With President Biden withdrawing from the presidential campaign, many questions remain about the race, including who will debate whom and when. Regardless of the answers, the next debate should be about substance, not style. Because what we saw in the first debate, we’re seeing in races across the country. Candidates at every level are failing to focus on a critical issue that will shape our future: our health.
I’m not talking about access to or affordability of health care, which is what the debate has been about in the context of reproductive rights, prescription drug costs, and the Affordable Care Act. I’m talking about the health of our nation. I’m talking about how we keep the people of this country healthy and make them healthier. Because that is a topic worth discussing.
During the 1992 presidential campaign, James Carville coined the phrase, “It’s the economy, stupid.” And it’s still true. Campaigns are often won or lost by how well candidates address the economy – and today that must include stressors on the economy. The bird flu outbreak is damaging farming communities. The mental health crisis is actively undermining worker productivity, and so is this summer’s extreme heat. Researchers have found that when temperatures reach 90 degrees, productivity drops 25%. And by some estimates, mental health care for poor workers is costing the country $48 billion per year. If I could ask the candidates one question this cycle, it would be: “If a stronger economy requires a healthier country, and it does, what will you do to make our country healthier?”
Right now, as we saw in the presidential debate, candidates are claiming credit for or implementing plans to drive down the cost of insulin. And while that’s critical, we need to look critically at the roots of the problem: the United States has one of the highest rates of diabetes in the world – and not just among seniors. So in addition to questions about insulin, voters should also insist on asking, “What are your plans to reduce the prevalence of the disease and of chronic diseases more broadly?”
Or the age-old issue of age. In the weeks leading up to President Biden’s decision to drop out of the race, the media was focused on his age and mental capabilities. And President Trump remains the oldest major party candidate in our country’s history. But voters should ask themselves about their own health: “How are you going to add years to it? us lives?” Life expectancy in the United States has fallen during both the Biden and Trump administrations. At this point it’s over 76.4 years, the lowest level in almost twenty years. And for black Americans it is 70.8 years.
Then there is the pandemic. This is our first presidential election after the COVID-19 crisis, and the moderator of the first debate did not ask the candidates what they would do differently in the event of a new pandemic. That would be like not asking Harry Truman and Thomas Dewey how they would defend our nation in the post-World War II elections. For example, questions should be: “If another pandemic breaks out, how would you ensure that stores don’t run out of toilet paper?” “How would you distribute vaccines faster?” “What would you do to save lives and minimize disruption to our economy?”
Some might say that public health won’t impact the polls, and in a political campaign that’s all that matters. I would say that’s not true. In a recent survey For example, on behalf of the de Beaumont Foundation, we found that Americans on both sides of the aisle are more familiar with and view their local public health officials more favorably. What that tells me is that Americans are more concerned about public health than ever before. And our elected officials should be too.
Public health should be a top priority for political candidates at all levels. During the campaign, candidates for governor, senators, statehouses and school boards should talk about public health issues – about extreme heat, chronic diseases, life expectancy and more – because they will directly impact the lives of their constituents.
And that is not up for debate.
