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Published on Friday, January 15, 2010 by Grit TV
Wendell Potter: Still Time to Fight for Health Care Reform
Wendell Potter worked for CIGNA health insurers for more than 15 years, including a position as head of communications. He left that job, in a 180-degree switch, to fight for the rights of all Americans to affordable health care. He now serves as Senior Fellow on Health Care at the Center for Media and Democracy, and he joined Laura in studio today to give us a quick update on the health care reform process, explain the so-called "Cadillac tax," and remind us all that the battle isn't over yet -- there's still time to fight.
© 2010 Grit TV
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19 Comments so far
Show AllThere's more we can do, eh?
"Write our Congressperson? Email, call, fax....make a visit?"
Why? So we can continued to be ignored?
This bill should not pass. Period. End of story. It is a despotic, un-American piece of corporate crap and everybody with a brain and a living, breathing conscience knows it.
Progressives are being COMPLETELY ignored by the Democratic Party and even by the so-called "Progressive" Caucus members. It's so bad that Rep. Lynn Woolsey, co-chair of the caucus is busy having fundraisers for JANE "AIPAC" HARMAN!!!
The Democratic Party has become so inherently rotten that George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney are still trotting around the globe as war criminals! With Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi's blessings!
They have allowed insurance corporations to WRITE THE LEGISLATION RIGHT OUT OF MAX BAUCUS' BACK ROOM!!
Democrats were so afraid of even DISCUSSING Single Payer that they had doctors and nurses ARRESTED to shut them up then made sure that Single Payer would not be mentioned on ABC's "Prescription for America" by DISINVITING OBAMA'S OWN PERSONAL PHYSICIAN FROM THE EVENT SO THERE WOULD BE NO UTTERING OF THE GHASTLY WORDS!!!
Now we have a piece of legislation that is despotic. There is no other word to describe what they are about to do to the American public. This legislation is right up there with the US Patriot Act. Like the Patriot Act, I'll bet this monster was written a long time ago....just waiting for the stars to align so corporate America would have a license to STEAL OUR MONEY AND FORCE US TO BUY A SUBSTANDARD PRODUCT WE HAVE NO FAITH IN.
If that isn't despotism I don't know what is.
Since the Progressive Caucus members have gone home with their tails between their legs in fear that if they DEMAND (which they COULD!!) that one progressive thing be attached to this monster of a bill there would be a good possibility that Rahm would call up and say, "Sorry. You tried to make trouble so no $$$$ for your re-election in the fall".
Kind of reminds me of Gillibrand in New York. She's not a good enough Democrat for Rahm. He needs to have one of his own. A loyal Wall Street DLCer. So now Harold Ford has shown up to "challenge" her for the Senate.
So, what's a progressive to do to kill this legislation?
Well, it seems that Scott Brown, the Republican who is running against Martha Coakley for the Massachusetts senate seat, is our only hope. In spite of the fact that Kennedy's widow has endorsed Coakley, in spite of the fact that Obama has sent direct emails to every Democrat in the state, in spite of all the phone banking and money that is being poured into Massachusetts and all the negative ads, today Scott Brown, the REPUBLICAN in liberal Massachusetts is polling 4 points AHEAD of Coakley.
This election is being billed as a PUBLIC REFERENDUM ON THE HEALTHCARE LEGISLATION.
Here's the little hiccup that could happen here.
If Brown wins next Tuesday the Democrats will drag their feet for at LEAST two weeks to certify the election. By then they feel Kirk, the interim Senator, will have time to cast the deciding "Yes" vote.
The problem with all this is that the Democrats already set a precedent with Congresswoman Tsongas. She was elected on a Tuesday and the same Democrats RUSHED THROUGH THE CERTIFICATION OF HER ELECTION SO SHE COULD TAKE THE OATH OF OFFICE AND CAST THE DECIDING VOTE TO OVERRIDE BUSH'S VETO AGAINST THE SCHIP PROGRAM.
Hmmmm. Seems to me this could cause a nasty court fight in Massachusetts.
Here's a link:
http://trueslant.com/rickungar/2010/01/13/what-a-gop-win-in-massachusetts-means-to-health-care-reform/
I hope and pray that the word spreads far and wide about how corrupt the Democratic Party has become. I hope and pray there's a snowstorm in Massachusetts Tuesday and more Republicans get out to vote who want to kill the healthcare legislation than Democrats who are mesmerized by the corporate hypnotism of "OBAMACARE". I hope and pray that Scott Brown wins and that the Democratic Party in Massachusetts is SHAMED into certifying him in time for the vote and that he is sworn in and helps the Republican Party KILL THE BILL.
Because if this legislation passes, it will be corporate America's final nail in the coffin of democracy.
They own the government, they own the media, they own our money supply/banking system and now they'll own our right to decide how we live or die in America.
Go Scott!!!! Beat Martha!!!!!!
"Write our Congressperson? Email, call, fax....make a visit?"
If you don't want to be ignored by your congresscritter when you write them, simply attach a $500,000 bribe, Im mean campaign contribution to your letter. THEN you will NOT be ignored...
Ha ha! Money talks, BS walks!
That's right, Abbeywood, don't DO anything to KILL THE BILL. Don't speak out. Don't telephone your Senators and Congressperson. Don't write, email or fax them. Don't let them know your opinion, in any way.
