New Democrat Update - March 1996
Appreciation Dinner
Special thanks go to Governor Roy Romer for hosting the Colorado DLC's first annual appreciation dinner for the organization's major financial supporters at the Executive Residence. After discussing the Governor's views on recent events here and in Washington, DC, the group talked about issues in today's politics and election campaigns.
Everyone agreed that the meeting was interesting, informative and enjoyable. To continue the discussion, the Governor has generously offered to have another session in about six weeks. More details will be available in the near future.
New Board Members
The Colorado DLC is proud to welcome two prominent leaders to our Board of Directors - Mike Beatty, chairman of the Colorado Democratic Party and Paul Lhevine, head of the Colorado Young Democrats. Paul will also be serving on the board's Executive Committee.
Bright Beginnings
An upcoming issue of the national DLC's magazine, The New Democrat, will be spotlighting Colorado's Bright Beginnings initiative. This first-of-its-kind non-government program employs churches, volunteers and computer networking to help families get medical, emotional and moral support in 200 of the state's communities.
Governor Romer heads a 25-member steering committee which also includes Colorado DLC Board member Barbara Grogan of Western Industrial Contractors. All of us are looking forward to what is sure to be a fascinating article.
The New Democrat is also considering reviewing the Colorado Springs Education Association's experience with starting a new charter school.
In the Media
A commentary, focused on why the country needs a debate on real Medicare reform, was aired March 12 on KUVO Radio. A copy is included for your review.
REAL MEDICARE REFORM
The Republicans' so-called reform of Medicare is far from revolutionary. It falls very short of any real change in Medicare's structure, offering little more than a more tightly-regulated version of the status quo. In other words, the welfare state on the cheap.
Specifically, the GOP does not modify Medicare's entitlement to government-supplied, fee-for-service health insurance. It does not change the Soviet-style pricing system for services, in which payments to providers are set at whatever the political and budgetary markets will bear.
In the end, it does little or nothing to encourage market efficiencies and reduce government spending. Republicans, the so-called party of the free market, ironically rely on arbitrary spending limits, a government monopoly on health insurance purchasing and tighter regulatory controls on costs.
For their part, the Democrats have not offered a constructive alternative. Instead, they have adopted a strategy of criticizing early and often.
The behavior of both parties in the Medicare mud-wrestling match is a prime example of how the traditional left-right debate actually prevents government from solving problems.
There is a way to give Medicare beneficiaries greater choice, while still restraining costs. The system should be exposed to the same competitive forces and delivery strategies now transforming the private health care sector.
Over five years, we should convert Medicare from a government-run, fee-for-service program to a system in which the beneficiaries receive a market-based subsidy and choose private health insurance plans. As a way to provide buyers with useful information, these plans would be selected from menus offered by competing, voluntary private sector consumer cooperatives.
This fundamental reform will simultaneously maintain quality of care and control costs. Because if health care expenses continue to skyrocket, universal health care coverage will only be a dream.
This is Jim Gibson with the Colorado Democratic Leadership Council for Leading Voices.