Get Ready for a Mass Citizens’ Arrest of Health Insurance Companies

[Donnachaidh]

http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2010/03/02/get-ready-for-a-mass-citizens-arrest-of-health-insurance-companies/

I’m pretty heartened by the increased number of direct action campaigns these days. I’ve written about Move Your Money and Break Up With Your Bank, which are both great examples of ways to fight the banks directly, in face of lagging (or, frankly, non-existent) financial reform.

In that populist vein of if-politicians-won’t-do-it-we’ll-do-it-ourselves comes Citizens’ Posse, which aims to organize a mass citizens’ arrest of health insurance companies on March 9.

Indeed, it kind of takes the wind out of my own sails — and I’m glad for it. During the peak of the health care debate last summer, some friends and I were halfway-jokingly discussing creating a Health Insurance Resistors’ League, in the face of a bill that would mandate that we all buy the same crappy insurance from the same crappy insurance companies that have built the current health insurance landscape that (directly or indirectly) kills 45,000 people a year and leaves so many Americans financially (and physically and emotionally) bankrupt.


Posted by Daniela Perdomo at 6:06 pm
March 2, 2010
commentsREPLIES: 0
Get Ready for a Mass Citizens’ Arrest of Health Insurance Companies

I’m pretty heartened by the increased number of direct action campaigns these days. I’ve written about Move Your Money and Break Up With Your Bank, which are both great examples of ways to fight the banks directly, in face of lagging (or, frankly, non-existent) financial reform.

In that populist vein of if-politicians-won’t-do-it-we’ll-do-it-ourselves comes Citizens’ Posse, which aims to organize a mass citizens’ arrest of health insurance companies on March 9.

Indeed, it kind of takes the wind out of my own sails — and I’m glad for it. During the peak of the health care debate last summer, some friends and I were halfway-jokingly discussing creating a Health Insurance Resistors’ League, in the face of a bill that would mandate that we all buy the same crappy insurance from the same crappy insurance companies that have built the current health insurance landscape that (directly or indirectly) kills 45,000 people a year and leaves so many Americans financially (and physically and emotionally) bankrupt.

Citizens’ Posse appears to be linked to HCAN, or Health Care for America NOW!, the incredibly well-funded operation that has been fighting for the public option since last year. HCAN has headed many massive protests, and sent out many a petition, but perhaps they see a need for direct action to have some real effect on the tenor of the health care debate.


More at the link --