Don't write letters to your newspapers, TV and radio stations. Don't become informed, and don't inform others. Don't join protests and marches. Don't make signs and display them in public.
After all, public protest and opinion has NEVER influenced public policy. It did nothing to bring about Civil Rights legislation. It did nothing to end the Vietnam War. It did nothing to kill the immigration deform bill in 2007.
So, do nothing ... just bend over and take it.
Oh, there's ONE thing you can do. Tell as many other people as you can that they should do nothing also. THAT'S where you should put your time and effort. Kill the movement to kill the bill. If we all work hard, we can kill the movement to kill the bill. Health deform will pass, proving you were right all along: there's nothing anyone could have done about it. Then you can feel smug about how smart you are.
Naturally 12:29 ------- Since Congress and Obomber are very aware of the citizens wishes and constantly ignore them I think we can agree contacting politicians unless it is in the realm of 10's of millions does little good.
13 Million people marching against the IRAQ war in one day did not even slow down the deaths of 600,000 Iraqis.
The stronger than simple communications actions might make a difference but even large protests are ignored by MSM and GOV. ( except to pre-emptively arrest organizers).
Thus nothing short of large destructive violent protests will be noticed but I doubt that will advance any cause except state security.
I think the increase in fascist laws and policies have created a different landscape for dissent.
Even Vietnam involved the murder of military officiers and violence and destruction on the homefront.
Now with any physical dissent classified as terrorism the ante has been raised greatly.
With the advent of widespread fascism the tactics need to be changed even if it means using the martial arts technique of allowing the opponent to topple from his own weight i.e. accelerate the demise of the Politicians through their own extreme corruptness by ushering in the most bizzare of the lot.
Spread the word: Do nothing!
Naturally 3:27 You missed my point----- no sense doing the same ineffective things over and over.
It is necessary to develope new Tactics for the new circumstances
Use your creative process to outwit the present scenerio because the old tactics have been checkmated.
One tactic I suggest is encouraging the Bloated to go so far overboard that they sink like a stone.
Perhaps you can create some meaningful effective tactics
Spread the word: do nothing and hope for the worst. If we all put our minds to it, we can make government "sink like a stone." Or perhaps we can shrink it till it's small enough to drown in a bathtub. (Where have I heard that before?)
This Wendell Potter is just wasting our time with his inside information and decades of experience in government manipulation. His advice is worthless. Center for Media and Democracy, the organization he is now associated with, has an extensive website that nobody should visit. Don't waste your precious time. Political action is futile. Tell every progressive and leftist you know: do nothing!
(Right-wing political actions are effective, but left-wing political actions are not. Repeat that 100 times each night before going to sleep.)
I don't think that is what Abby is saying.
Abby,
You hit the nail on the head.
Well said.
Chelsea
Vote for Brown the Repug--send a message--that's what can be done.
Yeah, try for all the good it will do to contact your Reps. I've done it dozens of time on this issue--all Dems--all on the take.
Go AbbybWood 10:00 !!!!!!
The greatest transfer of wealth in history will be complete with your being conscripted to feed the insurance mobsters.
You have already been sheared now they are cutting off your limbs as you still breath.
Kill the senate bill. It's a wolf in sheep's clothing!
AD
The problem is your government system. Your vote means nothing.
The two party system ensures that you have no choice. Only those with corporate blessing to begin with can afford the primary process.
Then as long as a politician can con the people ONCE, and get elected, then he has no need of you ever again. He will retire fat and rich as long as he takes care of the corporations...or if he is REALLY greedy, he will become a lobbiest.
Even the lowest staff member is on the corporate gravy train.
The only way to break this cycle is to have a real grassroots third party that is answerable ONLY to the people, foresworn from corporate largesse, and when elected, their first priority is to get the corrupting corporate cash out of government.
Only then can you proceed with passing sane laws for the people, not corporate, benefit.
muj 11:01 ---- Correcto mundo
If your keyboard spits out ALL Caps on its own...spend $10 and get a new keyboard. If you keyboard can figure out how to CAPITALIZE words but not capitalize the beginning of a sentence...GET A NEW $10 keyboard. If (as I suspect) you're just trying to scream certain words at me...GET A JOB AT FOX.
Wendell:
I thought we had already lost that battle and before it started too.
I'm surprised that Wendell did not point out the flaws in the supposed "good things" in the bills--loopholes that insurers will use to dodge writing policies for those with pre-existing conditions.
The gender disparities will not be eliminated in large companies. Most women under 65 will be unfairly treated under this legislation.
Taxpayers will be giving subsidies to low-income people to purchase policies from for-profit companies beholden to their shareholders. Deductibles in basic plans will be, as Mr. Potter says, so high that patients will avoid needed preventive care. Can't afford to go to the doctor about that bronchitis, just wait for pneumonia to set in.
The unions settled for an inadequate fast-fix VEBA when they should have held out for single payer.
Under either version of the bill, millions will remain uninsured.
Eager to support this President, we've allowed ourselves to be led down a garden path. Just lie down and let the corporate juggernaut run over us.
This bill will be a failure--even if it passes!
Let your representatives know that you want Medicare for all--humane, simple, cost effective!
Hattie,
Well said.