A central problem with the debate about health care reform is the many, many misinformed or under-informed people that are leading the charge against any civilized debate about the matter. Likely in response to a story like this:
In other pockets of the state, the reaction to Democratic proposals has been strong, too. At a recent town-hall meeting in suburban Simpsonville, a man stood up and told Rep. Robert Inglis (R-S.C.) to “keep your government hands off my Medicare.”
“I had to politely explain that, ‘Actually, sir, your health care is being provided by the government,’ ” Inglis recalled. “But he wasn’t having any of it.”
…Public Policy Polling recently released a poll [PDF] that included this question:
Do you think the government
should stay out of Medicare?
The response?
Yes: 39%
No: 46%
Not sure: 15%
A staggering 54% of respondents were unable to accurately identify the question as something of a farce. But because of this either misinformation or under-information, an intellectual debate over health care reform cannot take place. In this factual-information vacuum, the White House should be leading the charge to educate the masses, but that leadership seems lacking as of late.
(Nod: ThinkProgress)
