HEALTHCARE IN AMERICA (3)

If anyone doubted that healthcare in the U.S. is a big political issue, then the results of this week's congressional by-election in New York state should make things clear.

The 26th district is heavily Republican, and the party's candidate, Jane Corwin, spent US$3.4 million on her campaign. Normally that would be enough. But things began to unravel when she endorsed the 2012 budget plan passed by the House Republicans. This calls - amongst other things - for the abolition of Medicare, the federal spending programme that provides healthcare for pensioners, and replacing it with a voucher system in which they purchase private insurance. When Democrat Kathy Hochul started running television adverts highlighting her opponent's stand, her poll ratings started to go up and Ms. Corwin's nosedived. The Republican poll lead evaporated, and the Democrat won easily.

The shock result ought to give the Republican leadership in Congress pause for thought. However, that seems unlikely. At the moment, all of its potential Presidential candidates are competing to put forward policies with the smallest Governmental input, preferably zero. On current showing, voters are unlikely to support them.

Walter Blotscher