Bill Moyers Journal: CIGNA Chief Admits: Michael Moore's SICKO "Hit The Nail On The Head"
By Nicole Belle Sunday Jul 12, 2009 8:00am
It's a blockbuster admission that we already knew: The health care insurance industry was petrified that Americans would see Michael Moore's Sicko and realize that government-run health care was something that would be good for citizens and lead to better health outcomes.
CIGNA Public Relations Chief turned whistleblower Wendell Potter said the words to Bill Moyers that no insurance company wanted said out loud in this country:
BILL MOYERS: You were also involved in the campaign by the industry to discredit Michael Moore and his film "Sicko" in 2007. In that film Moore went to several countries around the world, and reported that their health care system was better than our health care system, in particular, Canada and England. [..]
So what did you think when you saw that film?
WENDELL POTTER: I thought that he hit the nail on the head with his movie. But the industry, from the moment that the industry learned that Michael Moore was taking on the health care industry, it was really concerned.
BILL MOYERS: What were they afraid of?
WENDELL POTTER: They were afraid that people would believe Michael Moore.
Of course, we knew this. We've been screaming it for years. Still, it's difficult to pierce through that Beltway bubble to those politicos that are still hemming and hawing as the insurance industry insiders fill their campaign coffers.
The full episode (which I cannot recommend highly enough) is available on PBS.com.
More from Moyers:
BILL MOYERS JOURNAL has covered the public option that appears to be on the table and the idea of a single-payer plan which is not. Find out more about those plans and all the iterations under consideration below.
>>Compare the current plans. The Public Option The public option, according to Robert Reich, is a government-run non-profit insurance pool, that, by virtue of its size and bargaining power, could control costs and offer people who are either uncovered by, or unhappy with, private insurers an affordable alternative path to health care. Medicare is an example of a public option, notes Reich, with one important caveat — the Medicare drug benefit bill passed during the Bush administration expressly forbids Medicare from using its size to negotiate for lower costs which would be an important strategy for keeping prices down.
Whence Single-Payer?Dr. David Himmelstein and Dr. Sidney Wolfe told Bill Moyers on the JOURNAL that President Obama isn't considering a popular plan — single-payer. In a recent town-hall meeting in New Mexico, President Obama said switching to single-payer would be too disruptive.
The term "single-payer" generally means a system in which rather than having private, for-profit insurance companies, the government runs one large non-profit insurance organization. That organization pays all the doctor, drug and hospital bills — it is the "single-payer" of all medical bills. In most single-payer plans, every American would be enrolled and would pay into the fund through taxes.
Advocates argue that a single-payer system would pay for itself, saving huge amounts of money in administrative costs. The U.S. currently pays a higher percentage of health dollars for administration than any other nation.
The U.S. also ranks highest in total cost of care, but according to a recent report by the Commonwealth Fund, ranks last among industrialized countries "in preventing deaths through use of timely and effective medical care." In a recent FRONTLINE report comparing the health care systems of five other capitalist democracies, "Sick Around the World," WASHINGTON POST reporter T.R. Reid notes that, "The World Health Organization says the U.S. health care system rates 37th in the world in terms of quality and fairness. All the other rich countries do better than we do, and yet they spend a heck of a lot less."
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Sounds like a run to the emergency ward is needed.
A national 'month of no payments'
.
SICKO
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=66463...
.
believe there is a better way
Agree.....and for inspiration, I crank up Ben Harper's song of the same name, often. It helps me to persevere.
OFTEN!....."It helps me to persevere."!!
Smile away, my brother/sister, smile away.
Buy two and lend them out.
Send people the Google video search link at the least.
Then part of Sicko.
I did not know in England they pay you when you leave the hospital for travel costs.
The stuff on Canadian care is very good.
And have to know about it too, or be bothered to go claim back the bus fare which not many would do. But people spending money on taxis/trains etc would do it.
the bit where Moore takes the 9/11 volunteers to Cuba where they received timely and compassionate care and respect.
When Dracula nailed the turbans onto the heads of a Turkish delegation sent to him, for refusing to doff them in respect, these weren't the sissy little nails we got today. They were more like spikes.
ysb ,
im shocked u didnt post a link lol
Dracula's cameraman was to busy at the time spiking the punch.
60 penneys spikes
Loch in kop...
