Theft for Fun and Profit

[Mythsaje]

""There is no distinctly native American criminal class except Congress."

Mark Twain


Want to know why we can't get any traction in Congress with regards to single-payer? Because the money we pay the insurance companies is put to work against us. The very profits they make off our illnesses and injury--or our fear of same--are being used to pay for legislation aimed and making the country safe for them, and less safe for us. The last thing they want is Single Payer health care, or even a Public Option that would undermine their profitability. There is no doubt that having government managed health care would also result in great damages to the pharmaceutical industry's profitability as well.

Here's a list compiled by DUer Cleita that illustrates the point. This is the cash amounts of health care related lobbyist "donations" last year.

Pharmaceuticals/Health Products $234,612,254
Insurance $153,921,322
Hospital/Nursing Homes $ 99,089,521
Health Services/HMOs $ 62,991,752

Let's be honest here. What are these lobbyists doing besides bribing our alleged representatives? We KNOW this money isn't going to serve the people--how could it? That's close to half a billion dollars IN A SINGLE YEAR, primarily to work AGAINST the public interest. Not outraged? Well, why the hell not?

They are, in effect, stealing from those who can afford it, denying those who cannot, and our nation as a whole is paying the price.


edited to fix a typo (I cut the tip of my index finger at work the other day and I keep missing letters).

[driver8]

1. Until the rules for campaign financing are changed, we are screwed.

As long as big business keeps making contributions to campaigns --we, the people, haven't got a prayer.

Campaign finance reform must happen now!!

[Mythsaje]

3. Yet those with the ability to change things profit from the system in place...

Therefore we'll not see such a thing unless WE find something we can do about it. Right now I'm mulling on how we might push the issue using the State Initiative process in California, Washington State, and elsewhere. Might as well use the damned things for something that HELPS us for a change.

[lib_wit_it]

2. I'm outraged, but I have no money, so it doesn't count in the U$A,