Does anyone STILL doubt we've been played for suckers on Health Care?

[Armstead]

First the Democratic leadership tried to go along with the GOP on health care reform. The GOP strung them along for a while, but when it came to the crunch, the "moderates" like Grassly said "Nope. I'm not going to allow the Democrats to kill Grandma and take over health care."

Big egg on face. Plus Democrats end up with a watered down version of "reform"....And Public Option? What Public Option?

Meanwhile, those same Democrats tried to bring the bad guys (i.e. insurance companies and other profiteers) "to the table" and craft a "compromise" that would "improve on the system we already have."

How did that work out for ya? First of all, the lobbyists and Idioit SellOut Faction of Democrats gave a huge gift to the insurance industry. MILLIONS OF CAPTIVE NEW CUSTOMERS AND NOT EVEN ANY PRICE CONTROLS.,

Okay so what happens today? The insurance industry says "THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH! UNLESS YOU SCREW AMERICANS WITH STIFFER PENALTIES IF THEY DON'T BUY OUR PRODUCT, WE'RE GOING TO RAISE PRICES EVEN MORE!"

Can you spell BLACKMAIL boys and girls?

Can you spell SUCKERS?

(Note: I AM NOT referring to all Democratic leaders. Just the crooks and dopes -- not the ones who have been fighting for REAL reform.)

Now, can the Democrats realize that the GOP, hard core CONservatives and Health Care Profiteers are not going to approve of anything that is is even closely related to real reform? That they will do anything to pervert it to suit their own purposes rather than the Public Good?

Can the Democrats realize AT THE VERY LEAST that a strong, universally available and affordable public option as an alternative to the insurance industry gouging is necessary?

I pray to God the REAL Democrats can prevail over their nitwit and/or corrupt Corporate Pseudo-Democratic collegues.

[IndianaGreen]

1. From the day they put Single Payer off the table, I knew we were going to get the shaft

Every day since then has reinforced that opinion.

[Armstead]

2. I had that feeling too -- but foolishly hoped they'd do some positive compromise at least

Silly me

[IndianaGreen]

4. And they are all goose stepping deeper into the Afghan war

just as LBJ did in Vietnam.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

[ChiciB1]

19. That Is ANOTHER Piece Of S--T That Burns Me Up!! NO MORE WAR!!

Unless it's WAR here in America... but that ain't happening either!

I feel like a sitting duck, and I can see the guns!

[joeycola]

29. And Obama started from a weak compromising point by tossing

single payer under the table. He had little to bargain with after that shameful act.

[damntexdem]

3. We've been played for suckers for decades.

Now there is a slight chance that the game can be changed, if enough Dems grow enough spine.

[Armstead]

5. The health profiteers would consider a growing spine as a pre-existing condition

[timeforpeace]

6. Better to be screwed by our guys then theirs, though.

[Armstead]

7. Nah, I'd rather be screwed by those whose job is to screw us

I'd rather those who are supposed to be protecting our interests be doing their job.

[IndianaGreen]

8. Rape is rape! It doesn't matter if it is a relative or a total stranger

And they are not "our guys" when they choose the bankers, the financiers, and the health industry over us.

[quantass]

9. There comes a boiling point -- America will get REAL reform...its just a matter of when

These games the insurance companies keep playing (and apparently Congress too) will have to end because in time the people will FINALLY not stand for it. Right now the people (the majority), as usual, dont know and dont reeally care enough...sure we do but we are the minority. It has to reach an ager point in the people that they are picking up their pictchforks and marching on washington...so far, that has not happened. Just keep up those silly games insurers....

[Armstead]

10. That was already here by the late 1990's

But between the GOP and the complacency of Democrats,it never has been dealt with.

[Generator]

11. Lord, you made me think the insurance industry is mafia

either you whack them or they whack you.

[Armstead]

13. Welllllll......

They get offered a massive gift horse at our expense.....and it's still not enough for them.

They're whacking us...We might as well whack back.

[PVnRT]

33. Let's see, extortion, racketeering, whacking people who cost them too much money...

It certainly quacks like a mafia sometimes.

[bbgrunt]

12. If you really think

we've been suckered, then pleas for dems to finally "realize" that the right is playing hardball are totally useless. They already knew that. It is all part of the kabuki lullaby.

[earth mom]

14. Anyone who unreccs this thread is a fucking asshole who no doubt works for the insurance industry.

:puke:

[Cha]

20. And I think it is you..that which you call

others.

[dionysus]

32. yes, we're all evil insurance agents from the dee ell ceeeee

:rofl:
k&u just for you, fancy pants.

[earth mom]

34. Interesting that both replies are from people on my ignore list.

:eyes:

[Kermitt Gribble]

35. The truth does not coincide with their version of reality. n/t

[tomm2thumbs]

15. my rec didn't make a dent yet

[Armstead]

16. You got overpowered by the unrecommenders

I guess they don't think they've been sucker punched by the "dog in the manger" insurance industry

[jonnyblitz]

23. we are outnumbered by the pod people.

:scared:

[vaberella]

17. I don't know where to begin to address your interpretation of events.

Wow. To say the least, I find your list of events off.

[Armstead]

18. Please do explain -- This seems to be so mind-numbinglhy stupid I NEED to know...

...what the hell is going on.