Also on the program I heard that two insurance lobbyists are former chief of staffs for Max Baucus (D-MT). I think that explains what's the matter with Baucus.
The conclusion to the program essentially states the core problem for a lot of the nation's ills. We have the best government that money can buy, and no shortage of influence peddlers grabbing the money.
Baucus should skulk away in shame, never to be seen or heard from ever again. He is a pig-fucker IMHO.
outta town....Frankenstein style
.
as Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny "failed to take into account man's almost infinite appetite for distractions."
Hence
Me.
Speaking of hitting the nail on the head.
Did you see her shoes the other day?
Were you trying to see the reflection up her skirt?
that were connected to that wacky pair of britches that went clear up to her chest? The were fugly, but I bet she could go way far out in the water, like up to her knees, and not even get wet!
:P
where the former exec shows pics of a "health care expo" in his home town
it makes america look like a third world country (which we are becoming) with long lines of people waiting for treatment from doctors in open air tents
absolute proof that moore was demonized by the corporate masters of the right and left
go after Moore it's just entertainment.
Snark
When a corporate executive steps out and says these things, the senate and house had better start listening. Why wasn't he invited to the hearings in the house last week?
to the wrong house?
of CNN calling doctor program was very critical of Sicko when it first came out. Michael Moore was being crucified as being inaccurate, not giving all the information, ... Gupta and Moore had a bit of a back and forth back then with Dr. Gupta trying to label Moore as misleading. No sooner than the flames died down and Gupta had his very own "special" siting no less than the same problems with our health care system that Michael Moore was trying to educate the American public.
He is part of the machine, and to be viewed with a jaundiced eye, if viewed at all. Personally, I do not watch any of the MSM crap, just clips on C&L...just can't tolerate bullshit, and smiling liars.
Surgeon General... according to Mr. Obama.
c-c-c-c-c-changes!
If he had spent as much effort exposing the problems with corporate medicine in this country that he spent arguing with Michael Moore concerning supposed inaccuracies in "Sicko" then "Sicko" would have been unnecessary. Instead of attacking Moore, Gupta could have said, "This is a great movie, and any differences are overwhelmed by the message." Instead, Gupta argued, "Hold on! Was Moore really telling the truth?"
Gupta and other so-called celebrity experts like him are corporate shills. They spend their time ignoring real problems, instead rehashing fluff, e.g., "Ten great foods for your heart," over and over again. Then, when coventional corporate wisdom is challenged, e.g., "Sicko," "Who Killed My Electric Car?," "An Inconvenient Truth," they want to criticize the challenges as inaccurate or ideologically-driven.
The fact that he was asked to be Surgeon-General speaks volumes concerning Obama.
People, not corporations or interest groups, are supposed to elect governments. Elected representatives are supposed to represent the people, not entities with money.
Can't a solid argument be made that lobbying and corporate campaign contributions are unconstitutional?
Whats good for Big Business is good for America?
Wasn't that it?
“People, not corporations or interest groups, are supposed to elect governments.”
Corporations are people too, just like dogs.
-----
http://topics.law.cornell.edu/wex/corporations
"The law treats a corporation as a legal "person" that has standing to sue and be sued, distinct from its stockholders"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVsMUpPgdT0
i wouldn't have a problem with the U.S. being operated like a corporation, if it was operated to benefit the shareholders. Those shareholders would be the citizens, and I don't care if someone is an executive, or a bag lady, each person has a single share of "stock".
But, it's quite clear that the U.S. government is not being operated to benefit all the shareholder, or even most of the shareholders. It is simply an influence peddling operation, with government for sale.
MONEY
says "we want health care" or the guy who hands over a briefcase full of c-notes?
Little constitutional things like freedom of assembly, speech and the right to petition government would tend to interfere. I'm rather glad that this is so. You fight lies with facts. Throwing sextuplets out with the bath water is not the right path.
corporations are people
and giving buckets of money away is "free speech"
do I agree w/ either.......HELLFUCKIN NO!
Well, the sad fact is that this country is an oligarchy, masquerading as a democracy.
They use the corporate media to manipulate the people into voting between two corporate owned candidates.
anonymous liberal has an excellent post about the failure of the free market when it comes to health insurance.
Please take the time to read it. It is excellent ammunition to destroy the wingnut talking points.
