New Jersey Senate: Universal Health Care

by: Hopeful

Thu May 15, 2008 at 12:53:58 PM EDT

One of the advantages of a contested primary is the opportunity to ask Democratic candidates to speak out on the issues that are important to us. The Presidential contest has featured a long debate about the merits of the Edwards, Clinton, and Obama health care plans, but all three aimed for major legislation to decrease costs and expand coverage. We know from every previous experience that each senate vote will be important and that swaying public opinion is even more crucial. I believe that Lautenberg and Andrews must seize this opportunity to advance our cause.

With that framework in mind, I think Senator Lautenberg is failing the moment. His health care webpage emphasizes his fine record and a number of important new initiatives, but is silent on the matter of universal health care. In 1994, he was late to the health-care fight, but came on board with a great statement :

"We have left a segment of society behind without health security," Mr. Lautenberg said. "They are in the same situation my mother was in over 50 years ago. For the most part, they work, pay taxes, raise their families and play by the rules. But they lack health care coverage through no fault of their own. They deserve better than our current system provides."

I ask Senator Lautenberg to make universal health care a campaign issue, because qualified support and a senate speech after the legislation is in trouble won't be enough.

Hopeful :: New Jersey Senate: Universal Health Care

I would also like to see Rob Andrews do more on this issue. His issues page says he will "Help get everyone insured" and specifically mentions expanding Medicare eligibility, expanding SCHIP, subsidies for small businesses to purchase health care, and mandating "huge employers" ("the Wal-Marts of the world") to pay for insurance. He also promises to "force insurers to compete for your business." While he is missing the individual mandates in Hillary Clinton's health care plan, many of the other elements are in common with her plan and Barack Obama's health care plan.

So while Andrews is better in realizing the current importance of advancing this issue, he could do more with press releases. Also, since I looked for 1994 New York Times articles for Lautenberg, this is what I found for Andrews on Gephardt's bill to mandate employers purchase insurance:

Congressman Andrews of New Jersey, explaining his opposition to the Gephardt bill, said: "We don't want a plan that disrupts the coverage or raises the taxes of people who have coverage. People see it as social engineering with 15 percent of the economy."

So Andrews has apparently changed his views. I don't blame him -- I have too -- but what we need is a strong campaign advocating for universal health care to counteract decades of statements about socialism.

I believe that both Lautenberg and Andrews would cast a positive vote in the end, but without strong statements during the campaign, major health care reform will die in Congress.