to ObamasCare and aren't throwing it out before 'it has had a chance to prove itself', but are standing against it before it's to late to get rid of it.
Yosemeti Sam| 10.15.10 @ 3:52AM
Here we have a political reject waxing on the merits of what's insightfully paternally good for Americans.
Yo, Dingy - your Leftoid predecessor.
BillCC| 10.15.10 @ 6:13AM
Getting healthcare for uninsured/illegals was never the primary goal of ObamaCare.
Not enough of a political advantage.
Providing healthcare to the union members and state and local government workers whose benefits are catastrophically underfunded has always been the goal.
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/o.....73QnxKucyI
Phase 2, to follow: federalization of union and state-and-local government worker pension programs, also catastrophically underfunded.
Speedypete| 10.15.10 @ 9:45PM
The United States needed to change the health care system, save and reduce drug costs, save andreduce health care malpractice insurance, litigation and redundant testing with tort reform, save and reduce the paperwork reporting, save and break down the barriers for health insurers to compete nationally and insure the the 12 to 40 million without health care insurance. When you don't read the legislation you vote for and only vote in the expensive insurance, pile on tens of thousands more government employees and add to the workload and cost of every business, large and small in the country they really messed up. It is obvious that Dr. Daschle still hasn't had time to read what increased cost and taxes damage this will do for so little gain.
GrantR| 10.18.10 @ 2:34AM
Tom's next book: How to Evade Taxes and Save $$
Albert| 10.18.10 @ 4:54PM
A wise man once said that the only way to look at a politician is DOWN. Daschle is proof of that.