"Boomerang"

Paper Summary:

This paper reviews Theda Skocpol's book "Boomerang," which analyzes the failure of President Bill Clinton's health care reform effort of 1993-94. The paper discusses the issue, thesis and methodology used by Skocpol in her book and then assesses the quality of her evidence and the argument itself that she uses. Finally, the paper discusses the overall value of the book.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Issue and Skocpol's Argument
Central Argument
Methodology
Assessment of Argument

From the Paper:

"A major strength of Boomerang is that Skocpol provides suggestions related to how health security could have been pursued differently. Clinton "could have tried to further managed competition within a budget through a ten-to-twelve- person bipartisan commission" (Skocpol 180). Such a commission made up of experts and representatives from such diverse areas as business, medicine, unions, and insurance would have enabled Clinton to obtain a wider mandate and engage in public education. Clinton also could have experimented with a number of versions of "play or pay that incorporated contingent cost controls of various sorts" (Skocpol 181). In addition, democrats and other supporters of universal health insurance could have, even after the defeat of the Health Security bill, continued with their campaign for health care quality and health insurance coverage. Unregulated competition and tax cuts for the wealthy at the expense of government programs cannot produce security for the majority of Americans who receive very low incomes. Clinton could have asked that employers participate, "either by sharing the costs of insurance with employees or by paying a modest fee to help cover the uninsured" (Skocpol 181). Health alliances as voluntary cost-controlling mechanisms both for business and the public sector could have been created. Another recommendation that comes out of the Democratic failure is that money from the federal budget be made available for the purpose of health care reform. Another lesson for the Democrats is to create new alliances in general. They need to focus on moral values, social justice, as well as on enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of programs which promote equality."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Skocpol, Theda. Boomerang: Health Care Reform and the Turn Against Government. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1997.

More papers on "Boomerang":

• Analytical Essay # 12748 : "Boomerang" by Theda Skocpol"
• Analytical Essay # 130689 : "Review: Bomerang"

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