Continuing the theme of health care....
Throughout the campaign season former North Carolina Sen. Edwards has depicted himself as the candidate of the people. While his populist rhetoric which includes his now famous “two Americas’ description of an economically unequal America and his sympathy for the “underdog” who “toils” but receives nothing; may be drawing Newhampshireites into his camp, we have yet to see if he genuinely believes what he is saying. Is he prepared to challenge the “entrenched interests” that he says control the heart and soul of American politics today or is his rhetoric a part of a demagogic ploy to pull on Americans’ heart strings in order to reach the grandest hall of political power.
Unfortunately, while his humble origins, his ability to make a clintonesque appeal to the average man as well as his appropriate description of his chief rivals(Obama and Clinton) as being little better than servants of elite interests draws me to Edwards, there is just something not quite right with him dressed in the economic populist’s cloak.
Perhaps, I am being too hard on Edwards. After all, he has been addressing perhaps the most pressing issue facing our country (economic inequality) that all the other candidates-save for Dennis Kucinich-have been unwilling to touch. However, a brief analysis of Edward’s positions on one policy issue, healthcare, reveals Edwards as the same servant of corporate power that he lashes out at Obama and Clinton for being.
As not to overwhelm the reader with the minute facts and details of Edward’s plan; the gist of it is this: Edwards said he would expand Medicaid a program that now provides coverage to 6 million people, mostly children. He would also provide federal health care subsidies. He said he wants employers to play a bigger role, either by offering coverage or buying into "health markets" that would include a government plan. Edward’s proposal emphasizes the dual role of both the private and public sectors in addressing the healthcare crisis. He would allow for the market –as opposed to government protections- to drive down healthcare costs.
While Edwards reveals that his end goal would be to see universal coverage extended to the 47 million Americans who don’t have health insurance, his proposal is still far short of offering a comprehensive, single-payer healthcare system in place in the Western European democracies and supported by Edward’s democratic rival Kucinich. If Edwards were truly serious about immediately solving the healthcare crisis he might support the full expansion of Medicare, not an incremental expansion through Medicaid.
Edwards’ proposal might be likened to the first time sky diver who enters aboard the plane, puts on his parachute and steps toward the door, only to look down before him and realize that he is far to nervous to jump. The cause of the skydiver’s apprehension is obvious and understandable-a fear of heights. Edward’s expressed caution, especially on such a serious issue is not. What might explain Edward’s caution?
To date, Edwards has received approximately $ 212,200 from the healthcare lobby which includes donations from pharmaceutical companies as well as from large HMO’s. While Edward has hardly received as much money as Clinton ($ 848,872) or Obama($566,638) he has received far more than candidates like Ron Paul ($ 11,000) or Kucinich ($ 7,500). It is a lot easier to make true populist gestures (See Kucinich who refuses money from corporate PAC’s) when you are not beholden to corporate interests.
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