Health Care

WomenMatter will continuously post updates on all this and other issues as we monitor the continuing philosophical and practical debates nationwide. Please check back often for updates. Past updates are available for reference on the Healthcare Archives page.

Rebels With a Cause: Senators Voting Against Their Party on Medicare

On Tuesday, November 25, 2003, a majority of senators voted to radically change the 38-year-old Medicare program. Bush is anxious to sign the bill into law.

Like the House vote before it, the Senate vote was largely split along party lines, with a few renegades voting with the opposition.

Democratic Rebels

The Democrats that backed the Republican-sponsored bill are Blanche Lincoln (AR), Diane Feinstein (CA), Thomas Carper (DE), Zell Miller (GA), John Breaux (LA), Mary Landrieu (LA), Max Baucus (MT), Ben Nelson (NE), Kent Conrad (ND), Byron Dorgan (ND), and Ron Wyden (OR).

These eleven senators decided to stray from their party for similar reasons. They believe that the benefits of the bill outweigh the risks. They desperately want to provide prescription drugs for seniors, and most say that if they pass the bill, they can work to remedy its problems before its implementation in 2006. (To read about the specifics of the bill, click here.)

In addition, several of the senators represent largely rural states. The bill includes what Blanche Lincoln calls a "strong rural health care section," that provides funding and support to both seniors and doctors in rural areas.

Many Democrats are disappointed with nine of these eleven senators and are flat-out angry with two of them: John Breaux (LA), and Max Baucus (MT).

Breaux and Baucus were the only Democratic conferees to help shape the final legislation. Democratic leadership expected Breaux and Baucus to report back with the details of the conference committee before reaching a deal. Instead, the senators participated in the conference committee, sealed the deal, and then simply announced their approval.

Republican Rebels

On the other side of the isle, several Republicans rebelled. John McCain (AZ), Chuck Hagel (NE), John Ensign (NV), Judd Gregg (NH), John Sununu (NH), Don Nickles (OK), and Lincoln Chafee (RI) all voted against their party. The Republican defectors feel that the bill is too costly.

In addition to concern over the expense, John McCain is disturbed by what he calls "enormous profits and protections for few of the country's most powerful interest groups." McCain indicts his own party with a serious charge: bowing down to special interests.

Political reward and punishment

Will McCain's accusations and the other six Republican senators' lack of support go unnoticed by most of the American public? Will voters be overwhelmed by bold advertising that proclaims the Medicare bill to be a Bush/Republican victory?

Expect to see political ads that ignore all the features and congratulate the president for providing prescription drugs for seniors. What ads will the Democrats use?

While Bush certainly deserves credit for the passage of this bill, the idea of political reward for passing/blocking legislation often is a troubling one. It troubles some of us that some Republicans may have voted for the bill simply to provide Bush with a win. On the flip side, for some of us it may be troubling that some Democrats may have withheld their support of the bill in order to withhold support from Bush.

Does partisan politics interfere with problem-solving and creating new opportunities? Not really. Government in this representative democracy is run by political parties which must muster a majority. Representatives have a three way pull on them. They must try to get standards and tax dollars allocated in ways that help their particular part of the country. They also must work within the party structure and leadership. And third, they may actually have a big idea of how the whole country should operate - a vision.

Political advertising oversimplifies everything on the assumption that citizens will not take the time and thought to know more. However, knowing how the system works and knowing the details of the major legislation puts women in a place where we can judge for ourselves. When we educate ourselves on the life issues, we can decide for ourselves and not get caught up in political spin.

To learn more about healthcare, click here. To discuss Medicare with other WomenMatter readers, join one of our online forums. And when you are ready, contact your representatives and let them know what you think.

Posted on: 12/4/2003

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