Frontline has put together a documentary on the passage of health care reform. It argues that Obama caved in to special interests at every step of the way and that this is bad news for Democrats.
Barack Obama promised change. Then he took on one of Washington’s toughest issues: health care. During his first year in office, he found himself making one deal after another with Capitol Hill’s powerful insiders–lobbyists and influential members of Congress. He angered his political base, watched his popularity sink, and nearly failed to pass the bill. In Obama’s Deal, FRONTLINE follows the story of the president’s historic victory and offers the first in-depth look at how the Obama administration operates. Veteran FRONTLINE producer Michael Kirk … provides a sobering view inside Obama’s deals and reveals the realities of American politics, the power of special interest groups, and the role of money in policy making.
The online description of the program sounds like familiar territory: the “secret $80 billion deal” with top pharmaceutical lobbyist Billy Tauzin, the “Cornhusker Kickback” to Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska.
The conclusion seems to be that Obama and the Democratic Party are now unpopular because of the public’s disgust with Washington deal making. First of all, this is not new: the public was already disgusted. Second, most people don’t concern themselves with the details of politics, except perhaps PBS viewers. And third, I highly doubt this will be a campaign issue in the 2010 or 2012 elections. The Republicans are hardly in a position to throw the first stone when it comes to making deals.
Frontline produces excellent documentaries, however, so it’s too soon to judge the program by its promotion. Official air time is 9:00 PM EST on Tuesday, April 13. Check local PBS listings for your time zone. These programs are often available online after broadcast.
UPDATE (4/13): I just watched the show. It’s a solid history of the health care reform saga. Nicely done. The story is dramatic, just like the presidential campaign was. It ends on a down note (“he’ll pay a price for this,” referring to the lack of bipartisanship), but I’m still totally optimistic about how the Obama presidency will go down in history.
You can now watch the documentary online, plus there’s a great deal of background material, such as expanded interviews and a transcript, at Obama’s Deal.
Related posts:
The health care battle isn’t over
Big Pharma lobbies against health reform: Big time
Your insurance industry at work
Congress finds health insurance industry fundamentally flawed
Why health insurance isn’t there when you need it most
Health care reform: Politics and substance
Importing drugs from Canada: Will lobbyists win or lose this round?
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