Health ReformTheater: The Summit
Did Thursday's health reform summit leave you cold? Or more like out in the cold?
If so, here's why:
Health care interests have given $46.6 million in campaign donations since 2005 to the 21 lawmakers in today's bipartisan health care summit — including Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va. — and to the summit's host, President Obama, according to a new report.
If these pols, including the Dems and Obama, were truly serious about reform that could save hundreds of billions of dollars while providing quality health care to ALL Americans, they would be talking about expanding Medicare to every citizen.
If they wanted to compromise and continue to allow billions in profits for the insurance industry while still saving tens of billions in health costs, they would be dotting the Is and crossing the Ts on a strong public option.
Neither is going to happen. Instead, at best, we'll get a handful of regulations that insurance industry dollars and lobbyists will no doubt find loopholes for sooner than you can cry uncle. And if we get a public option at all, it will be no more than a fig leaf over the obscene reality that insurers will continue to have their way with us while dragging down the economy — an injustice made possible with the full knowledge and complicity of the pols around that table.
Comments
Trillions to the banks, Israel and war, and because they'r bribed the pols squabble over weasel wording concerning the public health. It's puke inducing.
Posted by: nolocontendere | March 2, 2010 01:15 AM
It's all theater, Nolo. A tragi-comedy.
Posted by: abi | March 2, 2010 07:21 PM