And good health to all.
http://www.anonymousliberal.com/2009/07/marke...
It is not simply "wingnut" talking points. The Republican/Democrat dichotomy is a false dichotomy. The "two" sides are the corporate owned politicians versus the politicians that work for the people, like Dennis Kucinich. That's why, on the Sunday talk shows, when the issue is health care, you won't see Kucinich, or John Conyers in the discussion. Instead, you'll see Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), who has two former chief of staffs that are now insurance lobbyists.
The wingnuts are a bit more genuine. While, certainly, most are corporate owned, others are truly committed to free markets and the neoliberalism ideology, with an emphasis of no government economic regulation.
Of course, the Dems have people, like Kucinich, genuinely concerned the the situation of ordinary Americans. But, they are not the majority.
The things to watch out for is things like Obama saying "that he would rather have 70 votes in the Senate for a bill that gives him 85 percent of what he wants rather than a 100 percent satisfactory bill that passes 52-48."
That's just malarky which means he's fine with watered down legislation to appease lobbyists. This nation is in no economic position to accept legislation that is less than 100% effective.
"It is not simply "wingnut" talking points."
Point well taken.
I have at times,more respect for the genuine dyed in the wool and utterly unapologetic wingnut than some namby pamby phony passing himself off as a "Liberal" while in reality playing the same cards as a Republican.
for either of them. They don't represent their constituants.
... and I am still trying to get my jaw from the floor where it dropped.
It is becoming more, and more apparent that Obama won by default... not because he is such a fantastic political operator. Maybe Obama should read what Carlin had to say about bipartisanship meaning that a larger than normal deception is carried out.
Change we can compromise on?
really say that!?!
...Obama saying "that he would rather have 70 votes in the Senate for a bill that gives him 85 percent of what he wants rather than a 100 percent satisfactory bill that passes 52-48."
what a worthless fuck!
that big medicine/insurance is not as well equipped to handle the blogs as big energy is when a new source comes down the pike. Them suckers are all over like a disease putting the new source down.
So tell us something else we already know..."Wendell".
... is when they discuss the price tag: Who in his/her right mind would object to paying a tax which would most likely be much lower than the $18,000 premium I have seen mentioned? (I cannot verify the amount, but have also heard $12,000 mentioned).
Then they discuss a co-op version of the plan. Isn't what they have now a co-op that companies use to insure employees - those who offer insurance? See were that got us. Even though there is something to be said for that type --- check to see what dentists charge an insurance company as opposed what they charge individuls without dental coverage. It is downright criminal.
It's quite clear that if we adapted a single payer system, that the taxes to support it would be more than offset by the elimination of insurance premiums.
Other countries pay 11% of GDP whereas we pay 16% of GDP. So, if we copied an approach from an 11% of GDP country, we could pocket 5% of GDP.
So, when we hear about how to pay for health care reform, as opposed to what are we going to do with the money saved by health care reform, it is safe to conclude that the process so far is a charade and farce.
Shout it from the roof tops.
At least, email it around. Make it better and email it around, along with a link to Moyer's program
. . . the added costs the health insurance crisis imposes on the economy.
To that 16% GDP figure, add the cost of personal bankruptcies caused by uninsured and underinsured medical costs.
Add the losses of wealth and the costs suffered by individuals, banks and taxpayers as a result of the foreclosures of houses due to sub-prime loans taken out to cover medical bills.
These losses amount to hundreds of $billions, probably $trillions.
And these losses reverberate through the economy in a reverse multiplier effect, causing further declines in demand, more job losses, more despair.
China plans universal health care
By Edward Wong
Published: Thursday, January 22, 2009
BEIJING — China announced that it intended to spend $123 billion by 2011 to establish universal health care for the country's 1.3 billion people.
The plan was passed Wednesday at a session of the State Council, the Chinese cabinet. Prime Minister Wen Jiabao presided.
Xinhua, the state news agency, said the authorities would "take measures within three years to provide basic medical security to all Chinese in urban and rural areas, improve the quality of medical services and make medical services more accessible and affordable for ordinary people."
Providing universal health care is seen by some economists as a way to stimulate domestic spending during the current economic downturn. The Chinese have a high savings rate, and one of the reasons usually cited is their concern about possible medical expenses.
