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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 2006)
Think Again • E E FR By Tim Nesbitt Free ads to subscribers Another losing season? Wait ‘til next year for health care reform I ’m used to rooting for teams that start strong but never make it into the playoffs. Still, when the game is elections and my team is health care, I have a hard time adjusting to an- other fading finish. Americans’ concerns about health care costs and coverage make health care reform a perennial favorite in politics. Health care tied for third in the early season Gallup poll last Jan- uary, just behind Iraq and terrorism and even with corruption. By last week, however, health care failed to make the cut, as corruption moved to the top of the list. So don’t expect to see 30-second spots about health care reform when the political ads appear between in- nings of the World Series. This is not our year, health care fans. But then, it’s never our year — at least not at election time. The problem with health care as an electoral issue is that most voters don’t see a clear role for government in solving our health care crisis. If the issue were health care for seniors, i.e. changes to Medicare, those voters and their middle-aged children would be paying attention — and so would the candidates whose elec- tions depend on their votes. But Medicare and Medicaid cover only 25 percent of Americans. Most Americans (53 percent) earn their health care from their jobs, and a good number of those without health insurance (16 percent) look to the jobs they have or hope to have as their most likely source of health in- surance in the future. They don’t think of government as a provider of health coverage and, only rarely, as a provider of health care. So it’s hard for candidates to reach voters with proposals to lower health care costs or to expand health care coverage. Many Americans don’t think government can or should do that for them. If soccer or hockey were our na- tional pastime, we’d have a different view, because we’d be used to gov- ernment as a guarantor and/or provider of health care. And we’d be having very different debates during our elections about controlling the costs and protecting the benefits of our health care system. But we’re stuck in a different game here, a game whose biggest players swing their big bats against government to discourage voters from supporting reforms that can give us what most of those soccer- playing countries already have — a health care system that delivers better health at lower costs to all citizens. We need a new playbook. You may believe, as I do, that a system by which we earn our health coverage with our paychecks is emi- nently defensible in a country that prides itself on its free-market work ethic. But that system is being de- stroyed by employers who are aban- doning it. If that abandonment con- tinues, our paychecks will become conduits by which we pay for our own health care, which will eliminate the whole reason for employer-spon- sored health care. Given these trends, we will never get the reforms we need to achieve affordable health care for all Ameri- cans without a major intervention by government. So what’s our next play? Do we take the path of government as regu- lator (with employer mandates), gov- ernment as insurer (with Medicare- style programs) or government as provider (with public health clinics)? All of these approaches make sense — for different populations. States are making headway with pro- posals to provide affordable health insurance for all children. The downside is that these taxpayer-fi- nanced insurance systems invariably shift more of the costs for health care Call 503-288-3311 Subscribe for only $7.20 a year!! Receive 24 issues of the latest labor news and views from Oregon and Southwest Washington. Special union group rate of $7.20 a year per subscription on orders of 50 or more PAGE 14 BARGAIN COUNTER from employers to working families. But that shift could be beneficial for many of those families if employers are required to support health cover- age for all working adults. Governor Ted Kulongoski has put forward a smart program to provide affordable health care coverage for all children in Oregon, combined with more school-based health cen- ters to provide direct care. State Sen- ators Ben Westlund and Alan Bates will soon unveil a more ambitious plan to provide health care for all Oregonians with a state-financed voucher system. And, former Gover- nor John Kitzhaber will be right be- hind them with plans for reorganiz- ing our publicly-financed health care system at the state level, including federal waivers to restructure Medicare. We have four big hitters of our own, but each has a different strategy. Health care has faded as an elec- tion issue again, because we haven’t coalesced around a compelling re- form