Health Care Reform Now A Zero-Sum Shout Fest

Remember congressional town hall meetings?

 

Sure, they were a form of political theater with partisan spin and public relations always on the agenda. They could even be ad hoc pep rallies for particularly populist politicians, regardless of party affiliation, regardless of issues. But they did keep House and Senate members in literal touch with constituents, and they did provide a forum for those, including naysayers, who wanted to weigh in on an issue that resonated with them. Or just hear in person, without media-middlemen interpretation, what their elected officials had to say.

 

For sure, no one ever confused such gatherings with discussion-defying shriek fests and issue-devolving mosh pits. But U.S. Representative Kathy Castor of Tampa became an unwitting YouTube headliner last week when she was shouted down in Ybor City over health care reform.

 

So, what’s really going on?  A perversely perfect storm, it appears.

 

The Obama Administration didn’t help itself – or the cause of health care reform – by outsourcing details to Congress to get Blue Dog buy-in. In return, they got an amorphous, work-in-(impeded)progress, non-plan — one that has enabled opponents to cherry pick disparate details and mislabel at will. 

 

Distorting a galvanizing, gut issue such as health care lends itself to combustible sound bites and inevitable demagoguery. Especially in today’s noxious, zero-sum political environment. “Socialism” begot 1984-like big government “control,” which begot “rationing,” which begot “euthanasia,” which begot Sarah Palin’s “downright evil” assessment.

 

Those marinating in such scenarios — not to be confused with pure political proxies — are not likely to turn up at a town hall meeting primed for a civil exchange of views. Not when your sign says: “Abortion is not health care.” And few visceral issues also account for nearly a sixth of a $14-trillion economy. What, they’re supposed to respect the side they’re demonizing? Instead you get a Howard Beale – “I’m as mad as Hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore.” – collective vent.

 

Then add in the forum facilities themselves. The one in Ybor City that Rep. Castor tried to address was woefully inadequate. Even when you lock out the well-modulated, they won’t necessarily go quietly.

    

Then there’s the phenomenon that is Barack Obama, America’s first African-American president. He was the “Yes We Can” template candidate of hope, the one whom voters – although a majority of whites didn’t vote for him – were able to ascribe whatever they wanted. From the environment to foreign policy to racial harmony to health care reform to whatever else needed fixing.

 

Now, ironically, it’s the obverse of that template.

 

To opponents, President Obama embodies fears not felt since the McCarthy era. According to “birthers,” he’s not just not native born, but probably an elected “Manchurian Candidate.” To those truly clinging to guns and religion, he’s an elitist, socialist infidel. No, this is not politics as usual. This is personal, this is way beyond single-payer scenarios and tax hikes, and this is scary for America.

 

This is as zero-sum as aligning with Dr. DeBakey, Dr. Jarvik, Dr. Salk and probably Dr. Feelgood — or siding with Dr. Mengele. It means no civil discourse, and it makes no sense.

Reconciliation?

“Reconciliation.” There’s got to be a better word for it.

 

This is the euphemistically misleading, nigh-on-to-decorous term that refers to the expedience-driven, partisan-taunting tactic that a Democratic Congress could conceivably resort to in order to pre-empt Republican filibusters on health care overhaul.

 

In short, it would allow a simple, 51-vote majority to carry the day despite Congressional uncertainty and ever-ratcheting rhetoric over costs and benefits. The Dems, as concerned about their Blue Dogs as they are about GOP naysayers, could apply the “reconciliation” loophole if they see no alternative – and no hope – as the Oct. 15 legislation-filing deadline draws closer.

 

But reconciliation? If applied, its aftermath will be acrimony, more divisiveness and more than likely diluted, piecemeal legislation. “Reconciliation?” We already have a term for such a scenario: “Pyrrhic victory.”

Frat-House Babes, Urban Meyer, Rays’ Marketing And More

*Let’s put the Erin Andrews’ case in perspective. Andrews is the attractive sports reporter who was secretly videotaped by some low life. Then, predictably enough, it wound up on YouTube. Then academia and the media weighed in with outrage.

