Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Dept. of No Surprise: Health Care Division

Love the WaPo headline:  "Health Insurers Emerge as Obama's Top Foe in Reform Effort."

Really?  "Emerge"?  Did anyone ever doubt that they were dead-set against any change to the system (except, of course, a law requiring everybody to buy their overpriced products).  

These people have grown rich and fat through a system -- if that is not too generous a word for our ad-hoc mess -- which rations health care forcefully, and has increasingly put it beyond the reach of many small businesses, independent contractors, and churches.  They have been aided in this by easily-purchased politicians and the legion of frightened and somewhat dim older Americans who already have a government-run plan and don't want to share.

So here's what the coming months will bring:  more of the same.  Politicians, especially but not exclusively Republican ones, will continue to do the bidding of their corporate masters. (A few will continue to talk about socialism, but most will begin trying to look somber as they say, straight into the camera, that what they want is "real" reform, by which in fact they mean "not a damned thing.")  Meanwhile, a tidal wave of advertising (including "advertorials," some of which will actually be delivered by the supposed "reporters" on a few popular cable networks) will be directed at old people, warning them that if anything changes -- anything at all! -- they will no longer be able to see a doctor or buy their medicine.

Please, people -- for the love of God and the love of your neighbor -- call their bluff.