Who's behind the attacks on a health care overhaul?

[babylonsister]

Who's behind the attacks on a health care overhaul?

By Margaret Talev | McClatchy Newspapers


WASHINGTON — Much of the money and strategy behind the so-called grassroots groups organizing opposition to the Democrats' health care plans comes from conservative political consultants, professional organizers and millionaires, some of whom hold financial stakes in the outcome.

If President Barack Obama and Congress extend health insurance coverage to millions of uninsured Americans, raise taxes on the wealthy to pay for it, and limit insurers' discretion on who they cover and what they charge, that could pinch these opponents.

Most of them say they oppose big government in principle. Despite Obama's assurances to the contrary, many of them insist that the Democrats' legislation is but the first step toward creation of a single-payer system, where the federal government hires the doctors, approves treatments, sets the rules and imperils profit.

These opposition groups appear to have spent at least $10 million so far on ads attacking the Democrats' plans. Still, supporters of a health care overhaul have outspent opponents by more than 2-to-1 so far, according to Evan Tracey of the Campaign Media Analysis Group, which tracks ad spending. Supporters include drug makers angling for their own protections, unions, the American Medical Association and AARP, the seniors' lobby. Supporters announced this week that they intend to spend $150 million promoting an overhaul.

The opposition groups' names sound catchy and populist: Patients First. Patients United. Americans for Prosperity. Conservatives for Patients' Rights. FreedomWorks. 60 Plus. Club for Growth.

Here's who's behind them:

more...

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/73765.html

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Typical RW manipulation...ala Frank Luntz.

[babylonsister]

2. I'm glad to see these articles coming out. Hopefully they'll be spread

far and wide.

[John Q. Citizen]

3. Thank you for this. I have long argued that the insurance industry itself has supported Obama's

initiative.

In fact Obama himself today said that his plan is to give the insurance industry millions of new government subsidized clients in return for the insurance industry accepting guaranteed issue, ending pre-existing conditions, ending annual and lifetime caps, and for some modified community rating.

I applaud Obama's honesty about this, even though I disagree with bribing the criminal scumbag insurance companies in the hopes that they won't exercise their fiduciary responsibility to their stock holders to take in as much money as possible and to pay at as little as possible.

Just as Howard Dean said today that excluding single payer from the debate and taking it off the table was a mistake, I believe bribing the insurance industry is also another mistake.

It has been clear to me for a very long time that if the Dems actually passed a strong reform bill they would dominate American politics for the next couple of generations, just as passing Social Security and later Medicare gave them majority control for two generations and more.

But bribing the insurance industry isn't what i would consider strong reform. It sounds like crony capitalism, to me.