Bai Zhongen, chairman of the economics department at Tsinghua University's School of Economics and Management in Beijing, said that establishing universal health care with government-financed insurance would increase general consumer spending. He said the school did a survey in 2007 about the effect of rural health insurance on consumer behavior and "found that in government-sponsored health insurance areas, people are spending more."
The government already gives many people a small subsidy to help pay for health care, but more government financing for individual health care would strengthen the economy, Bai said.
Xinhua reported that the plan approved Wednesday would aim to provide some form of medical insurance for 90 percent of the population by 2011. Each person covered by the system would receive an annual subsidy of 120 yuan, or more than $17, starting in 2010. Medicine would also be covered by the insurance, and the government would begin a system of producing and distributing necessary drugs this year.
The plan also aims to improve health centers in rural and remote areas as well as equalize health services between urban and rural areas, Xinhua reported. Furthermore, the government would begin this year to reform the operations of public hospitals.
"Growing public criticism of soaring medical fees, a lack of access to affordable medical services, poor doctor-patient relationship and low medical insurance coverage compelled the government to launch the new round of reforms," Xinhua reported.
Of health care executives are built on as much bones as that or an arms dealer.
We record the show, then watch, usually late Sunday morning during breakfast. Like most all of Bill's shows, this was priceless info for all citizens of this country. I make it a point to never miss his closings, they are just perfection. Well, the closing of this show will move you to tears, it's that powerful. I have to add a resounding "AMEN," to his words......if at all possible, find it, and watch it.
My husband hears me say this after every show......."Moyers is God, not Clapton, and I LOVE HIM." What will we do when he retires???
It's the PROFIT. Get the insurance companies out of the picture and pay the PROVIDERS. Save TRILLIONS!
On December 10, 1948 our leaders signed The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 25 reads,
(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and wellbeing of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
To this day, when a disaster strikes, anywhere in the world, the United States is the first one there to offer assistance and to help in any way possible. Yet, when the most recent disasters occurred here at home, our government was MIA. And now that so many millions of jobs have been lost on Republican watch, their solution is to cut benefits for the unemployed, cut free school lunch programs to motivate hungry children, to cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. They pray for another 9/11 on a much grander scale to “Save the Republican Party”, they pray for the destruction of millions of people’s lives and call themselves the party of “morals”. Give me a break. They accuse the unemployed of being out of work “because they don’t understand the need to work or even why there is a need to work”. When it comes to helping Americans who are in trouble, our government is AWOL.
Fascinating chart in last week's Economist, showing per-capita spending on healthcare for a number of nations. As you'd expect. the U.S. is way ahead of all other nations, and has per capita spending that is almost double that of most of Europe.
The chart also breaks this per-capita spending down into government and private spending. It's about 50/50 in the U.S. What's really stunning is that per-capita government healthcare spending in the U.S. is ALREADY GREATER than per-capita government spending in countries like Canada, France, Germany, Sweden, Britain that provide free, universal (and often better) healthcare to their citizens with minimum-to-no additional private insurance costs.
Meaning we should be able to have universal healthcare like every other industrialized society for the cost of what the U.S. government is already paying out for crappy healthcare. Folks, we're being ripped-off !
...of course the 'healthcare' 'insurers' would go all turbo WATB on that. Could you imagine the wailing and great gnashing of teeth, the cries of "IT ISN'T FAIR!" shrieked to the heavens above over that happening?
NOW!
IF (big F'ing IF)we get single payer what would our rank then be.....
...maybe top 15-top ten if our gov is worth a shit.....
but if we go w/ 'public option' what will that do....
do ya think we could even break the top 30 w/ this weak ass plan?!
It's too bad Moore's film came out last year....it would be much more effective and a much bigger draw this year. It's not too late for Michael to try for a rerelease...
to show it free, now.
the corporations that run them. Last night my local PBS was running "The push for 9/11" or something like that". It asks some very interesting questions that have been ignored by the MSM. It has been shown in 37 countries. Care to guess the country it has not been shown in.
USA, USA, USA.
So much for freedom of the press
No, not on healthcare. I think we are maybe 37 on that. 48 is our ranking on "freedom of the press"
Let me repeat that. The "land of the free" ranks #48 in the world for freedom of the press. Jesus H. Kripes we have been fed a load of propaganda growing up.