 

The comment that resonated with me was that of Christine Brennan, the USA Today sports columnist. “Women journalists need to be smart and not play to the frat house,” she noted on Twitter.

 

Brennan should have first directed her remarks to the networks including ESPN, the one that employs Andrews. That’s because the networks actually want – and actually court – frat-house appeal. That’s precisely what female sideline reporters are for. They’re not “journalists.”

 

Networks know their demographic – and they know, frankly, it transcends the actual “frat-house” years. And they know they don’t need real journalists to report that the back-up quarterback is warming up or that it’s rumored that Tim Tebow has a girlfriend. Networks want babes, not “journalists.”

 

Of course, it doesn’t excuse what some slugs might do, but it does explain why some of them watch.

 

*You cannot talk about salaries in sports without acknowledging that they are part of a parallel universe — free enterprise’s skewed-priority, bizarro world. Two recent examples:

 

New York Giants’ quarterback Eli Manning just agreed to a six-year, $97-million contract. He’s now the highest-paid player in the National Football League at more than $15 million a year. Seems like there ought to be at least an unwritten law that says if you’re not the best quarterback in your family, you can’t be the highest-paid player in the NFL.

 

Then there’s University of Florida football coach Urban Meyer’s new deal. He’ll be making $4 million a year. And he’ll be worth it – even though cancer researchers should, in a perfect world, be better compensated than a college football coach.

 

UF football is big business and Meyer is its uber-successful, driving force. His teams, which have won two national championships in the last four years, bring in big revenues and no state money is used to pay him. He also gives some of it back. His commitment to the Florida Opportunity Scholars program is $1 million.

 

Most importantly, Meyer must be judged in the proper context. He succeeds in a high-pressure meritocracy. Others make more for less success. Charlie Weis, the Notre Dame coach with the notably undistinguished four-year record, makes more than Meyer. For that matter, so does Pat Burrell, the Rays’ designated out. He makes nearly twice as much.

 

Sure, it’s all relative, but, absolutely, Meyer is worth it.

 

*Zack Greinke, the Kansas City Royals’ outspoken, All-Star pitcher, recently criticized the Rays for their “stupid stuff” promotions. “It almost doesn’t feel like you’re playing baseball when you’re playing here (the Trop),” said Greinke. “…They have dancers everywhere, they have a DJ. They just do a bunch of stupid stuff that isn’t baseball.”

 

Maybe it was sour grapes as the Rays won nine of the 10 games played between the teams this year. Maybe Greinke’s just not a fun guy. Maybe he just doesn’t get “marketing.” Maybe he’s right.

 

*Few things in sports make less sense than NFL preseason point spreads. After all, these are EXHIBITION games where teams’ best players typically put in cameos. Where many of those who DO play will ultimately be jettisoned because they’re not good enough to make the team. These are games where winning isn’t everything. And bets are placed?

 

By the way, the Bucs open their preseason on Saturday at Tennessee. The Titans are 4-point favorites.

 

*How is it that local TV focuses more on the Bucs than the Rays right now? The Rays are heading down the homestretch still in the hunt for a playoff spot. The Bucs are PRACTICING.

 

*So, B.J. Upton, the Rays’ underperforming, petulant centerfielder didn’t like being “demoted” from the lead-off position to hitting ninth. His replacement at lead-off, Jason Bartlett, had previously hit ninth without complaint – although he was one of the leading hitters in the American League and an All-Star. Upton said he felt like he had been given a “kick in the face.”

 

Hardly. Upton was moved down to a lower-profile spot in the order while he hopefully works on something other than his spitting acumen. While he didn’t get, in Upton-speak, a “kick in the face,” he certainly has earned a kick in the ass.

Designated Smoking Area: A Mixed Message

There’s a new sheriff’s directive in town.

 

Starting Oct. 1, smoking will no longer be permitted on Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office property. And that, finally, means those less-than-thoughtful, unnaturally cloudy, cardio/pulmonary-compromising zones — also known as designated smoking areas – will be history.

