By Ethan Kalvin

Most Americans are approving of what they see regarding Obama's transition to the White House. Both sides of the political aisle have heaped accolades on his cabinet picks and also the way in which he's approaching the change of the guard. Some reports however, show that not everyone is so comfortable and assured with his potential ability to enact broad based health care reform.

Only 4 out of 10 Americans believe that Barack Obama will be able to push through a health care plan that will cover all Americans. Why do we think such a thing? Why aren't we more confident of him, considering his near perfect rise to the presidency?

Since the dire condition of the economy is the current issue of the day, many Americans likely feel that the important issue of universal health care will get pushed off to a back burner until its time again boils to the top of our attention.

Considering the issue's importance in the minds of most Americans, Obama recently stated at a press conference that (health care reform) "Has to be intimately woven into our overall economic recovery plan. It's not something that we can sort of put off because we're in an emergency. This is part of the emergency." The statement was made as he announced former Senator Tom Daschle as his choice for Health and Human Services Secretary.

Hillary Clinton's unsuccessful effort back in the early 1990's to develop a sellable health care plan still leaves a bad taste in the mouths of many. That may be a lingering reason why Americans are reluctant to believe this can get done. But times have changed in the last 15 years and these days even the health insurance industry agrees that the existing health care system is broken and needs a drastic makeover. That fact in itself may be the catalyst Obama needs to succeed in this endeavor.

About the Author:

0 comments