Small Businesses Support Reform: Fight Back Against Right-Wing Attacks

It is a myth that small businesses oppose comprehensive reform. When a poll by the Small Business Majority point this out, it was only natural to expect that they be attacked by the right. Here are the key findings.

* 80% of those who expressed an opinion felt that employers should pay something to provide healthcare to their employees -- four times as many as those who felt that employers should not have to contribute anything (20%).
* 75% ranked the availability of affordable healthcare as extremely or very important.
* 57% see health care financing as a shared responsibility among individuals, employers and government – three times as many as do not (19%).
* 55% were in favor of paying into a statewide pool that would enable their employees to obtain coverage at favorable rates – over three times greater than those opposed (17%).

The John R. Graham, Director of Health Care Studies at writing at the Pacific Research Institute, a right-wing Corporate think tank called the poll "strange", "bizarre", "wierd" and "absurd". He couldn't for the life of him fathom the notion that business owners want to pay their fair share for health care and were willing to have the government regulate them. He creates a strawman argument around governmental regulations to try and imply that no regulation is the best option. The results of this poll contrast sharply with his world view and he had a difficult time creating an effective response. Graham is basically reduced to calling it names, rather than offering up statistics to back up his arguments.

PRI gets their funding from corporations like ChevronTexaco and foundations like the Scaife's. Josh Trevino of Red State is on the Board of Directors and is VP fro Public Policy at PRI. I would not be surprised to see them put up their own poll, skewed to fit their political goals in response to this one.

John Arensmeyer, the founder and CEO of Small Business for Affordable Health Care wrote an excellent response to Graham.

The fact of the matter is that small businesses in California are being killed by the status quo. Rates are skyrocketing (a 60% increase between 2003-06, and a 125% increase since 1999), which is why 60% of the respondents in our survey said that they don’t offer health insurance. Sole proprietors are subject to the mercy of the individual insurance market which is why 28% of them are uninsured. When Mr. Graham asks “who’s stopping” small businesses from offering health insurance – the answer is the current capricious system and its overblown costs.

Why is it so hard for Mr. Graham to understand that California’s hard-working small business owners want comprehensive reform NOW. They want to ensure that they and their employees have health insurance – something that is impossible under the current system. And, why is it so “bizarre” to him that they are willing to be part of the solution? The money has to come from somewhere. To the extent that it doesn’t come directly from businesses, it must come from the government (aka taxes) or directly from individuals’ pockets. All that small businesses want is a fair and affordable system that eliminates health care as a barrier to entrepreneurial initiative. There is no magic to the particular form this might take, so long as the result is access for all at affordable prices.

Hear, hear. Californians of all stripes are ready and willing to support a reformed health care system. They are willing to put their money into a system, if they are assured what they are getting back will be affordable, quality care.