Attendees at AHIP's Annual State Issues Conference got a bit more than bargained for yesterday.
Insurance industry pollster Bill McInturff was giving a speech Friday when he was interrupted at first with cheers of praise from people who seemingly belonged at the conference, given their business attire. The cheers turned into a song about the "public option," or government-run health insurance, performed to the tune of "Tomorrow" from the musical Annie.
The singers, who were eventually escorted out of the conference, belonged to a group that calls itself Billionaires for Wealthcare
"Health care reform is on life-support and we’re here to pull the plug," the group writes on its Web site. "Thanks to our loyal foot-soldiers Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, we’ve raised the level of discourse to a cacophonous din."
h/t transcript by The Political Carnival
Lyrics to "Public Option Annie"
(to the tune of "Tomorrow" from Annie)
SINGER #1
No, thank you!
FOR KILLING THE PUBLIC OPTION
AND BLOCKING ANY HOPES OF ITS ADOPTION
THANK YOU, SIR!
SINGER #2
Sure,
BUT WHAT ABOUT COMPETITION?
IT'S AN OLD AMERICAN TRADITION
OR SO I'VE HEARD?
SINGER #1
Meh.
SINGER #3
WHEN OLYMPIA SNOWE
SAID NO,
IT CROAKED
Right?
SINGER #2
NO, THE OPTION'S NOT DEAD
SINGER #3
OR RED!
SINGER #1
EXPLAIN!
Who let these hippies in here?
SINGERS #2 AND #3, and CHORUS MEMBERS
IF WE GET A PUB-
LIC OPTION
WE CAN SNIFF OUT WASTE
JUST LIKE A DACHSUND
COSTS COME DOWN!
SINGER #1
Hey, those "costs" are my profits!
SINGERS #2 AND #3, and CHORUS MEMBERS
THE OPTION
THE OPTION
THE PUBLIC WANTS OPTIONS
WITHOUT IT,
IT'S A GIVEAWAY
SINGER #1
Exactly. To us. Am I in the right room?
THE OPTION
THE OPTION
THE PUBLIC WANTS AN OPTION
SINGERS #2 AND #3, and CHORUS MEMBERS
OR REFORM IS A CORP'RATE GIVE-A-WAY!
SINGER #1