Which begs the question: What kind of frigging hell-hole of censorship is country #49?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/oct/16/p...
We're #1 in number of people filing bankruptcy resulting from medical-related debt (actually, I don't think this even happens in other countries). According to the US Courts, in 2007, 850,912 people filed for bankruptcy. A Harvard study released in June this year stated that 62% of these bankruptcies resulted from medical debt: that's approximately 527,565. Of these, 77.9%- around 410,973 people, HAD health insurance. Remind me again what insurance is good for? Oh yeah, making profits for the CEOs and shareholders of the companies!
We're probably also #1 in the number of people dying every year because they didn't have access to health care. The Institute of Medicine reports this number to be over 18,000 every year. (These are the ones who don't have health insurance; I wonder how many die because their insurance is rescinded and their care is delayed or denied-- see the testimony of that woman in Bill Moyers' Journal on Friday. She had Blue Cross/Blue Shield, but a few days before surgery for breast cancer, they red flagged her file and refused to cover the costs. The hospital wanted a down payment of $30,000. I don't think hers is an isolated case.)
Had enough, America?
The World Health Organization says the U.S. health care system rates 37th in the world in terms of quality and fairness. All the other rich countries do better than we do, and yet they spend a heck of a lot less."
Could it be because our congress and senate people no longer work for the people?
Under ethics rules passed in 2007, lobbyists for the first time last year had to report any payment made for an event or to a group connected to a lawmaker and other top federal officials.
USA TODAY undertook the first comprehensive analysis of the lobbying reports and found 2,759 payments, totaling $35.8 million, were made in 2008. The money went to honor 534 current and former lawmakers, almost 250 other federal officials and more than 100 groups, many of which count lawmakers among their members.
The total cost is roughly equivalent to what the U.S. government spends to operate Yellowstone National Park each year.
Most of the money — about $28 million — went to non-profit groups, some with direct ties to members of Congress. In two cases, USA TODAY found, the donations to non-profits associated with a member of Congress came in response to a personal appeal for funds from the lawmaker.
The donations cover various activities — from a golf tournament that raises money for a lawmaker's non-profit to gifts to the alma mater of a powerful House committee chairman.
"You can still have a gala or something or the other for a charity and earn some favor with members of Congress, which is what the gift ban was put in place to avoid," says Dan Danner, CEO of the National Federation of Independent Business and a veteran Washington lobbyist.
Here is a list of elected people taking payoffs to cheat the American people and the amounts of bribes being taken. This is just from health care and insurance.
It is mind boggling to think how much these people are taking from others!
Arlen Specter (R-D- PA- $4,026,933)
Max Baucus (DLC- MT- $2,833,731)
Mitch McConnell (R-KY- $2,758,468)
And when you just go right to Big Insurance, the non-presidential candidates who got the biggest legalized bribes were the 7 senators who have been tasked with the job of killing single-payer:
Ben Nelson (DLC-NE- $1,196,799)
Max Baucus (DLC- MT- $1,184,113)
Joe Lieberman (DLC- CT- $1,036,302)
Arlen Specter (R-D- PA- $1,035,530)
Chuck Schumer (D-NY- $981,400)
Mitch McConnell (R-KY- $929,207)
Chuck Grassley (R-IA- $884,724)
We need to investigate and prosecute these criminals now. Severe jail terms are in order for these criminals!
"NBC's "Meet the Press" - Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y."
Didn't watch it, but to the extent health care reform is discussed, that's a false dichotomy.
does this article bring to mind Dave Neiwart (and others) research and exposure of Youth With a Mission (YWAM), the people behind the “docudrama,” The Path to 9/11.
I tend to disbelieve 'coincidence', and I am wondering if C Street's YWAM intended 'inflitration' of Hollywood, and the ongoing attempt by many to discredit Moore no matter what topic he tackles, are related. I am thinking they are at least kissing cousins.
I agree with Nicole Belle: "The full episode (which I cannot recommend highly enough) is available on PBS.com ( http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07102009/wa... )." Bill Moyers interview with CIGNA Public Relations Chief turned whistleblower Wendell Potter was revolutionary in its crystal clear candor and naked honesty. Wendell Potter literally puts his life on the line exposing the crimes against humanity at the highest levels of corporate greed run a muck. Those who take the time to view this epic conversation will be forever changed. To hear such unfiltered truth via the corporate controlled M$S (yes even PBS is owned) is a nothing short of a miracle. Bill Moyers comments at the end sound a clarion call of ACTION to every American citizen.
