Issue:  Strengthening America through Healthcare

What's the Message?
Promoting the Message
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Issues & the Message
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Threats to Democracy

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Equal Rights
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Fair & Effective Taxes
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Health Care Insurance Must be Made Universal by Larry Wallack, Rockridge Institute

The Institute of Medicine’s Committee on the Consequences of Uninsurance has completed a three-year study focusing on what being uninsured means for individuals, families, communities, and society as a whole.  Find the six-part study here, including fact sheets, (navigate to site to choose PDFs).

HealthAction 2005 Toolkits from FamiliesUSA and Wellstone Action

"Why Medical Savings Accounts are Bad for Children" by Consumer's Union, publishers of Consumer Reports Magazine

Vets Return, But Not Always with Healthcare, Christian Science Monitor

Interfaith Leaders for Universal Healthcare and What You Can Do

 


 



 

"Solving the healthcare crisis should be the top priority for our elected leaders."
--Dr. George Benjamin, Director American Public Health Association



1950's Family watching TV, not worrying about healthcare.  

Healthcare for All for Strong, Healthy Families

Position statement:  Democrats believe that every American has a basic right to affordable healthcare.  Based on the values of fairness, compassion and justice, Democrats care about the health and safety of American families.  With more than 45 million Americans now uninsured, and that number climbing rapidly, Democrats believe that we can do better as a Country to protect our citizens.  Democrats believe that America is strong when our citizens are protected. 

By contrast, Republicans believe that healthcare is a privilege and not a right.  If you can't afford the escalating cost of healthcare, even though you are working, you are simply out of luck.  Universal healthcare for working American families is unpopular, even distained by Republicans.  They believe that you are on your own, whereas we believe that we are all in this together.

Frame using these values:

 
  • Fairness

  • Compassion

  • Justice

  • Security

  • Protection

  • Responsibility

Repeat these ready-made frames:  "Healthy Families"
Use these themes:  Hardworking families deserve affordable healthcare; Universal healthcare is economical; Universal healthcare should be a right in America just as it is in every other developed Country; America is the only 1st-world Country without healthcare for its citizens;  Republican HSA proposal will double the cost of healthcare for working families while providing another tax break for the rich --
Reframe using these concepts:  "Health Savings Accounts" reframe to "Your Health Will Suffer Accounts"; "Culture of Life" should include universal healthcare, otherwise it isn't a culture of life.
Contrast using these words:  "Callous Conservatives"; "Anti-Family President"; The Republican motto is "Stop government before it can help" and the easiest way to do this is to borrow and spend so that there is no money for social programs in America; HSA's are just another tax scheme to benefit the rich while hurting middle class and low income families — employers will just cut existing health coverage
Avoid repeating these words: "Health Savings Accounts"
Know the tools in the radical Republican tool chest: 

1.  The Radical Republican Manifesto: The Integration of Theory and Practice: A Program for the New Traditionalist Movement by Eric Heubeck;

2.  Frank Luntz Republican Playbook — Searchable Text-Version

3. "14 Words Never to Use"
 


Quick facts*:
 

  1. The United States is the only industrialized country in the world that does not provide heath care for all its citizens
  2. The number of uninsured soared by over 5 million during Bush’s first term
  3.  1 million more uninsured added in 2003, 1 million more uninsured added in 2004
  4. 46 million Americans have no health insurance in 2005 with 80% living in working families
  5. 8.4 million children have no health insurance
  6. Healthcare costs are rising at four times the rate of inflation
  7. 1.4 million more people will become uninsured under Republican HSA plan.
  8. Uninsured people are sicker, and so when they do get medical attention, it is a drain on our medical institutions.  It is far cheaper to insure families and prevent illness than to care for the uninsured in our emergency rooms.
  9. The Medicare prescription drug program is costing triple what the White House said, $1.2 trillion over the next ten years.  Who's the big profiteer in this program?  Pharmaceutical companies.  Drug companies gave $1 million in campaign contributions to President Bush and $16 million to members of Congress in the run-up to the November elections.
     

Research:

The Nation's Health, American Public Health Association

The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, an independent, scientific organization and advisor to the Nation on public health — find healthcare specific research and recommendations for this President and Congress here

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

FamiliesUSA

Bush Record on Healthcare

Consumer's Union, publishers of Consumer Reports Magazine "Why Medical Savings Accounts are Bad for Children" —facts and stats, easy to read

Profile of the Uninsured, Kaiser Family Foundation

Science Reference Services, Division of the Library of Congress —index of health and medical information

Cover the Uninsured Week and fact sheets, personal stories, glossary and more, PDF downloads

 

 

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