Anna W. answered • 06/09/20
Student Majoring in Social Studies Teaching and Political Science
A problem that President Bill Clinton found early in his first term was due to his health care plan. He had campaigned on a promise on expanding the access of health care to more Americans. He appointed the first lady, Hillary Clinton, to head his health care task force. Though she was very qualified to hold this position as a public policy expert, this was found to be problematic by many because of a sense of nepotism. The President should have the power to fire an official based on their performance, however it was seen that it would be difficult for President Clinton to fire his own wife, and there was questioning as to whether she was presenting her views on behalf of herself and her knowledge and expertise, rather than being a mouthpiece for her husband. The task force came up with a plan to provide universal health care through HMOs, where people who had employer-provided health insurance would switch to these, potentially weakening the insurance industry, which proceeded to heavily advertise against it. The 1993 advertisements, known as the Harry and Louise Ads, showed a basic middle-class couple (actors) looking at the health care reform, vocally disagreeing with it. The goal of the ads was to show that it would directly hurt the middle class, and that they should have the freedom of choice. These ads were very effective, and the task force’s plan didn’t even make it to a vote in Congress, ending Clinton’s first promised major initiative.
