Thought for Food

February 18, 2010

Words matter.

Why the hell didn’t we call it health insurance reform? We’re not reforming the way care is delivered, we’re reforming the companies that mete it out in tiny doses or not at all.* Red state, blue state — no one likes insurance companies! Especially in 2008, 2009, 2010.

I’ve been thinking about this for awhile and it really gets my goat. It astounds me that progressive leaders failed to learn from their opponents’ verbal reframing of any number of critical issues (“death tax” and “cap and tax” spring immediately to mind). Did it not occur to them that trying to change people’s health care is very different from trying to change that faceless, soulless company whose bills they dread seeing in their mailbox?

Grr.

But you know what? It’s not too late. Let’s all start calling it what it is.

* And then you expand Medicare coverage for those who fall in the “not at all” category but you keep the focus on insurance reform. Take a page from the GOP playbook — NEVER debate on your opponents’ terms.

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