agenda, and we haven’t been able to overcome the skepticism that government can do anything to solve this problem. But, unlike many other issues, health care won’t disappear after Election Day. Just wait ‘til next year. It will be right back in the top three, gnawing at the physical health and the financial well-being of a growing number Americans. More and more commentators are talking of the need for a new political alignment in this country. That re- alignment could well be organized around health care. Whoever solves this problem in a way that makes government work for working people will lead a winning team in future elections. Tim Nesbitt is a former president of the Oregon AFL-CIO. IRS PROBLEMS? • Haven’t filed for...years? • Lost records? • Liens-Levie-Garnishments? • Negotiate settlements. • Retiring? Have Questions? DEADLINE: Friday prior to publication Published 1st and 3rd Fridays Send to: NW Labor Press, PO Box 13150, Portland, OR 97213 • 15 words or less • Include address label from front page and telephone number • Sorry, we cannot accept ads over the telephone • No commercial or business ads • 1 ad per issue • Type or print legibly Classified ads MUST include area code on all phone numbers or they will not be published Automotive For the Home PARTING OUT 1979 Dodge pickup, good 318 engine, tires, etc, engine runs. 503 852-6791 ’77 CHEVROLET SILVERADO pickup, rebuilt engine 350. 503 813-8272 STUDDED TIRES, 2 P225/75R15, used once, like new, $30 OBO. 503 257-7390 ’88 FORD F150,needs TLC, $1,650 OBO. 503 263-3119 ’93 PLYMOUTH ACCLAIM, AC, AT, 4cyl, new tires, paint fading, needs starter, $400 OBO. 503 762-4189 ’03 TUNDRA EXT CAB, 2x4, canopy, auto, air, electric doors/windows, CD, very clean, $17,500. 503 637-3901 ’94 BUICK LESABRE, ex cond, auto, AC, all power, 6 w/seat, Michelan tires, security. 503 263-1804 2 OAK ENTRYWAY hall trees, bench type w/mir- rors, beautiful, $700 and $800. 503 761-0003 BURGLAR GUARDS for windows, 2 of 2’w, 2 6’ w, all 3’ h, all w/adjustable mounts, light weight channel construction w/spear point bars and decorative scrolls, $20 and $50 each. 503 281- 0181 or 503 753-1714 Housing LINCOLN CITY, nice 2-level beach house, sleeps 6, $350/wk, $175/wkend. 503 351-1408 (Chris) or 503 762-4816 (Dan) ROCKAWAY BEACH house, jacuzi tub, pet friendly , 3 bd. 503 355-2136 or 503 709-6018 QUIET COASTAL living, Tillamook, 1088 sq ft, 2 bed, garage, 1/3 acre, generous paved driveway, $169,000. 503 442-1892 BIG ISLAND adventure, www.hawaiivolcanova- cations.com, 1-800-709-0907 1995 REDMOND MANUFACTURED home, 3 bed, 2 bath, upscale family park, fenced yard, Oregon City, $39,950. 503 775-7808 HOME IN GATEWAY for rent, 3 bdrm, 1 bath, hardwood floors, attached garage, fireplace, ap- pliances, $1,100+ deposit. 503-314-1232 Wanted OLD WOODWORKING tools, planes, levels, chisels, folding rulers, handsaws, spoke shaves, slicks, adzes, tool chests. 503 659-0009 JUNK CARS, removal of unwanted cars and trucks. 503 314-8600 MOTORCYLCES, MOPEDS, scooters, musical instruments, cash paid. 503 880-8183 ALUMIUNUM WINDOWS, used, 5’x6’ and other sizes, want case uniloader, hi-cube van. 503 771- 8823 44 SPL or 45 Long Colt revolver. 360 896-6077 Sporting Goods 9.5hp JOHNSON SEAHORSE outboard motor w/ 2 gas tanks, $140. 503 621-3090 TWO 26” MEN’S BICYCLES, 15 & 21 speed, nice cond, $40 each OBO. 503 761-0003 SURFCASTING OUTFIT, new Shakespeare rod, reel, tackle, tackle box; bench weights, equip, 22 cal rifles. 503 678-1552 WALL TENT, 12x20’ w/6’ porch, 9’ inside, and many more items, woodstove, 2 burner cook- stove, $1,395. 503 655-2842 or 503 522-5799 30’ TERRY TRAILER, ex cond, fully self-con- tained, sleeps 6-8, bunkbeds and slide-out, $12,500. 503 663-1079 Miscellaneous ELECTRIC EDGER, like new, $40. 503 693- 0694 35 SHEETS PLYWOOD, shop grade, 3/4 and 5/8, $15 each. 503 244-2889 WOOD SPLITTER, $300. 541 548-0694 POMERANIANS, READY 10/31/06 to good lov- ing homes, 2 females, $400 each. 503 695-5819 (Sue) FREE STANDING wooden ladder, 10’, $30 firm, EZ lift system, $150 firm. 503 263-3119 ROLAND KEYBOARD w/case, $300; computer desk, $50, monitor, printer, 4 kitchen chairs, $20. 503 666-2763 STAIRSTEPPER/weight bench, good cond, $40, 55 gal steel barrel. 360 834-2495 AKC BRITTANY pups, first shots, tails docked, dew claws removed, males $500, females, $600. 503 769-6160 OPTIMUS CENTER channel speaker, never used, $50; Newmark 12YDC converter, $25. 361 779-0982 LADDER, HEAVY duty 32’ aluminum extension ladder, $100 cash. 503 649-5286 ’76 CAT D3 6 way blade w/rippers, $16,950. 541 895-4561 Zachary Zabinsky • Social Security • SSI - Disability Claims Personal Attention To Every Case Working For Disability Rights Since 1983 Call Nancy D. Anderson NO FEE WITHOUT RECOVERY Enrolled Agent/Tax Practitioner 621 SW Morrison, Portland 503-697-7757 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS 223-8517 OCTOBER 20, 2006
