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Fall
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Records of the Office of Communications (Clinton Administration)
Mark Gearan's Files
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FOIA Number: 2011-0584-F
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the William J. Clinton
Presidential Library Staff.
Collection/Record Group:
Clinton Presidential Records
Subgroup/Office of Origin:
Communications
Series/Staff Member:
Mark Gearan
Subseries:
OA/ID Number:
7549
FolderID:
Folder Title:
Fall
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
S
90
4
11
1
July 23, 1993
MEMORANDUM FOR MARK GEARAN
DAVID GERGEN
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS
FROM:
JEFF ELLER DE
RE:
Health Care Communications
As you review the options discussed in the Roosevelt Room concerning
Health Care and NAFTA, I would like you to review the past public
statements by the President concerning Health Care and NAFTA.
Meeghan Prunty of the Communications Research office has compiled this
very compelling material.
Television stations throughout the country, just like politicians, do polling,
market research and focus groups. Throughout this week, I've had
conversations with some former colleagues of mine in local television.
Television consultants are telling their clients that people want more
information and stories on health care.
This gives us a medium pre-disposed to cover our story.
I have stacks and stacks of requests for town hall meetings, series, and
individuals interviews/stories on health care.
There is no hue and cry for NAFTA.
- start file
Please read through this material.
Fall 1993
"In the first year of a Clinton-Gore Administration
We will send a national health-care plan to Congress
and we will fight to pass it."
[Putting People First, p. 108]
HEALTH CARE FIRST PRIORITY:
PRESIDENT CLINTON STATEMENTS
CAMPAIGN HEALTH CARE POSITION PAPER
"During the first year of my administration, we'll send a national
health plan to Congress. We will make sure that every American has
access to quality, affordable health care." [7/92]
CAMPAIGN SPEECHES
"In the first 100 days of our administration, Al Gore and I will send to
the United States Congress and attempt to pass a program with
a
plan for comprehensive, affordable health care for every citizen in this
country as a right, not a privilege." [American Nurses Association,
8/15/92]
"On January 21st, they're gonna have legislation for all three [economy,
health care, education]. I don't see why I should present one bill to
Congress and wait another week and give them another bill and wait
another week and give them another bill." [National Association of
Radio Talk Show Hosts, 6/12/92]
"In the first hundred days of our administration, Senator Gore and I
will send to the United States Congress a plan to provide basic
comprehensive health care to all Americans
and we will break the
logjam in Congress, and pass it." [Y-Me National Breast Cancer
Organization, 7/28/92]
"That's why I have pledged within 100 days of a Clinton administration
I would submit a comprehensive health care plan for real change
"
[Merck Pharmaceuticals, 9/24/92]
"Senator Gore and I have pledged to introduce our program in the first
hundred days of our Administration, and we will fight to pass it
Today demonstrates that our commitment
to submit to Congress in
our first hundred days sweeping, fundamental health care reform
The time for such reform has clearly arrived." [Statement,
10/14/92]
HEALTH CARE FIRST PRIORITY:
PRESIDENT CLINTON STATEMENTS
Page Two
"In the first 100 days of my administration, I will submit a plan to
provide a basic package of comprehensive health care benefits to all
Americans
[USA Today, 4/29/03]
ECONOMIC CONFERENCE
"And the truth I'm just making the point we've got six months to do
something on health care." [12/15/92]
INTRODUCTION OF THE TASK FORCE
"The Task Force's mission is simple. Build upon the work of the
campaign and the transition. Listen to all parties and prepare health
care reform legislation to be submitted to Congress within 100 days of
our taking office." [1/25/93]
JOINT ADDRESS TO CONGRESS
"But all of our efforts to strengthen the economy will fail -- let me say
this again, I feel so strongly about this -- all of our efforts to strengthen
the economy will fail unless we also take this year, not next year, not
five years from now, but this year, bold steps to reform our health care
system." [2/17/93]
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SPEECH
"And sometime in the next several weeks, within 100 days after the
time I took office, we'll be presenting a plan to the Congress and the
American people to deal with [health care]." [2/23/92]
FIRST PRIME TIME PRESS CONFERENCE
"I do not believe we can make any serious attempt to go forward with
[health care] until the economic plan and the budget is in place. Then
we will go forward with it." [6/15/93]
THE URGENCY OF HEALTH CARE REFORM:
PRESIDENT CLINTON STATEMENTS
CAMPAIGN SPEECHES
"
you, as an American voter, will insist and demand that this problem
[health care] be solved, not in another ten years but next year. That is as
major, major, major factor in what ought to determine the outcome of
this election for president of the United States." [Merck Pharmaceuticals,
9/24/92]
"
we will fight to pass it. For twelve years the Washington Republicans
have denied the American people real health care reform. The results
have been devastating
There are literally thousands willing to fight for
better health care for American families, and to make health care reform a
reality. The time for such reform has clearly arrived." [Statement, 10/14/92]
ECONOMIC CONFERENCE (December 15, 1992)
"
then we've got six months to do something on health care. We are kidding
each other, we are all just sitting here making this up if we think we can
get
control of this budget if you don't do something on health care. It is a joke.
