Store-Bought Indignant Protests

[ICantSpellDawg]

Former health insurance exec speaks out:

A former health insurance executive says the disruptions taking place at lawmakers' town halls around the country are the result of stealth efforts by health insurance companies.

Wendell Potter, a former CIGNA vice president, detailed what he said were past covert efforts by the industry. [...] "When you hear someone complaining about traveling down a 'slippery slope to socialism,' some insurance flack, like I used to be, wrote that," Potter added.

Potter said during his 20 years in the insurance business, the industry would funnel money to large public firms who would create front groups and find friendly voices in conservative media.

In particular, he cited front groups created to fight "Patients' Bill of Rights" legislation in the 1990s, as well as a campaign to discredit the Michael Moore film "Sicko," which harshly criticized the industry. [...]

A health insurance trade group, America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), sent a letter to congressional leaders earlier this week stating support for "bipartisan health reform" and denying any role in fomenting disruptions at meetings.

Again, do you deny that some people are legitimately pissed about this? Did you blame Communists and anarchists for front protests of the War in Iraq or everything else the Bush Admin did?

The reality is that there is nothing capitalist about monopolistically obfuscating health care costs and obliterating price lowering competition. Health Insurance needs to be reformed as sure as youre born, but the way in which people are doing it is wrong. I don't want Democrats tackling this themselves - they will compound the problem. I also don't want Republicans to do it themselves because they will screw it as well. A Gesture of Good will would be to provide a bigger Republican voice in the process then we might even deserve.

Cost is primary. As long as consumers dictate pricing the system will work. If they don't (as they don't now) the problem will get worse. Democrats don't get this - Republicans have the benefit of being powerless observers and are starting to get it as a matter of survival.

The table needs to be equal. Strong, untainted GOP leadership is needed to wash away the illegitimate blocking tactics and provide balance. They need to show the american people that some Republicans are beign listened to. Lindsay Graham, Paul Ryan and numerous others are just waiting for an outstretched hand.