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« Tennessee Tax Revolt Retold | Main | State Senator Still Working to Make It Easier To Raise Your Taxes » February 27, 2005Think DifferentMemphis Flyer political commentator Jackson Baker takes a look at the presidential possibilities for Phil Bredesen, the governor of Tennessee. Some see Tennessee's high-flying governor as a Democratic presidential prospect, others as a crypto-Republican. Whatever he is, he's different.And, Baker notes, Bredesen really meant it when he compared Medicaid to socialism in a speech in North Carolina recently, triggering outrage among liberals who support that socialist program. Baker notes some poll numbers that show Bredesen with a high approval rating, but low marks for his handling of TennCare. The piece seems to imply that it is Bredesen's plans to cut TennCare that is causing those low marks, but I'm not so sure. Bredesen won the 2002 election by the barest of margins - just 51 percent of the vote - because he was a wealthy former healthcare exec who had promised to bring his healthcare industry experience to bear in fixing the fiscal nightmare called TennCare. His healthcare business experience was what gave him the winning edge over Republican nominee Van Hilleary. Republicans in East Tennessee voted for him because they believed Bredesen could balance the state budget without raising taxes and fix TennCare. He's done the former, so far, but two years into his term, Bredesen hasn't fixed TennCare. He hasn't even come close. His "reform" plan consists of slashing a fourth of beneficiaries from the rolls. If Bredesen has any innovative Big Ideas growing in the soil of his healthcare industry experience, they haven't yet flowered into view. Perhaps that's because Bredesen's healthcare industry experience came in the managed-care industry, where profits came by charging employers to provide healthcare coverage to their workers and then providing as little healthcare as possible. That's thin soil from which to grow innovative reforms. Bredesen certainly hasn't come up with anything as innovative as South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, whose "Medicaid Choice" proposal would fundamentally transform the Medicaid system in South Carolina by incorporating greater flexibility, individual control, and personal responsibility. Could it be that Bredesen's low polling marks on TennCare are because he is failing - big time - at the one thing the people of Tennessee elected him to do? And could it be that, if he doesn't do something innovative to reform and save TennCare soon, his overall approval rating may soon be headed south as well? Comments
I'm a new FedEx pilot who spends about 15-20 days a month in Memphis right now. Bill, I gotta tell ya, Tennessee is one messed up state. I've lived all over the South in the Air Force, and I've never seen such a dsyfunctional family. Memphis is plagued with a thousand competing interests, mostly driven by race. Corruption, distrust and racism (both ways) is rampant. Bredesen would be wise to distance himself from all things Memphis on his way to the national stage. Posted by: Ivan at February 27, 2005 10:16 PMBredesen could never be elected. He's too ugly. Posted by: Glen Dean at February 27, 2005 10:24 PMBill, what are you doing with the Memphis Flyer, anyway? I read that rag a few days ago with the Bredesen article and saw enough half-truths, misrepresentations, and out-right lies to last half a year. No wonder it's free. Posted by: Ivan at February 28, 2005 12:06 AMBredesen will not be able to make Tenn- Care work because government's nature is that of a muscle and probably even a business couldn't make it work, again because politicians promised people they could eat their cake and have to. Socialism is no good, no way, no how. Posted by: Paul Gee at February 28, 2005 5:24 AMTennCare is not Bredesen's worst problem. His silence on corruption leaves him vulnerable to primary opponents painting him as Boss Hogg. Posted by: Decatur at February 28, 2005 5:34 AMPost a comment
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