1)How can any Democrat be against an OPTIONAL public plan to at least loosen some of the stranglehold that the insurance industry (i.s. Big Wall Strteeters) have on this life-and-death sector of society?

2)How could any Democrat be so naive to believe the health insurance industry would suddenly behave themselves if they were given a CAPTIVE MARKET of mandated customers, without any price controls?

3)What has the insurance industry done to deserve the coddling they are getting from the public officials who are supposedly protecting the interests of the public?

I hate to say it but there are just two words that would logically justify the behavior of too many Democratic leaders. CORRUPTION and COWARDICE.

If I am wrong, PLEASE tell me why. I would honestly love to be proven wrong on this.

[Grinchie]

22. Money off disease, while avoiding the Cause of Disease.

Avoidance of the cause, while profiting off the effect is the penultimate in Capitalism. It's not like the Like of Monsanto is not thankful that all the poisons that it produces that cause illness and disease are funneled into a profit making enterprise, that pays big dividends.

If the entire Military Industrial complex were held accountable for the millions of acres of land that is now on the EPA Superfund list due to chemical contamination, or was held liable for the MTBE debacle added to gasoline, then the U.S. Government would be in deeper shit than it already is.

Instead, we are printing money like it's going out of style.. And I am afraid that the U.S. Dollar IS going out of style.

This is the last hurrah folks. This is the Government hurtling towards a brick wall at 100 miles an hour in a 1939 Volkswagen Beetle.

You are not wrong. You are witnessing desperation and stupidity at it's worst.

[Grinchie]

21. I predicted this after Michael Taylor got appointed to the USDA.

If that wasn't the canary in the coal mine dying of a broken heart than I don't know what is.

The whole jumbled mess of Health Care Reform was planned to fail, and the Obama/Clinton administration played it very well.

It is distateful vindication of my prediction, but I doubt if the 3-D Chess crowd backing Obama's move to the DLC will change their tenor in the slightest.

[TomCADem]

24. Not Really - Health Reform Would Have Been Dead

If the insurance industry came out firing at reform from the get-go. Instead, there has been a low grade war through astro turf intermediaries up until this point. I actually think this shows that President Obama's strategy worked out pretty well. Unlike Bill Clinton's approach, President Obama was able to avoid getting gang tackled by all of the major players.

[Armstead]

25. Why would it have been dead? Have we become that wimpy?

[TomCADem]

26. Easy, It Would Have Played Into Right Wing Spin...

That the Obama administation is socialist and out to destroy private enterprise if President Obama came out firing at them. Here is a link to a Think Progress article discussing AHIP's attempts to neutralize Michael Moore's movie Sicko:

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/07/21/ahip-moore-strategy/

Now, imaging if President Obama came off like Michael Moore. He would have walked right into that same spin. BUT, by attempting to be bipartisan AND even reaching out to the insurance companies, the insurance companies also had to play along until OMG it appears that the health reform bill is about to pass all the committees in Congress!

In other words, AHIP's is releasing this report, because it has been unsuccessful at stopping reform using the steps outlined in the Michael Moore memo. So, the insurance company is now declaring open war, which it did not really want to do.

Put another way, Michael Moore would have loved if the insurance companies came after him and threatened to raise rates. But they didn't. Now, they have against President Obama, which may actually strengthen his hand for securing stronger reforms.

[sabrina 1]

27. The only way these threats can be countered is for Congress

to do one of two things, put a cap on premiums for private insurers or, which would be even better, eliminate private insurance altogether. The American people do not need them, they are the cause of the problems we have with healthcare. Either Single Payer now, or a really, really strong Public Option that will eventually put these conscienceless, immoral, greedy thieving criminals out of business. And yes, they are criminals. Anyone who refuses to pay to save the lives of their fellow citizens who are paying them for that eventuality, is a criminal.

[joeycola]

30. The cap would have to take effect IMMEDIATELY, not 3 years down

the road. Recall that the extra time gave the credit card companies time to raise rates. same will happen with insurance companies!!

[sabrina 1]

38. Yes, you're right and they would take full advantage of any

delay. Unless that was written into the bill somehow. And the very fact that they would do that, is proof of how soulless and committed they are to only one thing which is profit. Rewarding such people is a crime in itself, imo. Congress needs to start showing whose side they are on, and call these people's bluff.

[depakid]

28. No doubt in my mind

The final nail in that coffin came when the president asserted in his "acclaimed" speech that the insurance executives et al. weren't "bad people."

Obama is too conflict averse and the so called "leadership" in the Senate too beholden to K street to do what it takes to solve this problem in a timely manner. Half measures in 2013 aren't going to reverse the decline- not for individuals- not for businesses- and not for the macroeconomy.

[joeycola]

31. I do not doubt it at all.

[Kermitt Gribble]

36. No doubt here.

If anything, the health care reform debate has shown us exactly how corrupt our elected officials are. Most of us had a pretty good idea before, but now there is concrete proof.

K&R! Though my 'R' was blocked by a pom pom.

[Better Today]

37. I so care, but I feel entirely impotent to do anything about it except

continue to sign the petitions that will get ignored, or go to rallies that are ignored, or comment on here, which is ignored by anyone who can make a difference.


Now my hope lays almost wholey at the feet of Alan Grayson in the hopes that he will be heard and our response to him will stimulate the balls of other Dems in Congress.