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Hillary Clinton healthcare memos could add to charges of political calculation Hillary Clinton healthcare memos could add to charges of political calculation
(about 20 hours later)
Hillary Clinton planned to hold two 12-hour public hearings, in order to give the impression that she was listening to everyone with a stake in her doomed attempt to reform the US healthcare system.Hillary Clinton planned to hold two 12-hour public hearings, in order to give the impression that she was listening to everyone with a stake in her doomed attempt to reform the US healthcare system.
A February 1993 memo to the then first lady from two senior advisers, expanding on plans they said had already been outlined to her, proposed that both days of hearings last from 8am until 8pm, with Clinton taking “no break for lunch”.A February 1993 memo to the then first lady from two senior advisers, expanding on plans they said had already been outlined to her, proposed that both days of hearings last from 8am until 8pm, with Clinton taking “no break for lunch”.
“We want to give the impression of driving determination to hear everyone out,” Alexis Herman and Mike Lux told Clinton in the memo, which was published by Bill Clinton’s presidential library on Friday.“We want to give the impression of driving determination to hear everyone out,” Alexis Herman and Mike Lux told Clinton in the memo, which was published by Bill Clinton’s presidential library on Friday.
“As we discussed, the primary goal for this two day hearing would be to inoculate ourselves from charges that we are refusing to listen to all those groups out there that want input,” the advisers added.“As we discussed, the primary goal for this two day hearing would be to inoculate ourselves from charges that we are refusing to listen to all those groups out there that want input,” the advisers added.
Herman and Lux wrote that “even though our primary goal is political inoculation … we should not lose the opportunity for some public education”. They called for “average people with horror stories” to appear between doctors and insurance companies.Herman and Lux wrote that “even though our primary goal is political inoculation … we should not lose the opportunity for some public education”. They called for “average people with horror stories” to appear between doctors and insurance companies.
The overriding concern to secure advantage over opponents displayed by Clinton’s team in the document could be embarrassing as she considers mounting a second presidential campaign in 2016. Critics have claimed that Clinton prioritises political calculation over substance.The overriding concern to secure advantage over opponents displayed by Clinton’s team in the document could be embarrassing as she considers mounting a second presidential campaign in 2016. Critics have claimed that Clinton prioritises political calculation over substance.
The advisers repeatedly stressed that “real people’s stories” should feature prominently in the hearings, in order to “set the tone” for Clinton’s push for healthcare reform but also to heap pressure on the various interest groups also slated to attend. The hearings did not, in the end, take place.The advisers repeatedly stressed that “real people’s stories” should feature prominently in the hearings, in order to “set the tone” for Clinton’s push for healthcare reform but also to heap pressure on the various interest groups also slated to attend. The hearings did not, in the end, take place.
The memo was among more than 6,000 pages of previously restricted documents released by the library in Arkansas on Friday afternoon. The tranche was the second in a series, following an initial release last month. It also included the revelation that Clinton was advised to avoid “increasingly nasty palace politics” when she attended the funeral of Princess Diana.The memo was among more than 6,000 pages of previously restricted documents released by the library in Arkansas on Friday afternoon. The tranche was the second in a series, following an initial release last month. It also included the revelation that Clinton was advised to avoid “increasingly nasty palace politics” when she attended the funeral of Princess Diana.
As first lady, Clinton chaired the task force to draw up a healthcare reform package for her husband’s administration. Their planned health security act, which was an attempt to make good on a prominent campaign promise by Bill Clinton to overhaul the system, died the following year amid intense opposition from Republicans and much of the healthcare industry.As first lady, Clinton chaired the task force to draw up a healthcare reform package for her husband’s administration. Their planned health security act, which was an attempt to make good on a prominent campaign promise by Bill Clinton to overhaul the system, died the following year amid intense opposition from Republicans and much of the healthcare industry.
Also among the documents released on Friday were briefings given to Hillary Clinton before meetings with senior congressmen on Capitol Hill to discuss the plans in 1993. Chris Jennings, another adviser, told the first lady that Pete Stark, the California Democrat who then chaired the House ways and means subcommittee on health, was “probably one of the more disliked members in the Congress” after winning several hard-fought battles with colleagues. Stark lost his seat in 2012, after almost 40 years in the House.Also among the documents released on Friday were briefings given to Hillary Clinton before meetings with senior congressmen on Capitol Hill to discuss the plans in 1993. Chris Jennings, another adviser, told the first lady that Pete Stark, the California Democrat who then chaired the House ways and means subcommittee on health, was “probably one of the more disliked members in the Congress” after winning several hard-fought battles with colleagues. Stark lost his seat in 2012, after almost 40 years in the House.
Jennings, who was recalled to the White House last year by Barack Obama to help fix the botched launch of his Obamacare health reforms, added that Henry Waxman, a veteran California Democrat who held another influential subcommittee chairmanship, was “widely unpopular” among state governors, due to disputes over the Medicaid system. Waxman announced earlier this year that he will not run for re-election.Jennings, who was recalled to the White House last year by Barack Obama to help fix the botched launch of his Obamacare health reforms, added that Henry Waxman, a veteran California Democrat who held another influential subcommittee chairmanship, was “widely unpopular” among state governors, due to disputes over the Medicaid system. Waxman announced earlier this year that he will not run for re-election.
The newly released documents have served as a timely reminder of the messiness of attempts by previous Democratic administrations to reform the US healthcare system, as Obama’s White House attempts to recover from months of painful problems with the Affordable Care Act, which the president signed in March 2010.The newly released documents have served as a timely reminder of the messiness of attempts by previous Democratic administrations to reform the US healthcare system, as Obama’s White House attempts to recover from months of painful problems with the Affordable Care Act, which the president signed in March 2010.
In one memo published among the first tranche of Clinton documents last month Todd Stern, a White House adviser, warned Bill Clinton against promising Americans that they would be able to choose their doctor under his plans – a similar promise to the one that would later come back to bite Obama, about people being able to keep their existing insurance policies under Obamacare. In one memo published among the first tranche of Clinton documents last month Todd Stern, a White House adviser, warned Bill Clinton against promising Americans that they would be able to choose their doctor under his plans – a similar promise to the one that would later come back to bite Obama.
“This sounds great and I know it’s just what people want to hear,” Stern wrote to colleagues when discussing a draft of Clinton’s 1994 state of the union address. But can we get away with it?”“This sounds great and I know it’s just what people want to hear,” Stern wrote to colleagues when discussing a draft of Clinton’s 1994 state of the union address. But can we get away with it?”
He went on: “I’m worried about getting skewered for over-promising here on something we know full well we won’t deliver.”He went on: “I’m worried about getting skewered for over-promising here on something we know full well we won’t deliver.”