I’m guessing the Washington Post forgot all about the Republican electa-critters who decried government run health care and offered up all sorts of plans, not too mention the TEA Parties, and all those folks who were questioning their electa-critters at Townhalls, who knew more about the legislation than the electa-critters. Moving on
For months, President Obama and his administration waged their fight for a health-care overhaul without a clear opponent, even courting the industry executives and interest groups that helped kill reform efforts 15 years ago.
TEA Parties. Demonstrations. Townhalls. Eh, maybe the WP doesn’t want to call private citizens Obama enemies. Instead, they point out that the Obama admin is going to use a different set of private citizens as enemies.
But attacks on the leading Democratic reform plan this week by the insurance lobby left little doubt that two of the most powerful institutions involved in the debate — the White House and the nation’s insurance companies — have abandoned any real hope of forging a compromise. What was a tenuous truce has turned quickly into an all-out battle, with both sides ratcheting up the hostilities.
Damned that pesky First Amendment! How dared they speak out! Or, from the Obama admin position, to hell with the First Amendment.
“The insurance industry has decided to lead the charge against health reform, and everyone recognizes their motives: profits,” said White House deputy communications director Dan Pfeiffer. “We are going to make sure they can’t sink this effort at the last minute.”
Pfeiffer castigated the industry for releasing a report Monday that concluded that the finance panel’s bill would increase costs for consumers. “They made themselves a very good foil,” he said.
In other words, “we will add Big Insurance to our long list of enemies who happen to be private citizens engaged in Constitutionally protected Free Speech.”
OK, it’s October. Dubya is long gone (except when the Obama admin needs a ready excuse for why they are complete failures.) But, hey, does anyone remember Bush or his admin going after private citizens like this? Or, was he cordial and reflective? Personally, I remember when he castigated Cindy Sheehan for…..oh, wait, nope, he was very nice to her. And then there was the time he went off on Code Pink…..sorry, wrong group. How about those anti-Iraq war folks? Remember the time he insulted……darn, nothing there, either.
Look, there are certainly issues within the health insurance industry, there is no doubt about that. But, there are lots of problems with lots of other industries, as well. And LOTS of problems within federal government agencies. Perhaps Obama and the Donkeys should work on making federal agencies actually user friendly, cost effective, and productive, before they point the finger. Heck, anyone ever try and fill out an on-line I-9? Do you know what a pain in the behind that is? (If you haven’t, trust me, they are a pain. Site is slow, information gets lost, if you do not do it perfect, you have to start again, it doesn’t always save. Then they lose it and whine at you a year later.)
Anyhow, the Founders must be rolling in their graves, seeing a US President go after any and every private entity that crosses them.
Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU
Where is the transparency we were promised? I understand that all politicans lie, but you would think we could catch the Obama administration in a rare moment of the truth?
The are vilifying the insurance companies now. Do people think there dealings with the payers of health funds are going to be better when the IRS handles it? It is maddening to see how blindly some will follow.