I have to give a friend of mine (Sam Greene) credit for this idea, but Obama’s rhetoric on health care is sounding more and more like Bush’s on the War in Iraq. This isn’t meant to be a partisan attack, just what seems to me to be a growing and glaring set of analogies between the two situations. Interested to hear how much I get slammed for the comparison.
Here are a few examples:
- Bush had an opening created by 9/11 that he used to push through an important item on his political agenda – overthrowing Saddam. Obama has an opening created by the financial crisis to push through an important item on his agenda – healthcare.
- Bush blamed the previous administration for failing to stop the terrorists who started the war on terror that he claimed necessitated an attack on Iraq. Obama blames the previous administration for creating the financial crisis and huge deficits that he claims necessitate health insurance reform.
- Bush built the case for war in Iraq on what was found to be a false premise: WMDs. Obama is building his case on what increasingly looks to be a false premise: that it will not increase the deficit (rejected by the CBO).
- Bush’s approach to Iraq was highly partisan and ideological (though it had bi-partisan support in the beginning). Obama’s approach to health insurance reform is similarly partisan and ideological (though it likely won’t have bipartisan support).
Whether or not the War in Iraq goes down in history as a success, it ruined Bush’s presidency. The question is whether the same will be true of Obama’s health care reform effort.
21 responses so far ↓
Danimal // July 23, 2009 at 4:10 am |
very interesting thoughts… time will tell if your friend is right or not!
Obama News Conference Thoughts « Danimal’s Den // July 23, 2009 at 4:41 am |
[...] Maslansky, a noted communications/research strategist, says his friend sees an interesting comparison between Obama with healthcare and Bush with Iraq. Decide for [...]
ray gannon // July 23, 2009 at 11:51 am |
Michael, This is entertaing but a stretch. The biggest difference is that this isn’t over yet. If obama draws some lines with the old bulls he’ll do what in his first year what it took bush 6 to do (take on chaney and rummy). This is a big if but working with blue dogs on medicare payment controls is a good start
John Gamba // July 25, 2009 at 10:52 am |
Hey Mas -
I am personally struggling with this whole healthcare ordeal. I have appreciated your ability to rise above the fray and outline legitimate arguments during heated political battles. I understand the argument that the government should not be the solution to every problem…and I understand that an overhaul with a government solution could be a recipe for disaster…but what I want to understand from an expert like you is what is the difference between universal access to public education and universal access to public health? If the right believes that public education is a good thing…especially with vouchers and charter schools…why doesn’t the logic hold for universal access to health care with incentives and competition built in…any articles or analysis you could send would be really appreciated…maybe a blog topic??? Hope you are well my man and thanks for considering.
Gamba
Annette Yaeger // July 28, 2009 at 1:08 am |
Iraq and Health Care comparison? Come on. Bringing a rogue country into some sort of democracy within a region of threats to us all is a far cry to Comrad Obama bringing America to a socialistic state of oblivion. By all rights, by the time Obama is done we’re broke, all dependent upon the government, this is soft tyranny at it’s best and thus far orchestrated brilliantly. Now I believe, Americans are finally starting to catch on to his narcisstic nature and quest for power. And as much as people want to throw the “birth” issue into the maze, it is in fact still a live issue and rightfully so. He is the ONLY president that has produced NOTHING in so far as documentation from birth until present. NONE which in my eyes, is circumspect at best. Iraq and health care??? No comparison.
Andrew // August 3, 2009 at 7:54 pm |
Comrade Annette would have more credibility with me if she actually knew how to write proper English.
My Public Speaking prof tried to teach me to look past the messenger’s flaws and focus on the message. Obviously, that lesson never took.
And she’s a birther, too? Pathetic.
Quote: “…the ONLY president that has produced NOTHING in so far as documentation from birth until present.”
(1) Wait, you mean the Continental Congress carded George? Wow. That took chutzpah.
(2) You want the presidents to document EVERY step of their lives from birth to inauguration? Well, okay, but I guess babies born now who may someday be president better start a’bloggin.
David Dedinsky // September 9, 2009 at 7:16 pm
You bet, Andrew! They should not only be “carded” but also should be tested. Hearing congressmembers say, “They wish they knew more about economics,” should get everyone’s attention. Anyone running for public office should be tested on economcs, finance. taxation, law, and polysci just like other high-level professionals. Washington is populated with too many felons, petty thieves, liars and cheats. Putting some qualifications other than Attorney or Community DooooGooder on a resume should not supplant real educaiton and experience. Time for a wake up call…lack of documentation is a mere symptom of a more significant ill which is the voters’ propensity to place smooth-taling schiesters in office.
David Dedinsky // September 9, 2009 at 7:00 pm |
Great comments on a simplistic, illogical comparison of a socialistic domestic issue with one of global complexity. Its time to also put aside the rhetoric on WMD. They were there, U.N inspectors found them in previous visits, the Kurds definitely were on the ugly receiving end of them, nobody conveniently seems to know where they went, and the world fell for out of sight out of mind….no backbones.
David Dedinsky // July 28, 2009 at 6:34 am |
Annette Yeager’s comments are right on the money! The comparison of Acts of Terror and Related Responses with some ludicrous Health Care proposal made no sense. For Gods’ sake, ooops…is the ACLU watching…if yes, who gives a damn, why can’t anyone see what worthless systems in Europe and Canada have done for their citizens’ difficulties in getting top notch medical care and on a “timely” basis? A National Health Care Program will end up in another ball of fire…just like Soc. Sec. and Medicare. The Fed. Govt. should keep its hands off as much as possible…otherwise, we’ll just have govt. of the oppressed in reality….sayonara….
