Looking for Leadership
By Kate Kinkade, CLU, ChFC

Recent polls reveal that voters see the economy as the most important issue in choosing a presidential candidate. That’s no surprise. What may be a surprise is that healthcare is now the number three issue for American voters. Issues that grab headlines, like policy toward Gays, abortion, and race relations, are on the bottom of the list of issues that voters are focusing on in the presidential race.

According to the latest CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll, 58% of registered voters see the economy as a primary issue in choosing a president – up from 45% as recently as January. Only the war in Iraq and gas prices garner more focus.

Forty-seven percent of registered voters say that healthcare is extremely important in their choice of president; 41% include Social Security as a primary concern, and 40% include taxes.
The bottom line is that people are concerned about issues that affect their daily lives. The more financial strain there is on the middle class and working class people, the more concern they have about issues that had been lower on the list. Financial strain is coming from the overall economy, gas prices, and what many would say is the absorption of government resources to support the war. The problem is money and services and no issue illustrates this as much as healthcare does.

While many have long been hoping for cohesive leadership on the healthcare issue, this recent survey confirms that healthcare has become a frontline issue – leaders may not be able to avoid making hard decisions much longer.

When it comes to healthcare, the focus on the presidential election is understandable, but somewhat misguided. In the long run, solutions to this complex issue will not come from the federal executive branch. It will take legislative solutions to implement the changes that make a difference.  It will also take the involvement of all affected parties to come up with solutions that take all the issues into consideration. Without question, any solution will cost something to someone. It may cost taxpayers, consumers, employers, providers, or it may cost carrier profits. That means legislators will be disappointing constituents.

Change usually starts at the bottom. People feel the pain and agitate for relief. That has been happening for quite some time in the healthcare arena. The next step is usually for a leader or leaders step forward to bring focus to this effort. That hasn’t happened yet and we have no way of knowing if this is the time. It isn’t surprising that voters look to the next president to provide that leadership, but considering the other issues he will face, there is no telling where healthcare will fit in his set of priorities.