 

No longer will the Sheriff’s Office be enablers for those who won’t kick the habit. No longer will the Sheriff’s Office, which doesn’t (knowingly) hire employees who use tobacco, be undoing its part in helping to target the largest preventable cause of death in the U.S. And no longer will non-smokers be imprisoned, however briefly, with smokers as they navigate designated smoking areas.

 

Well done, Sheriff’s Office. Timing is everything. Your tobacco-free strategy addresses the ultimate bottom line: further incentivizing wellness while helping to rein in the costs of health insurance premiums.

 

And the new rule will end the de facto policy of sending a counterproductive, mixed message. In short, as long as there are employers offering designated smoking areas, there will be designated rationales to maintain the status quo. Ultimately, that’s neither a sound – nor healthy – approach.

Meyer Earns Big Pay

Urban Meyer will now make $4 million a year to coach up the Florida Gators. He’s worth it.

 

No, I’m not a hard core Gator fan, but I am a fan. (Actually I’m a hard core Penn State fan.) And, yes, I’m aware of the skewed priorities inherent in the parallel universe that is big time sports. And while cancer researchers should make more than football coaches, that bizarro universe is also part of the free-market system. It’s an obscenely compensated meritocracy.

 

Florida football is big business involving big network television deals, big marketing dollars, and a big stadium with big luxury boxes. And big expectations. Merely winning – even in the football cauldron that is the Southeast Conference – is not enough. It’s about winning national championships. UF has won two in Meyer’s four years. And he’s done it without turning Florida into an outlaw program.

 

Meyer’s salary is funded through the University Athletic Association. In other words, no state money is used to pay Meyer. In fact, the UAA kicks back money to the university. This year it gave UF $6 million to help address a budget deficit. Meyer also gives back. His commitment to the Florida Opportunity Scholars program is $1 million.

 

In addition to what he brings UF – in revenues, national stature and PR coups – Meyer must also be judged in context. For example, Charlie Weis, the Notre Dame coach with the undistinguished, 4-year record, makes more than Meyer. Pat Burrell, the Tampa Bay Rays’ designated out, makes twice as much.

 

Sure, it’s all relative. But, absolutely, Meyer is worth it.

Use Court’s Time Judiciously

At first it seemed like one of those stories – kids and their parents go to a judge to seek redress because of perceived unfairness about something important to them – that you can’t help but empathize with. It’s the principle. Teachable moment stuff. It was prominently reported by both the local print and electronic media.

 

Then I read the details about a controversial youth baseball call — that was overturned by a national commissioner — that adversely impacted the Spring Hill National Triple-A Majors All-Stars. They’re a Dixie Youth Baseball team of 11- and 12-year-olds. I’ll spare the specifics, but it involved the commissioner making a decision more steeped in the spirit of the law than the letter. It didn’t go Spring Hill’s way, so they took it to a Hernando County judge who, ultimately didn’t rule in their favor.

 

 “Rules Bench Youth Team” read one daily’s headline. “Ruling Spikes Youth Team” read the other. Photos of the despondent and disappointed accompanied the accounts.

 

So the script, as it’s usually written, ends with the Spring Hillers — players, parents, friends and attorneys — not quitting. They gave it their best shot. They fought the good fight. They wanted to right a wrong.

 

But this really wasn’t a Jimmy V moment. Nor a movie starring the adolescent Mickey Rooney. Uncue the Rocky theme. No, this was, frankly, the sort of unnecessary case an overburdened court system in an overly litigious society doesn’t need. It couldn’t have been a judicious use of Hernando County Judge Kurt Hitzemann’s time.

 

In rendering his decision, Judge Hitzemann’s pointed to the league’s own rule book for the basis of his decision. “I didn’t see anything in this book that said if you don’t like what the national commissioner says you can take it to court,” explained Hitzemann.

 

That, ironically, was the teachable moment’s lesson.

Solheim Sisters

Next week in suburban Chicago begins the Solheim Cup, the prestigious, biennial women’s golf competition that pits the U.S. and Europe. Each side is represented by 12-player squads.

