How should progressives talk about health care security in America?

by Susan Rowe [courtesy of Blog for America]

This Rockridge Institute study is about the we and us debate in comparison to the me and mine debate.  Their ad is very interesting.

(video) Rockridge Institute healthcare ad Don't Think of a Sick Child:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg44c9ZvA0E

Don't Think of a Sick Child: The Logic of the Health Care Debate

In launching this campaign, the Rockridge Institute is contributing to progressives as they consider and focus their health care message. We have written a thoughtful white paper, as well as talking points, prototype television advertisements, blog posts, op-eds, and other material designed to bring some consistency and honest framing to the cause of health care security. To the many groups and individuals engaged in this cause, it is our hope we will be of some help to your heroic efforts.

more found here: http://www.rockridgeinstitute.org/health

The Logic of the Health Care Debate
by George Lakoff, Eric Haas, Glenn W. Smith, Scott Parkinson

Introduction

"Most health care reports advocate a policy, describe it, and argue for  it. We take a different approach. In this paper, we describe the logic  of the overall debate over the U.S. health care system -the  assumptions, the arguments, who makes them, and why. We do come out of  this process with recommendations, but not of the usual sort.

"This analysis presents something new and important: a distinction  among three modes of thought - progressive, conservative, and  neoliberal. What's new here is a deeper understanding of neoliberal  thought, as it affects the discourse on health care. Briefly, it  accepts the progressive ethic of care, insisting on maximizing  coverage. Meanwhile, neoliberal thought accepts a conservative version  of market principles that guarantees profits to insurance and drug  companies. Often, this is done in the name of political pragmatism, as a way to mute expected conservative opposition. This creates an  inherent tension between the moral mission of government to provide for  the protection - in this case the health security - of all of its people and the profit-maximizing insurance marketplace, which works  only by denying care.

"The neoliberal mode of thought is at the center of the health care  debate. It can also be found in issues across the board."... full report: http://www.rockridgeinstitute.org/research/rockridge/the-logic-of-the-health-care-debate