Now Is Not The Time to Back Off The Health Care Debate

by Wendy Sullivan

During the 2008 presidential election campaign, Senator John McCain repeatedly interrupted campaigning, first to rush back to DC to deal with the first bailout package, then when Barack Obama’s grandmother was dying.

It was the “right” thing to do. The “respectful” thing to do. The “Christian” thing to do. Oh, and we lost.

I’m not saying the Republicans would have definitely won the election if McCain hadn’t paused the campaign every two weeks. I’m simply saying that a consistent message gets through to people more than a touchy-feely backing off – especially when the other guy keeps hammering home his message.

Now, in the middle of this health care debate and debacle, the strongest voice for patient choice is laying down the gauntlet out of “respect” for Senator Ted Kennedy, who passed away on August 25th after a long battle with brain cancer. Conservatives for Patients’ Rights (CPR) issued a statement on August 26th:

“With the sad news of Senator Kennedy’s passing, Conservatives for Patients’ Rights is immediately suspending our ad campaign for health care reform out of respect to the Kennedy family as well as the Senator’s colleagues and supporters, to whom we extend our condolences. We know the debate will continue – a debate Senator Kennedy embraced with vigor – and we look forward to engaging in the debate in the months ahead. But now is a time for respect, reflection and remembrance. Senator Kennedy’s lifetime of dedicated public service transcended multiple generations. His devotion to many issues and his relentless passion made him a hero to his supporters and worthy adversary to his opponents. His voice and presence will be missed.”

His presence will be missed? Ted Kennedy was the most vocal of all senators on the subject of socialized medicine, despite the fact that he would not lived as long as he had, if he had been forced to use such a system. Of course, all members of the House and Senate will be excluded from any single-payer system, just like in Canada, where the Members of Parliament have access to private, front-of-the-line facilities.

The moment Senator Kennedy’s heart stopped, the statements from the Democrat camp as to how he was such a believer in universal health began to pour forth. West Virginia Klansman and Senator Robert Byrd called for the health care bill to be named after Kennedy:

“In his honor and as a tribute to his commitment to his ideals, let us stop the shouting and name calling and have a civilized debate on health-care reform which I hope, when legislation has been signed into law, will bear his name for his commitment to insuring the health of every American.”

The Democrats are not putting their campaign for universal health on hiatus out of respect for Ted Kennedy – they are ramping it up. Conservatives for Patients’ Rights are grossly mistaken if they think they are doing the right thing out of respect. Now is not the time to be backing down. The Democrats will exploit the grief of Kennedy’s passing to their own ends, and we cannot allow them to do so unchallenged.

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