Moyers is just awesome. He reminds me of a time when journalists actually did investigative reporting, then reported the findings no matter who that happened to be exposing.
I guess that why he has been relagated to PBS and is not seen by the masses. I guess truth and honesty is just too dam radical.
I, too, watched the full version at PBS. Shocking, but not unexpected that insurance corporations are more concerned with pure profit than actual healthcare. If any kind of healthcare reform is actually passed it will be nothing short of a miracle.
This Bill Moyers Journal program was AMERICA'S MOST IMPORTANT VIDEO OF 2009!
These links to the program absolutely need to go VIRAL. Americans MUST FINALLY WAKE UP to how they've been manipulated and deceived by these insurance crooks and their politico pals who sell us out!
"Wendell Potter"
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07102009/wa...
"Essay: Money and the News"
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07102009/wa...
Now would be a really, really good time to update Sicko, to include a good hard look at how much money the crooks on the senate finance committee have taken from the lobbyists, and get it back into the theaters. It would probably be standing room only audiences and would seriously help to put pressure on all the corrupt politicians like Max Baucus who are making ready to screw the whole country.
that a re-release of 'Sicko' would be most appropriate now.
There are people who steadfastly refuse to believe that any form of healthcare other than the one they already have would be better. These people would be unaffected by said movie, by blogs, by reason, by facts...they apparently enjoy the warm & fuzzy feelings they get by keeping their heads firmly placed up their butts'.
There are most likely many others who think they've been correct & doing the 'right thing' by listening to all the 'experts' represented by the U.S. healthcare 'industry'...thereby concluding that what is in place, is good. These are the people, who now finding out that those same 'experts' were really the ones working the 'con game', are hopefully ready to open their ears & their minds to people like Michael Moore.
I do love that this 'gem' came out just prior to Moore's next movie, 'Capitalism: A Love Story'...maybe some folks will be a tad more willing to pay attention...and to see the attacks on Moore for what they really are...fear of the curtain being pulled back on the 'wizard'.
how popular The Movie Channel is in the States (I'm in Canada), but just saw on Michael Moore's website that TMC is airing 'Sicko' five times between now & August 5...fyi.
Below is a leter I sent to my 2 senators in WA.
Senator Murray - I dare you to watch the latest Bill Moyers Journal on PBS with Wendell Potter, formerly of CIGNA, and omit a Public Option from Health Care Reform! For the Love of God and Country let us end the foul practices of insurance companies to deny treatment and dump sick people so that they can make more money! My wife and I lived in Canada and were totally satisfied with their universal system. We had our child there. I wanted to retire to Canada because of their health care but could not as I am an American citizen. The false propaganda that spews from the sewer of health insurance companies is totally false and repugnant beyond right and reason. They are ghouls who are drinking our blood and feasting on our flesh. I have good health insurance and am treated like rotten meat by physicians who only know the word, next, next, next! They don't care about my health they only care about their next drink from the money trough. I had far more choice and professional care in Canada than I get in the USA. Talk about the USSR, we are already there except the Politburo has been replaced by Wall Street CEOs! Get real and use your power for the common good. Not too long ago, the notion of a female Senator would be a laugh. People like me fought through sexist and racist stereotypes to open our government with the hope that women would bring balance to our skewed politics. Show some steel, and do what you know is just and right. Otherwise why go to work?
If the industry can spend that much ($500 Million in 2008 alone) on lobbying, how much are they raking in on the back end? And just who are they fleecing?
I propose a radical change of thinking: That all "lobbying" of elected officials take place in their' home district in an open forum type of meeting, at a time / place posted in local newspapers (among other media) that would also allow public attendance and input.
The public deserves to know who is "buying" who, or what, and to what end before these laws get written. I think everyone would be surprised at what has really been going on. C'mon, the Govt. has written it into law, that they cannot use the "buying power of numbers" with regard to Medicare. Isn't that the same as price fixing? And just how fast does the industry recover that $500M as a result? As long as they can conduct business in this "good ole' boys" kind of way, you and I will never know the truth.
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