Comments on: Who is Really Shilling for the Insurance Industry?

By: Insurance Companies and their Liberal Allies | BuckeyeBlog

Insurance Companies and their Liberal Allies | BuckeyeBlog — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:35:43 +0000

[...] I mentioned before, the standard attack of those who support health insurance “reform” is that we who [...]

By: Here’s the Future under “Reform” | BuckeyeBlog

Here’s the Future under “Reform” | BuckeyeBlog — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:19:31 +0000

[...] my previous post, I made a claim in the comments section that I thought little good would come from any health care [...]

By: Marc Kilmer

Marc Kilmer — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:59:29 +0000

TL, thanks for the reply. I don’t really think the debate is about the government (aka, “public”) option. That’s pretty much dead, as few Blue Dogs will accept it. And there are likely no GOP members of the Senate who will accept it, although the idea of a co-op could essentially be a government-run health insurance program.

So I don’t really see the debate as being about the government option. Any bill that passes Congress will likely contain a mandate that individuals must have health insurance, subsidies for low- and middle-income individuals to purchase that insurance, an expansion of Medicaid, and heavy regulation on the insurance industry. Those are all things the health insurance industry has endorsed.

Liberals out there who are fighting so hard for “reform” are essentially trying to enact legislation that will fatten insurance companies’ bottom lines and that will do little for either the uninsured or those with insurance. None of the proposals that are likely to pass will fix the problems inherent in our system. Health insurance companies will still be unresponsive, the cost of premiums will go up (probably substantially), health care spending will only accelerate, states will be burdened with even more Medicaid spending, and an entitlement program that should be reined in (Medicaid) will grow even larger.

Frankly, liberals should join forces with conservatives to try and stop this corporate welfare legislation. The government option is dead and if they support legislation such as I described above, it’s pretty clear they have sold out their principles in order to support President Obama’s political fortunes (much as conservatives did when they supported No Child Left Behind or the expansion of Medicare under Bush). The legislation that is likely to emerge will certainly be labeled as “reform” and it may well boost the Democrats’ vote share, but it’s hard to see how any bill being considered without a government option is “progressive.”

By: Morning Links : Ohio Politics Online

Morning Links : Ohio Politics Online — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:42:11 +0000

[...] Who is Really Shilling for the Insurance Industry? It’s a common talking point by those pushing health care “reform” that those who are oppose [...]

By: token liberal

token liberal — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 23:48:10 +0000

Offer accepted! I think that the debate is about whether to have a government option. Insurance companies are against it, some Dems are for it. Since the Dems are calling the shots, all the players are donating to them.

In fact, this has been all about the Dems. Liberal Dems who want a government option, Blue Dog Dems who do not, a Dem running the Congressional Budget Office telling the truth about funding, and of course, the Dem in the White House herding all the Democratic cats towards some sort of bill.

Whither the Republicans? The new “Party of No!” They are out of this, and are reduced to telling lies about the government coming to euthanize grandma.

That’s fine. The Dems are having an open debate, dealing with the hard questions, and the Republicans are sitting it out. Fair enough. I think that something will pass, and that the voters will reward the Dems for that in the next elections. The Republicans are betting that it will go the other way. Fine–elections matter–and the Dems have just won big.