Is Health Care Debacle a Cleverly Executed Plan?
My initial reaction to the Democrats’ way-over-the-top trillion dollar plus health care monstrosity was glee. I was confident the American public, overwhelmingly happy with their personal health care, would soundly reject this hideous government intrusion and its obscene price tag. Most of us understand that you don’t assume massive new liabilities at a time when you’re struggling financially. This is a time for belt tightening, both for people and governments.
It’s true Americans are no longer the rugged individualists of a bygone era. Many enjoy forcing strangers to pay our bills. But the Democrats seemed to forget the first rule of the Fabian socialists: gradualness. Don’t try to go from Adam Smith to Karl Marx overnight. Win your little battles, and over time you can accomplish dramatic change. The public is the proverbial frog in the pot of cold water, slowly heating over the fire. The capitalists have won the war without even dirtying our uniforms. Or have we?
Call me paranoid, but I’m beginning to worry the Democrats might have something else up their sleeves. In “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion,” psychologist Robert Cialdini discusses the contrast principle. This principle affects the way we view things presented one after the other. Cialdini uses the example of a man entering a trendy clothing store looking for a suit and a sweater. The customer might balk at paying $175 for a sweater. But if he’s already committed to buying a $900 suit, he’s much less likely to object to the price of the sweater. The salesman knows this, and will always show him the suits first.
Another example of the contrast principal in action was G. Gordon Liddy pitching his Watergate plans to members of Nixon’s administration. Initially he presented a wide-ranging scheme that left his audience with gaping mouths. At the next meeting the group agreed to let him go ahead with a significantly scaled-down plan, which is the one he eventually used. The only person to object to the latter plan was a gentleman who missed the first meeting. He was aghast. The contrast principal was not in effect, since he didn’t hear the first plan. The rest of the group was relieved they halted the first plan, and figured they’d throw Liddy a bone.
It’s clear (at least to me) that there’s no way the current House health care plan will become law at this time. Public opposition seems to grow every day. Blue dog Dems from conservative districts have no intention of losing their seats after one term. So are Democrats using the contrast principal? Do they understand they’ll never get this plan enacted? Perhaps they just intend to pass a few pieces of legislation that dramatically increase government interference in medicine, but don’t yet result in a takeover. Opponents will breathe a sigh of relief, thinking they’ve won a great victory. I hope I’m being paranoid…but it’s not paranoia if everyone is against you.