Gov. Groper vetoed California's universal health care bill

[Cleita]

late last night on Friday, Sept 22, Governor Schwarzenegger denied Californians their right to quality, affordable healthcare by vetoing Senator Kuehl's Universal Healthcare legislation (Senate Bill 840). This is understandable since Schwarzenegger accepted about $4.4 million from the private insurance industry for his election campaigns.

The California legislature affirmed the right to quality, affordable healthcare for Californians by passing Senate Bill 840.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/09/22/state/n164426D89.DTL&hw=Schwarzenegger+veto+of+Health+bill&sn=001&sc=1000

Insurers Liking the Coverage of Schwarzenegger's Policies
By Peter Nicholas, Times Staff Writer
September 24, 2006


SACRAMENTO — With a onetime State Farm official and a former insurance lobbyist in top staff jobs, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is repeatedly siding with insurers in legislative battles as they maneuver to fend off fees, fines and concessions to policyholders.

A veteran insurance lobbyist, Dan Dunmoyer, is now the governor's deputy chief of staff, helping to craft his entire policy portfolio. Former State Farm official Kathleen Webb is Schwarzenegger's insurance advisor, vetting insurance-related bills that reach his desk and recommending which he should sign into law.

Both have given the insurance industry special access to Schwarzenegger's government and taken positions that protect insurers' financial interests. Webb, in particular, has met continually with industry trade groups and attended private meetings where insurance lobbyists plot strategy and discuss ways to push their agenda, her calendar shows. She has not recorded a single meeting with a consumer representative.

When insurance-related bills have crossed Schwarzenegger's desk, he has sided with — or at least not opposed — the industry nearly nine times in 10, a review of 56 bills tracked by insurance groups shows. At other times, he has sought to kill or blunt legislation before it reached him.

More at:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-insurance24sep24,1,2500855.story?coll=la-headlines-california&ctrack=1&cset=true

[AX10]

1. Phil and the Dems better make this a major issue!

[Cleita]

2. Either him or the same outfit that is airing the commercial

showing a video of Schwarzenegger at a fund raiser for GWB extolling all his "virtues".

They could do something similar with the veto showing the health insurance operatives in Arnold's government who are writing his policies on the matter.

[Wanet]

4. Phil didn't support the universal medical care bill, either

This is why Democrats aren't excited about him -- he seems to be the typical overly-cautious DLC-Type of Democrat. How can it be, that in our entire state we couldn't find one charismatic, passionate, real Democrat to beat Der Gropinfurer.

[Cleita]

5. He changed his position later and made a statement that

if elected Governor he would work with Sheila Kuehl on it.

[Wanet]

8. Thanks for the info.!

I hadn't heard about his change of heart. I heard Phil's daughter on our Sacramento morning show describing his (earlier) cautious stance. I'm glad he changed his mind. -- Wanet

[Cleita]

3. More from SF Gate,

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/09/22/state/n164426D89.DTL&hw=Schwarzenegger+veto+of+Health+bill&sn=001&sc=1000

Schwarzenegger vetoes universal health care bill
- By STEVE LAWRENCE, Associated Press Writer
Friday, September 22, 2006


(09-22) 16:44 PDT SACRAMENTO, (AP) --


Saying he opposes government-run health care, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger followed through Friday on his promise to veto a Democratic bill that would have set up a universal health care system covering all Californians.


"Socialized medicine is not the solution to our state's health care problems," the Republican governor said in an unusually long veto message in which also he touted his efforts to expand two other government health care programs, Medi-Cal and Healthy Families, which serve the poor.


"This bill would require an extraordinary redirection of public and private funding by creating a vast new bureaucracy to take over health insurance and medical care for Californians — a serious and expensive mistake."


He said he wanted to see a "new paradigm that addresses affordability, shared responsibility and the promotion of healthy living. Single payer, government-run health care does none of this."

[Cleita]

6. Another

:kick:

[Cleita]

7. Last kick for the night crew.