Don't blame the public for health care reform

Article Abstract:

The failure of health care reform should be attributed to disagreements among the political elites rather than to public opinion. Public opinion determines broad policy objectives, but it is the responsibility of policy makers to translate those basic principles into specific proposals. Furthermore, policy makers often use opinion polls to guide their efforts at education or influence rather than to determine their own positions. The interaction between policy makers and public opinion is a two-way exchange, rather than the simple one-way relationship that is often assumed.

Public opinion

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Talking heads and sleeping citizens: health policy making in a democracy

Article Abstract:

Deliberative democracy theories can be used to analyze the phenomenon of public talk about health care reform coupled with much lower levels of public interest. These theories hold that talk is valuable, talk conditions citizens' behaviors, and open debate helps people to take self-interested actions. This analysis shows that Pres Clinton's avoidance of rational debate depoliticized the public, conservatives became more active than liberals in the debate, the debate's divisiveness led to passivity, and the debate failed to allow people to identify their own interests.

Criticism and interpretation, Disch, Lisa, West, Darrell M., Heith, Diane, Goodwin, Chris, Goold, Susan D., Brodie, Mollyann

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The American public's pragmatic liberalism meets its philosophical conservatism

Article Abstract:

Issues are discussed regarding Americans' conservative or liberal political inclinations as fueling their reaction to managed care. The conservative side is alarmed at the nature and rate of managed care change, and supports specific gocvernment reforms, while the liberal side opposes the intrusiveness and cost of government intervention. Political debate and media coverage will drive public opinion in the future.

United States, Laws, regulations and rules, Managed care plans (Medical care)

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