I just received a focus-group call! I have a cell phone, so I’ve never been called before--so exciting!
Based on the call, I think the tobacco companies are developing plans to fight any increase to expand S-Chip (the State Children's Health Insurance Programs, which gives lower-income kids free or subsidized health insurance). We need to know their strategies and be prepared to deal with them.
Specifically, I believe they may try to push for larger health care reform to avoid an expansion of S-CHIP
The caller worked for a "Western Wats" Center and by the end of the call, I became pretty sure that the cigarette companies hired them to do polling to develop a strategy for opposing an increase on tobacco taxes to pay for S-CHIP.
Hypothetically, it is possible that some organization pushing for S-CHIP hired them, but they spent significantly more time "in the interest of fairness" on ranking arguments against the proposal than for the proposal. I also doubt the pro-expansion people have that much money.
About 70% of the arguments against the proposal focused on typical "no new taxes" hyperbole. (They actually tested a "given the economic crisis, the government shouldn’t be spending any more money" Herbert Hoover theory!) Also stop "Fraud and Abuse in Medicare" instead of covering kids. The sort of anti-government, anti-tax stuff we all know by heart.
However, about 30% of their arguments focused on not expanding S-CHIP now, but pushing for a broader expanse in health care. They tested several different statements about needing universal health care and not helping only one group of people when everyone needs health care.
I fully support universal, single-payer health care. But it is really important that we don’t allow ‘perfection’ to be the enemy of ‘good.’ Expanding S-CHIP is undoubtedly good and can happen early next year. We need to make sure we don’t fall for any tobacco company hyperbole as a roadblock to easier, more immediate reforms.
If the tobacco companies think it will stop cigarette taxes, they will absolutely start a campaign against S-CHIP in favor of a larger, hypothetical program that won’t happen for years. Expanded S-CHIP only helps us push for universal, single-payer down the road. If they decide to argue that way, we need to see through any fake organizations they may set up and fight for S-CHIP right away, knowing that universal health care will be that much easier. We cannot be used for their agenda. S-CHIP is not in opposition to "Medicare for All"--it is a step in the right direction.