ARNE // July 29, 2009 at 9:23 pm |
Interesting analogy. One correction to your analogy is that WMD includes the following: Chemical, Nuclear, and Biological weapons. Sadly Insane never had nuclear weapons. Point taken there. He did have and used extensively both chemical and biological agents.
Doug Osborne // August 5, 2009 at 4:21 pm |
One huge fundamental flaw in this thinking:
Bush was elected president not by a majority of voters, but a majority of Electoral College votes. And he did not run as a president who would bring us to war – he ran as a compassionate conservative and an alternative to the vile Clinton.
Obama ran on a platform that included healthcare reform! A solid majority of us Americans voted for him to do this, and he’s doing it. Some sort of reform is desperately needed, and we should all strongly voice our opinions to our leaders so the change will be what we need as a nation.
Repeating corporate lackey talking points, pathetic ad-hominem attacks about citizenship from the truly ignorant, won’t get us there.
Dana Friedman // August 20, 2009 at 1:52 am |
Sorry, Sam & Michael:
Your comparison is flawed on several levels.
1) Bush and Cheney doled out hundreds of billions (of our dollars) in patronage to their buddies.
President Obama was not elected by corporate interests’ money.
2) Your guy didn’t care what the American people thought, and trudged on with Frank Luntz’s message and Dick Cheney’s agenda despite MANY protests by the American people they purported to have been serving. The President actually LISTENS to people’s concerns—even those of people with whom he disagrees. The President addresses head on the concerns of those who disagree with him.
3) Your guy’s war drained our economy of hundreds of billions of dollars with NO benefit to us. It was your guy’s war that drained SO much out of our economy that we have a horrible recession now.
There were no WMDs, but there ARE sick people with no health insurance for whom the President has SOME hope of a solution.
Your guy’s followers are just shouting down the President (showing NO respect for the Office, or to someone who was actually ELECTED to it), and will blame the President for not having gotten anything done, when it was your guys who organized protests to shout him down.
Sorry, Sam and Michael. I know y’all probably like guns, so here’s a gun-related conclusion: Your dog don’t hunt.
Have a nice day.
David Dedinsky // September 9, 2009 at 7:29 pm |
Sorry Dana, but if they can’t fix Social Security and Medicare, what makes you think the Band of Buffoons in Washington(all of them, any party) can fix Healthcare. Also, if you feel the cost of war is excessive, what is your opinion of the “TRILLIONS” in debt accumulation because of the bailouts? They already, in under 200 days of this administration, dwarf tha last adimin’s deficits. This country is now in debt over $140,000 per every man, woman, and child living here. While this congress may not have caused such a deep recession, they certainly are the ones to blame for mutating it into the one which will, more than likely, be the longest recession the world has ever seen. Coming generations will not know what is commonly termed “retirement” as a result.
Carol // September 2, 2009 at 3:36 am |
Yea, Andrew, That is, those babies who aren’t aborted through Obama’s healthcare plan. Oops! Sorry for the poor english.
Carol // September 2, 2009 at 3:42 am |
I forgot. Dana, is not George Soros a huge corporate megabillionaire? Did not his Brazilian oil interest receive a couple of billion dollars from Obama just a week ago for new oil exploration in Brazil? Better do your homework, boy, or you might get a time out.
Carol // September 2, 2009 at 3:46 am |
P.S. Dana, how about the couple of trillion dollars that Obama has racked up in just a few months? Is that hope and change working for you yet?
aaron Russell // September 22, 2009 at 12:53 pm |
Only someone deranged can try to make an comparison between an someone lying to create a fraudulent war and someone trying to provide healthcare to citizens.
Cheryl // October 5, 2009 at 12:03 am |
Why is it so hard for people to stop blaming Bush for EVERYTHING? They’ve blamed him for everything wrong in the world, hurricanes, etc., etc. If that’s the way it works, why isn’t Obama being blamed for the floods, fires, drouts? I haven’t seen or even herad of Obama visiting any devistation. Bush may have not done everything perfect; but, he at least had the fortitude and the priority of protecting this country. What good is a health care bill going to do if our country isn’t protected? If this health care bill doesn’t pass the way Obama, Palosi and Reed wants it; they’ll probably blame Bush for that, too! Obama’s the president now and he should be Presidential enough
Cheryl // October 5, 2009 at 12:10 am |
Obama should be Presidential enough to weather as much condemnation that was heaped on Bush. But, so far all there’s been is anger and defense for himself!
Phil Brady // October 10, 2009 at 7:58 pm |
I think we do see a comparison here.
Obama and Bush use a huge amount of political capital in their fight.
Bush told us the enemy is out there.
Obama says the enemy is in the US.
Bush thratened to ” bring it on”
Obama threatened “I will not stand by while the special interests use the same old tactics to keep things exactly the way they are…”
Neal // December 1, 2009 at 1:57 am |
Better to compare Obama to his idol – the peanut farmer. (carter)
Totally inept in EVERY way and 2010 will be a repeat of 1994 – with more democrat terrorist coddlers and spendoholics -OUT THE DOOR!