Obama Throws Down Gauntlet On Health Care

Barack Obama’s campaign stop in Bristol had the atmosphere of a pep rally, but it wasn’t all adulation and happy talk.
There was substance to his stump speech – particularly on health care, the economy and the war in Iraq. This is the sort of issue-driven conversation that America must have as it selects a president who will face serious challenges at home and abroad.
Obama, 46, addressed a racially diverse crowd of around 2,500 supporters Thursday at Virginia High School. It was his first public campaign event since securing the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination – a high honor for Bristol and too-often-ignored Southwest Virginia.
As our congressman, Rick Boucher, noted, the last major-party candidate to campaign in Southwest Virginia was John F. Kennedy in 1960.
The speech was trademark Obama: eloquent, humorous and, at times, down-to-earth. More than once, his words were drowned out by rounds of applause and cheers of “Yes we can!”
No doubt about it, Obama is a gifted orator. His skill stands in sharp contrast to that of John McCain, the Republican standard-bearer. McCain is an effective, bipartisan deal-maker on Capitol Hill but seems ill at ease behind the microphone. This isn’t merely a matter of style; effective communication skills are a must for a president.
During the 16-month primary battle that just ended, critics contended that Obama’s speeches were more style than substance. There is some truth to these critiques. Obama has tended to focus more on the emotions of “change” and “hope” than on the nitty gritty of his plans for the nation.
He broke from that mold Thursday, fleshing out a number of areas of his campaign platform. Health care received the most attention. This is an urgent concern in Southwest Virginia, where thousands flock to the Wise County fairgrounds each year to receive charity medical and dental treatment through the Remote Area Medical program.
At the Bristol rally, Obama pledged to cover all Americans by the end of his first term. His plan wouldn’t do away with the employer-based health insurance system but would allow the 47 million uninsured Americans to buy federal coverage similar to that of members of Congress or federal employees. Low-income Americans would receive subsidies to help them cover the cost, and no one could be refused because of pre-existing illnesses.
Obama hopes to bring down the soaring cost of health care by focusing on prevention rather than disease treatment. He also wants to allow Medicare to bargain for cheaper prescription drugs, to speed adoption of electronic medical records and to get rid of paper and bureaucratic red tape.
Whether Obama’s plan would lower the cost of health care – which is driven, in large part, by aggressive treatment at the end of life – is a proper area for debate.
We urge McCain to engage in this debate over health care and make it a priority for his campaign, as well. At this point, McCain has a laser-like focus on the war and national security. He seems almost disinterested in domestic issues, including health care. He should broaden his horizons.
Along with high gas prices and soaring food costs, health care could be a defining domestic issue in this race. Obama has outlined his plan. McCain must offer an equally compelling reform vision – one that doesn’t leave too many Americans to fend for themselves in a system controlled by insurance companies that don’t always have their customers’ best interests at heart.
No matter who wins the White House, every American deserves equal access to health care. The next president must lead the way.