[Pounding the table] It's going to bankrupt the country I'm just saying let's
don't get fixated on stuff that is not as big as the stuff that's also out
there that has to be dealt with. On the spending side, it's health care."
INAUGURAL ADDRESS (January 20, 1993)
"When the cost of health care devastates families and threatens to bankrupt
our enterprises
The American people have summoned the change we
celebrate today. You have raised your voices in an unmistakable chorus.
Now
we must do the work the season demands. To that work, I now turn with all the
authority of my office."
JOINT ADDRESS TO CONGRESS (February 17, 1993)
"But all of our efforts to strengthen the economy will fail let me say this
again, I feel so strongly about this - all of our efforts to strengthen the
economy will fail unless we also take this year, not next year, not five
years from now, but this year, bold steps to reform our health care system."
FIRST PRIME TIME NEWS CONFERENCE (June 15, 1993)
"This issue affects the American people SO deeply
The impetus behind doing
something will be very great. Whenever the debate really begins
you
will see the prospects of passage intensify, not diminish
"
SUPPORT FOR NAFTA:
PRESIDENT CLINTON STATEMENTS
QUALIFIED STATEMENT ON NAFTA:
"The goal of free trade is one I support but NAFTA is only one piece
of the strategy necessary to ensure that we move wisely toward an
integrated region If implemented as part of a comprehensive
economic growth strategy, NAFTA will create the largest market in
the world, spur more American jobs and promote growth in Mexico and
Canada
A successful NAFTA, however, must be coupled with a plan
to protect our environment and to prepare our entire workforce to
compete in the global economy..." [NAFTA Statement from Campaign]
HEALTH CARE PROVIDES FOUNDATION FOR NAFTA
"We will never make manufacturing competitive in America unless we
reform health care." [Y-Me]
"Companies are forced to move overseas because of health care costs."
[Merck]
"[Health care] has to be part of our effort to restore growth, improve
education and manage change in a tough global economy." [Merck]
"
Manufacturing cannot compete in the global economy because of
health care costs." [Fount. Hotel]
THE COST OF HEALTH CARE DELAY:
THE MEDIA SPEAKS
(SINCE 6/1/93)
THE PUBLIC GROWS IMPATIENT:
"News of the delay disappointed many advocates of health care reform..." (L.A. Times,
6/24/93)
"Clinton's Travails Leave Health Care Reform Backers Worried" (Washington Post,
headline, 6/13/93)
Washington Post-ABC News polls indicate "that many Americans are growing
impatient with the administration's progress on health care reform. According to the
surveys, less than half -- 44 percent -- currently approve of the way the president is
handling the nation's health care system, down from 56 percent two months ago. And
nearly half said Clinton is moving too slowly on health care, a view even more
widely held by those who disapprove of Clinton's performance on health care.'
(Washington Post, 7/07/03)
"What's being lost now is the intensity of the feeling about the need to solve the
health care problem,' said Bob Leitman, a senior vice president of the Louis Harris
and Associates polling firm who specializes in health care issues. "The momentum
for reform seems to be slowing with the delay of the plan. The debate is
starting to get focused on whether the solution is worst than the problem, not how to
solve the problem,' he said." (Washington Post, 7/07/03)
"He's lost control of the national agenda on health care,' said Robert Blendon,
chairman of the department of public health at Harvard University. 'By waiting, it
will no longer be his plan versus the status quo, which everyone agrees is terrible. It's
his plan versus the single-payer plan, versus the tax-credit plan, and it will be harder
to get a consensus when there are these other plans on the table'." (Washington Post,
7/07/93)
"Health care reform advocates, watching as President Clinton suffers political
setbacks, say they are worried for the first time about his prospects for passing a
comprehensive restructuring of the health care system." (Washington Post, 6/13/93)
THE COST OF HEALTH CARE DELAY
Page 2
POLITICAL MOMENTUM FOR HEALTH CARE FADES:
"Delays hurting prognosis for Clinton health-care plan" (Ark.Dem.Gaz., headline,
6/27/93)
"Health plan delays put pressure on Democrats" (Wash. Times, headline, 6/13/93)
"And, as the Clinton health-care plan encounters delay after delay, the once broad-
based support for reform is showing signs of fraying Even strong supporters
are beginning to complain. Those in the health care business are also impatient."
