US health insurance: Barack Obama begins ‘make or break’ battle

[Bozita]

Source: Times Online

June 9, 2009
US health insurance: Barack Obama begins ‘make or break’ battle
Tim Reid in Washington


President Obama will try this week to achieve something that has thwarted every Democratic president since Harry Truman: health insurance for all Americans.

The campaign to achieve universal health coverage has become the centrepiece of Mr Obama’s domestic agenda, and will involve a titanic legislative battle against well-funded health insurers, pharmaceutical companies and Republicans in Congress.

“It’s time to deliver,” declared Mr Obama in his weekly radio address, demanding that Congress should come up with a Bill by August. Universal healthcare, he said, “is a necessity we cannot postpone any longer”.

The plan is so costly, and the timetable so ambitious, that despite his popularity and big Democratic majorities on Capitol Hill, the President is far from assured of success.

Read more: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6458822.ece

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If you're wondering about those Blue Dog Dems, take a look at their "donations" from the healthcare industry.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/08/blue-dogs-backsliding-on_n_212730.html

The 20 Blue Dogs have taken a combined $6,849,273 from various segments of the health care industry, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics.

Individually, they've taken a good chunk of change from the industry, but money isn't always the decisive factor. Murphy, in fact, has taken nearly $300,000 from health care interests but still reiterated his support for the public option with out a trigger. Here are the rest:

Jason Altmire: $405,279

Michael Arcuri: $103,547

Joe Baca: $159,250

Marion Berry: $536,917

Sanford Bishop: $356,496

Leonard Boswell: $304,680

Chris Carney: $167,664

Ben Chandler: $223,300

Jim Cooper: $894,414

Jane Harman: $292,694

Stephanie Herseth Sandlin: $323,924

Tim Holden: $386,278

Frank Kratovil: $86,556

Mike Ross: $833,670

Loretta Sanchez: $183,162

Adam Schiff: $380,708

Zach Space: $144,125

Charlie Wilson: $138,724

Mike Thompson: $631, 532 (His take from the health care industry, was second only to beer/wine/liquor business, which gave him $1,009,370)

[Merlot]

1. My rep is on this list, in #4 spot - Adam Schiff

Interesting because from what I read about him, he's not a blue-dog.

I'm going to contact his office tomorrow and see what his position is.

Thanks for posting this!

[Frank Booth]

2. Jane Harman strikes again

It's ridiculous that one of the more liberal areas of the state is represented by this shyster.

[Abq_Sarah]

3. We need to be careful about claiming anyone is "bought"

President Obama pulled in quite a bit himself from the healthcare industry.

[IndianaGreen]

6. May explain why he didn't bring single payer to the table

Money talks in this country. There is always money to bailout the banks and the financiers, but not a dime for the working class. This is why capitalism must die!

[tomm2thumbs]

7. good point - guess he forgot about all the hundreds of millions the little people gave him

sometimes you have to fight for what is right, even if you fail rather than to accept something that is not right

call it values

[Zhade]

4. UNIVERSAL INSURANCE CARE IS NOT THE ANSWER.

It is absolute insanity to put health care decisions in the hands of companies whose job it is to deny care to increase their corporate bottom line.

Epic, epic fail.

[AlphaCentauri]

15. specially if they don't offer 100% coverage

I hope for 100% coverage

[DJ13]

18. Agreed

Universal health insurance is NOT universal health care.

Compulsory insurance is not the answer.

[IndianaGreen]

5. Is health care a human right, as a socialist would argue, or is it a privilege of economic class?

Americans should have the same health care that members of Congress have.

[Rex]

8. They want us to pay or what...go to jail if we can't afford insurance?

What kind of fucked up plan is that? Sounds stupid and expensive.

[madmom]

12. They do it with car insurance, do they not? What happens if you are "caught" without it?

[NorthCarolina]

13. You probably wouldn't be jailed you if you have wages that can be garnished, or

if you have assets that can be attached to pay your debt. Any plan that leaves Insurance as the prime means for access to medical care will utterly fail to achieve the desired outcome of health care for all.

Recall during the primaries when Obama railed against Clinton because her health care initiative included a mandate for insurance coverage?

[balantz]

9. WTF?! Are we supposed to be happy, proud and excited about this "plan"?

:thumbsdown:

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

10. That information is useless without context.

How much have other members of Congress taken from the health care industry?

[NorthCarolina]

14. Congress Critters Have Theirs, the undesireables will have to deal with

whatever bone they are thrown. To coin a phrase from Barbara Bush in the aftermath of Katrina "This is working very well for Them". If you think you truly matter to the bulk of career politicians, think again.

[quidam56]

11. Health care reform is critical

People are dying but as long as the politicians and the profit machines are raking it in, it's all a okay. Clearly in Tennessee and Virgina, Profit Care comes ahead of Patient Care. http://www.wisecountyissues.com/?p=62

[riderinthestorm]

16. Time to call your reps. I understand our "voices" are small vs big pharma and insurance co $$

but if you don't speak now, this opportunity, no matter how small will pass us by. It's time to speak up and be heard on health care. Even if you have a great health insurance plan, please call for the rest of us who don't.

[indypaul]

17. There should be nothing between

these persons and the pitch-forks. Failure
to address this problem NOW more clearly demonstrates
the power of the purse and who is wielding that power.
If the AARP and other organizations are really interested
in doing something about this. Every one of these persons
should have opponents in their primary elections and genuine
opposition in the general election.

[Romulox]

19. I think this may be a "strange bedfellows" moment where an unlikely coalition is formed to defeat

this thing.

Mandatory, for profit insurance, once ensconced in law, will be impossible to dislodge. They will lobby our representatives with our own damn tax money.