Big Business' Health Care Offensive
| Wed Jul. 22, 2009 11:27 AM PDT
Yesterday, the world's biggest business asociation, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, launched a $2 million ad campaign designed to "protect employer-sponsored health care." The campaign, aimed at fending off any proposal to create a "public option" for insurance coverage, represents the opening salvo in the business community's attack on health care reform. (See one ad below.)
Until now, most of corporate America has remained on the sidelines while liberal groups and unions have jammed the airwaves with ads attacking conservative Democrats opposed to the public plan option. Virtually the only ads opposing the public option so far have come from Rick Scott, a rich guy who made his money running a hospital chain guilty of epic fraud. Part of the business groups' reticence has come from disagreement on the various reform proposals, but also from an admonition from the White House and Sen. Max Baucus threatening to ban them from the bargaining table should they run attack ads before any bills were even in play. Now that the bills are on the House floor, the advertising floodgates are apparently swinging open.
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All the leading busines groups, from the National Association of Manufacturers to the National Federation of Independent Businesses, have recently gone on record opposing the public option, and no doubt more ads will now follow. The Chamber said it will run ads in five states--Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Maine and North Carolina, all places where liberal groups such as Change Congress have run their own ads attacking various members of Congress for opposing health care reform.
For all the money the Chamber is pumping into the campaign, their arguments haven't changed much in 16 years. Bruce Josten, the chamber's executive VP for government affairs, said yesterday during a conference call with reporters on the new ad campaign, that the public option would "lead to a government takeover of the health care system" and that any new taxes or employer mandates would kill jobs and wreck the economy. Josten's only new tactic was to plug the alleged benefits of the current system, claiming that employers are "among the most innovative in tackling the nation's health care challenges." His proof? Employers are offering "wellness programs"!
According to the Chamber, 8 in 10 people currently love their employer-sponsored health plans, and Congress shouldn't mess with them. (Of course, the Washington Post reported today that such studies often rely heavily on healthy people who haven't had enough experience with the health care system to grow to hate their insurers the way those of us with $1,000 deductibles have. Other polls also show similar levels of satisfaction with Medicare, a sign that Americans' personal experience with government-run health care isn't so bad.)
The Chamber's ad campaign seems designed to bolster the Republican tactic of slowing down the legislative process in the hopes of kiling reform altogether. One Chamber print ad features the slogan, "Don't drag down health care reform." Much of its advertising is wrapped around the idea that when reforming health care, Congress and President Obama should "first, do no harm." Whether the ads will be effective is an open question this time around. Not only do many Americans see more harm in doing nothing, they're pretty convinced that the current health care system can't get much worse.
Comments
PRIVATE FOR PROFIT HEALTHCARE IS AN OXYMORON
Submitted by jacksmith (not verified) on Wed Jul. 22, 2009 8:24 PM PDT.
LEAD, FOLLOW, OR GET OUT OF THE WAY. (Thomas Paine)
We have the 37th worst quality of healthcare in the developed world.
I know that many of you are angry and frustrated that REPUBLICANS! In congress are dragging their feet and trying to block TRUE healthcare reform. What republicans want is just a taxpayer bailout of the DISGRACEFUL GREED DRIVEN PRIVATE FOR PROFIT health insurance industry, and the DISGRACEFUL GREED DRIVEN PRIVATE FOR PROFIT healthcare industry. An insurance bailout is all you really get without a robust government-run public option available on day one.
These industries have been slaughtering you and your loved ones like cattle for decades for profit. Including members of congress and their families. These REPUBLICANS are FOOLS!
Republicans and their traitorous allies have been trying to make it look like it's President Obama's fault for the delays, and foot dragging. But I think you all know better than that. President Obama inherited one of the worst government catastrophes in American history from these REPUBLICANS! And President Obama has done a brilliant job of turning things around, and working his heart out for all of us.
But Republicans think you are just a bunch of stupid, idiot, cash cows with short memories. Just like they did under the Bush administration when they helped Bush and Cheney rape America and the rest of the World.
But you don't have to put up with that. And this is what you can do. The Republicans below will be up for reelection on November 2, 2010. Just a little over 13 months from now. And many of you will be able to vote early. So pick some names and tell their voters that their representatives (by name) are obstructing TRUE healthcare reform. And are sellouts to the insurance and medical lobbyist.
Ask them to contact their representatives and tell them that they are going to work to throw them out of office on November 2, 2010, if not before by impeachment, or recall elections. Doing this will give you something more to do to make things better in America. And it will help you feel better too.
There are many resources on the internet that can help you find people to call and contact. For example, many social networking sites can be searched by state, city, or University. Be inventive and creative. I can think of many ways to do this. But be nice. These are your neighbors. And most will want to help.
I know there are a few democrats that have been trying to obstruct TRUE healthcare reform too. But the main problem is the Bush Republicans. Removing them is the best thing tactically to do. On the other hand. If you can easily replace a democrat obstructionist with a supportive democrat, DO IT!
You have been AMAZING!!! my people. Don't loose heart. You knew it wasn't going to be easy saving the World. :-)
God Bless You
jacksmith — Working Class
Republican Senators up for re-election in 2010.
* Richard Shelby of Alabama
* Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
* John McCain of Arizona
* Mel Martinez of Florida
* Johnny Isakson of Georgia
* Mike Crapo of Idaho
* Chuck Grassley of Iowa
* Sam Brownback of Kansas
* Jim Bunning of Kentucky
* David Vitter of Louisiana
* Kit Bond of Missouri
* Judd Gregg of New Hampshire
* Richard Burr of North Carolina
* George Voinovich of Ohio
* Tom Coburn of Oklahoma
* Jim DeMint of South Carolina
* John Thune of South Dakota
* Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas
* Bob Bennett of Utah
HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY DISCRIMINATION
Submitted by Scott Greene (not verified) on Thu Jul. 23, 2009 7:40 AM PDT.
The product of health insurance is to provide you with medical coverage when you need it.
Unlike other businesses that need to provide you with their product in order to make any money, health insurance companies actually make more money for themselves when they restrict and do not pay claims.
In other words, they make more money when they do NOT provide the product that you have paid them for.
Read the 50 to 70 pages of your health insurance contract.
Pay particular attention to the section entitled “limitations and exclusions”.
People’s health is not a product that needs to be left to the whims of money motivated CEO’s and stockholders.
If that is your thinking, you might as well have your police and fire department protection based on insurance premiums you pay.
Then you can go to the police and fire protection insurance page for ‘limitations and exclusions’ on whether or not the police or fire department would come out to your house in the event of an emergency.
The point is, you would never think of discriminating against another citizen if he was the victim of a fire or crime.
So why would you be ok with health insurance companies discriminating against fellow citizens who have pre-existing medical conditions?
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