 

And the Tampa Bay region will be better represented than any other area. The U.S. squad features Kristy McPherson of Tampa and Brittany Lincicome of Seminole.

NABJ Should Sever Racial-Huckster Connection

It’s always good news, but obviously much more so during a recession, to see a big convention hit town. This week Tampa is hosting the 3,200-member National Association of Black Journalists. About half of the membership will be in attendance, which will pump an estimated $2.3 million into the local economy.

 

But it’s not your conventional economic storyline when it’s the NABJ. By its very nature the NABJ attracts media attention. While the role of the media, per se, in America’s 24-7, politically polarized, bloggers-without-borders society is always fair game, we continue to be reminded that America hasn’t transcended race yet. Not nearly. Hence the NABJ — with its inherent issues of diversity and advocacy in the context of a racially protean culture — is also a newsmaker.     

 

I’ll skip the trite, benignly adversarial quips and queries the NABJ still attracts – such as why isn’t there a NAWJ? – but I won’t avoid this. I would have hoped that the NABJ had by now passed the point where it no longer felt the need to bring in racial opportunists and grievance-agenda hucksters, such as the Rev. Al Sharpton, or even NBA headliners, such as LeBron James, as speakers. Unless you intend to reinforce a stereotype. Frankly, Jayson Blair would be much more relevant.

 

But, indeed, both Sharpton and James are part of the agenda. As well as a screening of the first animated Disney Film to feature a black princess, “The Princess and the Frog.” As well as D.C. Wright.  

 

D.C. Wright? He’s Michelle Obama’s hairdresser. Ironically, he’ll be speaking on image improvement.

Blair’s Bizarre PR Push

Apparently we will have another Brian Blair political race to endure. It’s been reported that the former Hillsborough County Commissioner – and developer-community main squeeze – is looking to resume his political career with a run at a state House seat next year. It would be for the District 47 spot being vacated by the term-limited Kevin Ambler.

 

Recall that the conservative Republican — and erstwhile “Killer B” pro wrestler — lost his commission re-election race earlier this year to Kevin Beckner, who made gay-precedent history in the upset. Since then, the bungling Blair has managed to keep himself in the news by acting whiney and suing Beckner and then getting arrested. The latter came after a highly-publicized, wee-hours, child-abuse scrum with his teenaged sons. Charges against the staunch, family-values proponent were later dropped.

 

Now, it appears, he plans to turn that embarrassing family feud episode into a net positive. He’s hoping, he says, it can help him “revive” his political career. Indeed, a “platform that launches him back into public service.” A softball interview on WFLA, Channel 8 was obviously part of the game plan.  

 

Blair says he’ll be focusing on parents’ rights and government’s responsibility to enact teen curfews. Let’s see if we have this straight. In effect, we have a former pro wrestler and smaller-government advocate who would like some outside help in disciplining his kids.

 

Who’s advising this guy? Elijah Dukes?

Tax “Cut” Charade

When is a tax cut not a tax cut? As good an answer as any would be when it’s worth less than a quarter per annum. That’s the saving this year for the typical county homeowner on their property taxes. Actually, it’s 24 cents. If you’re scoring at home, that’s a decrease of .0016 mills.

 

If you’re underwhelmed or concerned that the aggregate of saved dollars – about $100,000 – might come out of another publicly-funded program, it’s probably because you just don’t get it. For what it’s worth, neither does Commissioner Kevin White.

 

As taxpayers, you’re not supposed to notice the asterisk denoting tax “cut” as purely symbolic. Just the big picture – and then properly applaud. “It’s a little bit now, but it’s keeping the momentum going for future boards,” gushed Commissioner Jim Norman. “It shows confidence, it shows leadership, it shows something our citizens can hang on to,” chirped Commissioner Rose Ferlita.

 

It shows chutzpah — and misplaced priorities.

 

Commissioner White said it best: “A quarter vs. $100,000 is a no brainer.” He was the only one who didn’t vote for the tax “cut.”