[StBernard] GOP Health Care Strategy Memo From Chairman Michael Steele

[Westley Annis]

December 10, 2009
 
STRATEGY MEMORANDUM
 
TO:                 Republican Leaders
 
FROM:             Michael Steele, Chairman Of The Republican National
Committee
 
SUBJECT:         GOP Health Care Strategy For December
 
 
Where We Are
 
Americans are deeply concerned about the economy. Our economic situation is
precarious, and the financial crisis that was the root of our downturn is
not over. This, along with unemployment remaining in double digits, has
Americans feeling anxious and uncertain about their future.
 
The American people want health care reform that makes careful common-sense
adjustments to our current system. But over the past several months, as more
and more of the truth about the Democrats' proposals has been revealed,
Americans have come to the conclusion that the Obama-Pelosi-Reid bill is NOT
the right solution. The latest Rasmussen poll shows this mood clearly:
 

*	51 percent opposed to the Obama-Pelosi-Reid health care bill and 41
percent in favor of it.
*	57 percent of Americans believe costs will go up under the
Democrats' plan
*	54 percent believe the quality of their health care will worsen
under the Democrats' plan
*	60 percent believe the deficit will increase under the Democrats'
plan 

 
Americans recognize the Democrats' health care bill is a risky gamble.
 
The Substance vs. The Timing
 
Republicans have been successful in uncovering the truth about the substance
of what Democrats want to sell to the American people. But there is clearly
a larger concern on Americans' minds about just what's in the bill. They are
wondering why now, with unemployment in double digits. Why now with the
threat of inflation on the horizon. Why now with people still struggling to
make ends meet. Why should we spend another trillion dollars we don't have
on this government-run health care experiment?
 
Democrats are using the phrase "historic" to describe the potential of
passing their health care bill. President Obama recently met with Senate
Democrats, imploring them not to give up on a "historic" opportunity. But
the fact is that we are now experiencing historic unemployment within a
historic recession. Our own polling showed that while Americans do want
common-sense health care reform that controls costs, they want job creation
and economic growth first.
 
When asked to choose between two options:
 

*	66 percent of Americans said that President Obama and Congress
should deal with the economy now and deal with health care at a later time
*	24 percent said that health care reform must be passed immediately

 
When asked to choose between three options:
 

*	43 percent of Americans said that President Obama and Congress
should set aside health care and work on fixing the economy
*	20 percent said to stop the health care debate and start over
*	30 percent said that President Obama and Congress were on the right
track when it comes to health care

 
The latest polling from Rasmussen confirms our poll results, showing the
economy (85%) topping a list of regularly tracked election issues while
health care ranks third (66%). This feeling was also evident in the minds of
voters following the recent gubernatorial elections. ABC News reported that
89% of New Jersey voters and 85% of Virginia voters said they were worried
about the economy.
 
Today we are witnessing the arrogance of power.  In control of all the
levers of power, the Democrats believe they can say anything, do anything,
and spend anything.
 
The Democrats have their own polling, and they know that this health care
experiment is not popular with the American people.  To them this does not
matter.
 
On the say anything front -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made it clear
this week that any American who opposes Trillion dollar legislation that
raises taxes, cuts Medicare, and increases your health care premiums - is a
racist. 
 
Where To Go
 
Looking at the mood of the American electorate, the strategy in the health
care debate is clear: be with the people and listen to the people. We don't
have to manufacture anything. All we need to do is add our voice and amplify
the chorus of Americans urging President Obama and Congressional Democrats
to slow down their health care experiment and focus on jobs and growing the
economy.
 
We've already begun these efforts, starting with an op-ed I wrote for
Politico on Monday:
 
"We don't know how many Americans will still be searching for work next
year. We don't know how long rising joblessness will trouble us. We don't
know how far our commercial real estate problems might unravel. We don't
know how much President Obama's unprecedented spending binge might devalue
the dollar or how much inflation it could inflame. We don't know if a
double-dip recession is only in our fears or around the corner.
 
"But, we do know this: Now is not the time for Las Vegas on the Potomac - to
gamble a trillion dollars on this irresponsible Congress's 2,000 page health
care concoction. Whether or not they support health care reform, shouldn't
all responsible Americans agree to delay the trillion dollar Reid-Pelosi
health care experiment until we at least see what shape the economy is going
to be in next year and, more importantly, whether Americans are working or
unemployed?"
 
I also wrote to President Obama yesterday, calling on him to listen to the
American people:
 
"Whether you are a Democrat or Republican, all of us can agree on this: In
this uncertain economy, growth and jobs have to be our priorities. The
American people think of little else. Common sense tells us this is the
worst possible moment for Congress to risk spending another trillion dollars
we don't have. This is not the time to gamble a trillion dollars on a 2,000
page health care experiment Congress is stitching together by the seat of
its pants." 
 
The longer President Obama and Congressional Democrats don't listen, the
more frustrated Americans will become with them. It's not hard to find
damning statements from Democrats who will be exceptionally vulnerable to
this message. At every opportunity, we must hit this new message:
 

*	Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) said just a few weeks ago, "creating
jobs, putting our economy back on the right track, is my no. 1 priority." 
*	Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) said in July, "'we have got to give the
American people the understanding that we are focused like a laser on trying
to pull this economy out of a ditch and get people back to work."
*	Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) said in November, "jobs should be our top
priority and we shouldn't do anything that detracts from that."
*	Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) said in January that the "economy is the
highest priority" since we're in "the largest recession we've seen since
1930."

 
House Democrats should be exposed as well:
 

*	Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) said a few weeks ago that "there are a lot
of Democrats who ... want to see something more effective done to create
employment."
*	Rep. Steven Driehaus (D-OH) said in May that "our top priority has
been trying to turn around our ailing economy . [W]e still have a long way
to go."
*	Rep. Debbie Halvorson (D-IL) says on her website that "getting our
economy back on track so that it works for working Americans is one of [my]
most important priorities."
*	Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) said just over a week ago that it is
"critical that we focus our efforts on creating good jobs that will put
Nevadans back to work."

 
The question for these Democrats will be whether or not their votes will
match their rhetoric. And if frustrated Americans in their districts
continue to be ignored, there will be consequences next November, just like
we saw last month in New Jersey and Virginia.
 
Conclusion
 
The truth is that we just don't know what the economy is going to look like
next year. Everybody agrees on that.So now is not the time to gamble
spending a trillion dollars we don't have on a big new big government
program, even if it is health care, which everyone agrees is in need of
serious reform.  
 
As Republicans have already proposed, we should take 5 or 6 thoughtful steps
now to reduce the ever rising costs of health care. We can do that by
Christmas. But people with a broad range of health reform ideas should be
able to come together and realize we need to delay the trillion dollar
Obama-Pelosi-Reid health care experiment until next year when we see what
the shape of the economy will be.
 
Finally, I urge everyone to spend every bit of capital and energy you have
to stop this health care reform.  The Democrats have accused us of trying to
delay, stall, slow down, and stop this bill.  They are right.  We do want to
delay, stall, slow down, and ultimately stop them from experimenting on our
nation's health care.  And guess what, so do a majority of Americans.
 
I have heard Republican political operatives say that it will be good for
our Party next November if the Democrats pass this bill.  They note that the
bill is unpopular with Independents, suburban voters, and senior citizens.
They say that the voters will run them out of office for it.
 
That may be, but we cannot take that approach.  Some things are more
important than politics.  This is one of those times.  Please do everything
you can to stop this bill . before it is too late.