Unlinking Health Care Reform
Senator Ron Wyden may have acted just a bit too quickly by announcing his plan
to help fund health care reform through the taxed revenues that will come in
from a regulated and licensed US online casino gambling industry. The plan
sounds fantastic initially and certainly the figures are very impressive and
revenues from internet gambling could fund a huge chunk of the money need for
Obama’s health care reform efforts. The initial surge in support for Wyden’s
plan though quickly died as some politicians vocally noted that linking the two
efforts could weaken the likelihood that either would pass. Wyden withdrew his
plan on the request of many other politicians who accurately noted that
supporters of a legalized and regulated US online casino gambling industry may
not support the health care reform and vice versa.
Linking the two issues muddies the water and could sabotage them both because
politicians and supporters would be torn about supporting the linked bills if
they only approved of one of the bills. The fever of interest in the linking of
the two proposals was quickly given the kibosh because politicians did not want
the controversial online casino gambling industry to sink the important health
care package. There is already enough controversy surrounding the health care
package to risk Wyden’s attachment to the health care reform efforts.
Interestingly enough, although the Democratic leadership urged Wyden to pull his
online casino attachment from the health care package, Congressman Barney Frank
has noted that he may add it back in at later stages of the approval process as
a way to ease concerns about funding the health care package. At this stage of
the game though, as the health care package is still on the table and up for
huge public debate, the online gambling industry is just too controversial to
continue linking with the important health care package. |