"I am shocked! Shocked, I tell you!"

[Atticus]

Today, on the eve of a critical Congressional vote regarding health care reform, the insurance industry essentially threatened the American people with an ADDITIONAL $4000 increase in their insurance premiums if Congress DARED to impose even the anemic Baucus bill on them. These are the folks who supposedly wanted to "work with" Congress and President Obama because, of course, they, too, just wanted "what was best for America".

That's called "horse shit", people! These bloodless corporate pimps have ONE---and only ONE---purpose in life; only one reason to exist: TO MAKE A PROFIT! They don't care who is in the White House. They don't care which party controls Congress. They don't care about Iraq or Afghanistan or gay marriage or abortion or global warming. They care about their bottom line---period!

John Edwards was 100% right when he warned that these multi-billion dollar corporations will never negotiate away their power over us. We will never "reason with" these vultures because reason and decency and compassion and patriotism don't produce profits. If we want power over our own health and that of our families, we will have to TAKE it from these bastards.

Their actions today are the best and most easily understood object lesson in why SINGLE PAYER is the ONLY long-term solution to the crisis in American health care. Why should working people continue to subsidize the insurance sector of the American "plutonomy"?

Democrats in Congress---here's the deal: get in line or get hurt.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

1. Their strength is the illusion that we don't have a choice in the

matter.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

2. Why would Democrats listen to fat greedy corporations?

[icnorth]

16. Capitalism, A Love Story...

"...finance, insurance and real estate sectors have given Chris Dodd a total of $13.2 million since 1989."

[Rosa Luxemburg]

19. he doesn't need any more and he can dump them

[Ruby the Liberal]

22. His wife is in the industry.

Sorry, but I am no fan of Senator Dodd.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

28. she shouldn't influence him

[Toasterlad]

33. Did You Forget the Sarcasm Smiley?

[jeffbr]

3. Terrorists holding Americans hostage

and demanding ransom

[JustAnotherGen]

24. This is precisely why we need

Rendition.

[FiveGoodMen]

30. Oh! Just got goose bumps.

Rendition of insurance industry execs!

Makes you feel warm all over.

[SammyWinstonJack]

4. K&R!

[BrklynLiberal]

5. I fervently hope that the Baucus bill fails, but is replaced by a MUCH STRONGER

bill that truly does provide universal coverage!!!

[Nikki Stone1]

7. If the Baucus bill fails, there may not be the energy for another bill

It's mid October and Congress goes on recess in November.

[BrklynLiberal]

11. DAMN!!! So we the people are at the short end of the stick either way...

[Nikki Stone1]

15. Yes. Believe me, the insurance industry knows the Congressional schedule down to the last minute

That's why Baucus, as bad as it is, needs to pass.

[Ruby the Liberal]

21. Bad move. We NEED this to pass.

If we don't have the bill from Finance to merge with HELP, we can't use reconciliation as Finance is the budget committee.

We need it to pass, no matter how shitty, so that it can be bolstered by the HELP bill (and eventually house bills) and be eligible for reconciliation.

[Atticus]

23. Absolutely! nt

[Nikki Stone1]

6. Link?? And Wendell Potter told us insurance companies were playing both sides

In public, chief lobbyist Karen Ignagni was all "We are ready to help, Mr. President," and behind the scenes they were trying to make sure no bill passed.

[BrklynLiberal]

12. Absolutely talking out of both sides of their mouth.

Did you see the Bill Moyers Show in which he showed the former health insurance employee who works for Baucus..?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pg7xhTyOtAk&feature=related

[Nikki Stone1]

17. And working on both sides of the fence. Dick Armey's Freedomworks was working for them

That was the teabagging nuts.

[BrklynLiberal]

26. I have to say that "EVIL" is only word that fully describes them.

[OHdem10]

8. Actually, it appears the Insurance Industry by their threat only emphasizes

how important it is for us to get the PO. This is the only
way to hold prices down since we see preview of coming attractions
by Insurance Companies. Raising Premiums.

[Atticus]

18. Top five insurers had average of $1.56 billion in 2008.

http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/08/05/are-health-insurers-making-too-much-money/

[Zix]

9. It seems they feel that the Bill could succeed, then.

[havocmom]

10. K&R

If the US doesn't negotiate with terrorists, why does Congress bend over for insurance corporations? Why does Congress allow harmful corporations to write legislation governing harmful corporations?

Negotiating is no go but being fucked is just fine? Large corporations harm more Americans than Al Queda ever did. It's still terrorism if the perps are in expensive suits when they take actions that harm others in the effort to advance their own cause (unnecessarily extravagant profits).

[Chemisse]

13. The funny thing is they probably were planning the hikes anyway

It's not much different from what they have been doing every year.

[saracat]

14. Guess "reaching out to them" doesn't work after all! Edwards warned

about giving them a seat at the table.He saud they "eat all the food".But we gave them a seat anyway.Why????????????? Why are they so important to Congress and this Admin? Why did Schumer talk about having to "protect them". What about US? What about the people? I guess we don't have enough money.

[BrklynLiberal]

27. Schumer is not a person who really cares. I believe he had been paid

plenty by the banks and by the insurance companies. I would not vote for him if he were the only person on the ballot. I did not vote for him the last time he ran.

[tomp]

29. shumer set the tone for going easy on the insurance companies...

...oh, but i forgot, he's a democrat, it must be ok, and we have to vote for him, because think of the alternatives. ( :puke:

[Ruby the Liberal]

20. This wasn't a threat, it was a dog whistle

To Wall Street, to invest.

To the Congressmen they own, to get in line.

To the balance of us, to FIGHT for single payer.

[defendandprotect]

25. k

[Thickasabrick]

31. K&R!!

[bvar22]

32. Best. Argument. EVER....

...for simply expanding Medicare.
HR 676

Everything else currently in Congress INCLUDING HR 3200 (the "Public Option") WILL be a WINDFALL profit of BILLIONS for the Health Insurance Industry.