(Ark.Dem.-Gaz., 6/27/93)
"The latest Post-ABC News poll results, as well as follow-up interviews with survey
respondents and health care experts, suggest the administration may have lost
political momentum by putting off release of the reform plan until fall. Some
even suggest that the president has placed at risk the chance for meaningful reform by
first promising and then procrastinating on disclosure of his health care package."
(Washington Post, 7/07/93)
"The Administration's decision to delay the introduction of its health care reform
package all but ensures that no legislation can be enacted this year and perhaps not
until well into 1994 an election year in which office seekers may be loath to vote for
complex piece of legislation that would require significant tax increases and spark
attacks from doctors, hospitals, insurers, drug makers, small businesses and possibly
even labor unions." (L.A. Times, 6/24/93)
"As the release of President Clinton's health care reform package continues to be
pushed back, the chances of the plan becoming law in 1993 vanish, and the political
stakes increase for next year Throwing the debate into an election year is likely to
boost partisan rhetoric and may scare some lawmakers into voting against a tax
increase." (Wash. Times, 6/13/93)
"Time is the enemy of the Clinton plan. It now appears that Congress won't act on
a health care bill in 1993. With House and Senate elections taking place in 1994, and
with 1993's tax increases fresh on voters' minds, it is hard to imagine how the Clinton
administration would find majorities in either house willing to vote for another round
of major tax increases." (Wall Street Journal, 6/10/93)
THE COST OF HEALTH CARE DELAY
Page 3
PRESIDENT'S IMAGE SUFFERS:
"Yet. scarcely six months ago, President Clinton hung his domestic agenda -- and his
presidency -- on achieving comprehensive health care reform." (Washigton Post,
6/29/93)
"Some pollsters say the latest delay may not be good for the president's image
in the short term." (Wash. Times, 6/13/93)
"Every time there's an announcement of delay, it contributes to [the sense of]
Clinton's not being in control of events." (Humphrey Taylor, president of Louis
Harris & Associates, a polling firm)
"It would be dishonest not to say if you lose momentum, you affect everything else you
do health care is a chance to get themselves [the Administration] back in
gear he [Clinton] has placed a considerable chunk of his presidency on health care.
Once could argue about whether it was wise to get SO far out on a limb with this issue.
The fact is, he's out there on the very end of the limb." (Drew Altman, president
of Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation)
Waiting until next year for health care would be "bad policy and bad politics.
Proposing and fighting for health security for American families is most of all what
will improve the President's standing among the people." (Senator Harris Wofford
(D., Pa.)
SPECIAL INTERESTS ARE MOBILIZING TO DEFEAT CLINTON PLAN:
"Drug Industry Gathers a Mix of Voices to Bolster Its Case" (N.Y. Times, headline,
7/07/93)
"President Clinton's health care plan has not even made it to Capitol Hill and
already the health and insurance industries have increased their political action
committee donations by 20 percent, giving $2.2 million in the first five months of
1993, most of it to key health committee members." (Washington Post)
THE COST OF HEALTH CARE DELAY
Page 4
SPECIAL INTERESTS ARE MOBILIZING (Continued):
"An ad hoc coalition of conservative organizations yesterday announced a campaign to
denounce the Clinton administration's health care overhaul plan and to build support
for an alternative: medical savings accounts." (Washington Post, 7/02/93)
Citizens Against Rationing Health "announced yesterday it will wage a $10 million
campaign against what it describes as the 'bureaucratic nightmare' posed by
President Clinton's expected health care plan." (Washington Post, 7/2/93)
"AMA Lavishly Courts Congressional Staffers Who Will Affect Outcome of Clinton's
Health Plan" (Wall Street Journal, headline, 6/30/93)
DELAYING HEALTH REFORM HURTS THE ECONOMY:
"Fixing Health Care May Cause Dislocation, But the Costs of Delay Could Be Greater"
(N.Y. Times, headline, 6/22/93)
"
experts were quick to note that Americans also will pay dearly if Clinton and the
Congress fail to agree on a plan. Unrestrained. health care costs can be expected to
continue to erode profits and add to the deficit." (L.A. Times, 7/06/93)
"Leaving the system alone is a decision too, and an expensive one." (Labor economist
Audrey Freedman)
"The wait has slowed changes within the health insurance industry." (Ark.Dem.-Gaz,,
6/27/93)
"But even as the recognition grows of the economic price attached to reform, most
economists agree that the cost of delay would be even greater." (N.Y. Times, 6/22/93)
"Equally important, procrastination would foil even the most resolute plans for
balancing the Government budget." (N.Y. Times, 6/22/93)
"But the biggest time bomb buried in the health insurance system is the burden on
the federal budget." (N.Y. Times, 6/22/93)
To abandon health care "is to say the hell with education, infrastructure, welfare
reform and everything else." (Uwe Reinhardt, Princeton University)