Monday, December 21, 2009
I am Torn ...
between denouncing the health care reform bill in its likely form and rejoicing that at least something was passed that can be modified and improved. I am also torn between denouncing President Obama for stretching the truth until it is ready to tear and announcing that in spite of everything he's better for the country than any Republican who is likely to get the nomination in 2012 and that I intend to vote again for Obama, assuming that I am still alive and he decides to run for a second term.
What truth did Mr. Obama stretch that offends me? On the radio this afternoon I heard a sound bite. It was Mr. Obama praising the Democrats for enacting a health care reform bill and for standing up to (and inferentially not caving to) the "special interests." After cursing Mr. Obama for being rather inaccurate in his praise (I must admit that I was safely inside my car with the doors and windows closed) I wondered to myself, what special interests was he talking about? Certainly not the Insurance Industry. At the very start, his administration decided not to take on the Insurance Industry lobby. There would be no "Harry and Louise" ads on TV opposing this bill. Insurance companies were even to be provided with new customers because the bill would require that all Americans buy health insurance. That requirement would reduce the number of uninsured and also provide new customers for insurers.
Certainly not the religious fundamentalists. Both the House and Senate versions of the bill have absolute proscriptions against even one penny of taxpayer money to be spent on an abortion. The proscription is so tight that private insurers selling plans to private customers must provide abortion insurance in plans completely separate from their other plans and make sure that consumers who buy these separate plans do not receive any subsidy from the government. The likely consequence is that most insurers simply will not bother to provide abortion insurance. Of course, that's what the fundies want, isn't it?
If you can tell me what special interests the Administration and the Democrats have stood up to in getting this bill enacted, please let me know. I welcome your comments to the blog.
What truth did Mr. Obama stretch that offends me? On the radio this afternoon I heard a sound bite. It was Mr. Obama praising the Democrats for enacting a health care reform bill and for standing up to (and inferentially not caving to) the "special interests." After cursing Mr. Obama for being rather inaccurate in his praise (I must admit that I was safely inside my car with the doors and windows closed) I wondered to myself, what special interests was he talking about? Certainly not the Insurance Industry. At the very start, his administration decided not to take on the Insurance Industry lobby. There would be no "Harry and Louise" ads on TV opposing this bill. Insurance companies were even to be provided with new customers because the bill would require that all Americans buy health insurance. That requirement would reduce the number of uninsured and also provide new customers for insurers.
Certainly not the religious fundamentalists. Both the House and Senate versions of the bill have absolute proscriptions against even one penny of taxpayer money to be spent on an abortion. The proscription is so tight that private insurers selling plans to private customers must provide abortion insurance in plans completely separate from their other plans and make sure that consumers who buy these separate plans do not receive any subsidy from the government. The likely consequence is that most insurers simply will not bother to provide abortion insurance. Of course, that's what the fundies want, isn't it?
If you can tell me what special interests the Administration and the Democrats have stood up to in getting this bill enacted, please let me know. I welcome your comments to the blog.
Labels: abortion funding, criticism of Obama by a supporter, Health care reform, Hyde amendment, influence of health insurance industry
