It’s hard to say whether Luntz’s focus group-tested language succeeded in fomenting the dislike for health reform now registered by the pollsters. For months, polls showed that large segments of the public liked the idea of a public option, and still do. When I conducted a CJR Town Hall in Missouri earlier this year, several of the people I chatted with were upset that the reform law didn’t go far enough. One woman told me that the reform law “is pretty short from what I would have liked.”
And a few weeks ago I interviewed a Brooklyn businessman running a messenger and shipping service. We talked about how the reform law tax credit might help him. After expressing skepticism that it would help much, he blurted out: “I am disappointed that the administration has not taken the original package which included the public option. It most certainly would have kept prices down so we would not have had the price increases now running amok.” What a surprising comment from a business guy, I thought.
Thank you Frank Luntz!
#1 Posted by Mike H, CJR on Fri 10 Dec 2010 at 12:05 PM
The outrage here is selective. After all, the self-styled unbiased journalists at AP and elsewhere use the so-called and self-styled modifiers too.
And Trudy, how can you say for a fact that that public option "would have injected a real element of competition into the insurance industry"? When was the last time a govt-connected (taxpayer-subsidized) business had to honestly, fairly compete with a private one? (Why are the USPS, Halliburton, Wall St. banks, U.S. automakers, et al., still in business?)
Also, you wrote that "the insurance industry, the hospitals, and the doctors ... were hardly fans of something that could lower their profits and incomes." (And you scorn Luntz and Fox for their language.)
In fact, industry giants love the public option because it does precisely the opposite of what you claim it would do. As always, govt "regulation" begets unfair competition and higher prices for the private individual and business, while the govt-approved ones will simply be propped up on taxpayer dimes. Language modification can not change that reality.
#2 Posted by Dan A., CJR on Fri 10 Dec 2010 at 03:05 PM
No offense, Trudy Lieberman, but Democrats focus-grouped "public option" and fed it to their buddies in the media who apparently outnumber Fox News 10-1. Try to be fair and balanced, even though this is a lefty site.
#3 Posted by Pundit, CJR on Sat 11 Dec 2010 at 06:51 PM
You guys should stop complaining because, one the health care we have now isnt as good as it was supposed to be. also the law has just been signed so give it some time. so if u want to say u have the right to choose tell that to ur congress men or state official. If you do not have insurance and need one You can find full medical coverage at the lowest price check http://ow.ly/3akSX .If you have health insurance and do not care about cost just be happy about it and trust me you are not going to loose anything!
#4 Posted by andrewhalton, CJR on Sun 12 Dec 2010 at 12:57 AM
Hey Pundit: got a link for that?
#5 Posted by garhighway, CJR on Mon 13 Dec 2010 at 03:12 PM