Note to Dems: Use Health Care to Woo Business

American Prospect says reform key to pilfering GOP support

By Jonas Oransky, Newser Staff

Posted Oct 10, 2007 4:38 PM CDT

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Note to Dems: Use Health Care to Woo Business — Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks at the Service Employees International Union Political Action Conference in Washington, Monday, Sept. 17, 2007. Despite conventional wisdom, big business historically thrives better under Democratic leadership. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (Associated Press)

The GOP is losing its grip on the big-business vote, and Democrats need to seize the opportunity to move in, argues the American Prospect's Paul Waldman. Health-care reform is the perfect peg for the left to woo Wall Street, and with single-payer systems far cheaper than the current mess, wise Democrats should be able to convert even the hardest-hearted CEO.

Republican anti-tax dogma only wins businesses because they’re not thinking straight, Waldman says: The economy fares better under Democrats in areas including inflation, unemployment, GDP growth and stock-market fortunes. But the left will have to go further than re-branding itself the “responsible business” party; Democrats will have to be out in front praising and rewarding good capitalists. (More Democrats stories.)

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