Howard Dean Is Not A Lunatic
Until today, Howard Dean was best known for his primordial scream after finishing third in the 2004 Iowa caucuses. His article entitled “Health-care Bill Wouldn’t Bring Real Reform” published in today’s Washington Post may relegate his Iowa meltdown to an historical footnote. Dean’s article should send chills down the spine of every Democratic legislator. If anything resembling the current Senate bill becomes law, every Democrat in the country will be hammered by Dean’s words in political ads.
Dean, a physician and Chairman of the Democratic Party, states in part,
“If I were a senator, I would not vote for the current health-care bill. Any measure that expands private insurers’ monopoly over health care and transfers millions of taxpayer dollars to private corporations is not real health-care reform. Real reform would insert competition into insurance markets, force insurers to cut unnecessary administrative expenses and spend health-care dollars caring for people. Real reform would significantly lower costs, improve the delivery of health care and give all Americans a meaningful choice of coverage. The current Senate bill accomplishes none of these.”
He concludes in stating,
”
I have worked for health-care reform all my political life. In my home state of Vermont, we have accomplished universal health care for children younger than 18 and real insurance reform — which not only bans discrimination against preexisting conditions but also prevents insurers from charging outrageous sums for policies as a way of keeping out high-risk people. I know health reform when I see it, and there isn’t much left in the Senate bill. I reluctantly conclude that, as it stands, this bill would do more harm than good to the future of America.”
Dean is not a lunatic. He knows that if one party to a dispute wants a settlement too much, that party will get a dog of a deal. Dean doesn’t want the Democrats to get stuck with a dog. He rejects whole hog the notion that enactment of a putrid bill can be sanitized by subsequent remedial legislation. Every Democrat in the country, including President Obama, should thank Howard Dean.
I was always sympathetic for Dean and his supporters following the media disaster of the “Dean Scream.” I’m not sure he was the best candidate in 2004, but his comments here show a willingness to uphold sound policy in the face of partisan pressure–a rare quality.