More On Obama and Health Care

This Ezra Klein article, a summary of the Obama-care health plan released yesterday, expresses exactly my concern with him, and why I'm not likely to be supporting him unless those concerns are relieved. His taste for half-measures and incremental steps in a time when we need a President arguing for transformational change simply doesn't cut it.

His is a plan of almosts. It is almost universal, without quite having the mechanisms to ensure nationwide coverage. It almost offers a public insurance option capable of serving as the seed of single-payer, but it is unclear who can enroll in it, and talks with his advisors suggest little enthusiasm or expectation that it will serve as a shining alternative to private insurance. It almost takes on the insurance industry, but asks for, rather than compels, their participation [...]

All the ingredients are in place for this to be a great plan -- a public insurance component, a commitment to universality, an understanding that coherence is better than fractiousness, a willingness to regulate the insurance industry -- but, in each case, at the last second, the policy is hedged before the fulfillment of its purpose. In this, Obama's plan is not dissimilar from Obama himself -- filled with obvious talent and undeniable appeal, sold with stunning rhetoric and grand hopes, but never quite delivering on the promises and potential. And so he remains the candidate of almosts. But as he told Morgan Miller back in March, there is time yet. And he is so very close.

There is time. But I believe this constant hedging and "almosting" reflects the true nature of the man. We should not be afraid to articulate for real change, especially on issues like health care where the vast majority of the people are with us. Obama's instinct seems to me to be to fold his cards before the hand is fully dealt.

I'm not saying there isn't room for compromise. I don't think it's good negotiating to compromise FIRST, instead of stating the principle and then dealing with the compromise. That's negotiating from strength instead of weakness.