See this. See especially #s 41, 48, and 49. Clearly, Obama and Klinton's sellout plans are a nod to the insurance lobby, not the electorate. This study was done in 2003, and if anything, the climate would be more favorable now.
Besides, the debate over this whole election seems to be more about symbolic and cultural politics ("why doesn't Obama wear an American flag pin?", "it would just be so great to finally have a black president.") rather than policy differences. There's no other way to explain the amount of rancor between the Obama and Klinton camps - two candidates with relatively small policy differences. If that's the case, how could Obama or Klinton possibly think that they could lose voters if they proposed a real health care plan? I doubt most Americans are even aware of the difference between Obama and Klinton's plans and a single payer system.
Once again, there's no excuse. None at all.
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The superficial debate around flag pins and whether or not Pennsylvanians are bitter armed neanderthals (they are) are annoying. And I cringe at the whole "when we got a brother in the White House, things are gonna change" versus "it's time for a woman in the White House" element of it.
ReplyDeleteBut is it accurate to say that America's "American Idol" approach to political debate first cropped up in this race?? I think it pre-dates American Idol, even. After all, nobody elected Bush in 2000 or 2004 over policy, and Bill Clinton only got in because he played saxophone on Arsenio Hall.
And 1,000 B.C. admitted to trying those potted Jazz plants. But yeah, the "American Idol" approach goes back at least to Kennedy v. Nixon. In fact, I'm going to claim it started with Andrew Jackson (citation needed).
ReplyDeleteI wasn't implying it started with this election at all. But it certainly is still in full force. And I'm not sure if Democrats were ever divided as strongly for such superficial reasons as they are in this race.
ReplyDeleteBut whatever. It's still annoying.
The point about superficial party division being at it's strongest is probably true. There was certainly a serious age divided during McGovern v. Humphrey and there may have been a religious divide during the Al Smith years. I don't remember. I know for sure that men were men in those days, though. And it was nothing like the current race.
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