Nevadans want health care reform but some fear cost

In an hour-long prime-time television appearance Wednesday, President Obama sought to make the case for urgent health care reform to an increasingly skeptical public, arguing it’s critical for the nation’s economic recovery and will directly benefit every American.

Nevadans largely split along party lines in reaction to Obama’s remarks. For Democrats, especially activists who devoted their time to Obama’s presidential campaign in Nevada, health care reform is a top priority for using Nevada’s newly galvanized constituency to push Congress to pass reform that they’ve been fighting for for decades.

“The stakes were really high for this today,” said Bob Fulkerson, executive director of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, after listening to the address. “There were a lot of eyes and ears tuned in and he delivered in a big way.

“For him to lay it down emphatically that we are going to be able to pay for this and here’s how we are going to do it, really helps dispel a lot of fear and misunderstanding people had.”

For Republicans, particularly Nevada’s strong libertarian-leaning constituency, health-care reform represents a danger of increased government spending and expanded control of an industry they say should remain in the private sector. They also see an opportunity to deliver a political and policy blow to Democrats early in Obama’s administration, similar to what the GOP did to President Bill Clinton on health care in the 1990s.

“Obama is presenting a false choice in this debate,” said Robert Uithoven, a Republican political consultant, after watching the press conference. “He’s suggesting that you either support the status quo or you support his reform, and that is not the choice. No Republicans are standing up for the status quo.”

Obama is insisting that Congress pass a meaningful health care reform bill before the end of the year. He set a deadline for having the initial bills out of both houses before Congress takes its August break. Obama said he is pleased by the progress that has been made, even though his initial deadline likely won’t be met.

Republicans accuse Democrats of trying to fast-track the bills as a way to avoid opposition.

“We weren’t even allowed to know the cost of this legislation before voting on it in committee,” said U.S. Rep. Dean Heller, R-Carson City, who voted against the bill before the Ways and Means Committee. “We didn’t get any hearings with the bill in front of us.

“The reason being that they don’t want this as exposed to the American public because they more they learn about it the less likely the American people are going to like it.”

Obama sought to make the case that health care reform is critical to rebuilding the economy. And as Republicans work to build opposition to Democrats’ health care reform by stoking public unease with the stimulus and bank bailouts, Obama described those earlier efforts as successful.

“We were on the verge of a complete financial meltdown,” Obama said. “We’ve stepped away from the brink.”

While Obama has set the parameters for what he wants health care reform to accomplish, he’s largely left it to Congress to hash out the best ways to achieve it. He said Wednesday the bill must focus on increasing access, improving coverage, lowering costs and preserving choices.

He repeatedly stressed that he would not accept a bill that enlarges the federal deficit, charging lawmakers with finding a way to pay for the program through savings and tax law changes.

“His speech tonight is stepping up to make sure we haven’t lost our vision of the forest for the trees,” said Chip Evans, chairman of the Washoe County Democratic Party. “That we don’t get mired in a lot of the small things and lose track of the fact that we really do need health care reform now.”

But Republicans remain extremely concerned about the cost.

“Obama’s current health care plan will cause us all more financial stress in the end,” said Ellie Lopez-Bowlan, a Reno registered nurse active in the Republican Party. “His plan is estimated to cost $1.2 trillion over a decade. That is enough to make some of us sick. He needs to slow down and get more input.”

While Republicans are buying airtime for commercials attacking the plan in Nevada and other states, Democrats are seeking to capitalize on the political organization left behind from Obama’s presidential campaign. They are organizing house parties, letter-writing campaigns and public rallies to put pressure on Congress to pass Obama’s health care agenda.

“I do wish that Congress would stand with the president on this,” said Alise Moss Vetica, a Sparks health management consultant who volunteered for Obama’s campaign and continues to organize supporters around health care reform.
“This is nothing new,” she said. “He talked about affordable quality care in his campaign. I just wish they would get on board.”

That sentiment could have implications for U.S. Sen. Harry Reid’s reelection campaign next year, especially if a top-tier Republican enters the race against him.
“Sen. Reid should not just mediate it, facilitate it and wait until everything is done,” Vetica said. “He should be out in the forefront.

“We have 450,000 Nevadans who do not have any health care at all. He says he wants everybody to have quality affordable care, but there is no passion in that statement. It’s just rhetoric you can read anywhere.

“A lot of people are saying this is a deal breaker for them.”

Read more on health-care reform in the Reno Gazette Journal here.