AP: White House ‘Met Early and Often with Lobbyists’ on Health Care

[Hissyspit]

Source: Associated Press

AP: White House ‘met early and often with lobbyists’ on health care

By Raw Story
Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 -- 4:15 pm

White House officials "met early and often with lobbyists" involved in the health care reform effort, visitor logs obtained by the Associated Press show.

The White House on Wednesday released some 1,600 records of visitors to the White House since the inauguration of President Barack Obama in January. AP reports that among the visitors were several health care experts who advocate a more radical overhaul of the health care system than the one being debated in Congress. Eliot Fisher of Dartmouth Medical School, a vocal opponent of inefficiency in health care, and David Himmelstein of Harvard Medical School, a supporter of single-payer universal health care, were both on the list.

Also on the list were a plethora of health insurance CEOs and lobbyists, including the CEOs of Blue Cross Blue Shield, Kaiser Health Plans and the heads of pharma lobby group PhRMA and the American Hospital Association.

Read more: http://rawstory.com/2009/11/white-house-met-lobbyists-health

[the blues]

1. +1 brings rec's to 0

I don't understand why President Obama met with any lobbyists about health care reform.

[shadowknows69]

2. It's called we were played.

[roguevalley]

76. I wonder if Joe Lieberman and whatshisname who was from North

Dakota until he got voted out were there. They are lobbyists too I hear.

[bjobotts]

103. And this is the deal they struck only they ran into some impediments

President Rahm Obama bargained away the PO early on for guarantees of campaign donations coming to dems (especially Blue dogs) in the next elections rather than repubs.

The proof is that the WH, under Rahm Obama, pushed for the "trigger" option which is no PO at all, under the guise of courting Olympia Snowe (when it was actually the other way around) and became extremely angry when Reid wouldn't go for it.

Reid managed to get the support he needed for the "opt out" PO version which really angered the WH since they bargained away the PO already but couldn't absolutely guarantee it since some senators would never go for a trigger version because they knew that was no PO at all.

Enter Obama's mentor Joe Lieberman to kill the PO so now in order to get that 60th vote Reid is being forced to offer the trigger option and exchange Lieberman's vote for Snowe's vote...which is what the muted WH wanted all along and which we all know is no PO at all.

Many claim the PO will get added back in without a trigger during conference of House and Senate...but it won't.

What is most important to private ins. is there be no Public Option because that will open the door for gov. involvement in the HC ins. industry which could be expanded in the future and most certainly cause competition in that market. Private ins has already spent millions to stop reform and have told Rahm Obama if the PO passes there will be hell to pay come election time as they will pour money into the opposition.

Keep in mind Obama has used Lieberman to do this type of bidding before like when Lieberman made sure the torture photos could never be sown via the FOIA by slipping it into some other bill...when Obama could not get it done through the courts as the courts all concluded they should be revealed.

So we can expect to get a PO with a trigger option (which is no PO at all) trading Lieberman's vote for Snowe's as the 60th vote to break a republican filibuster so there will be an up or down vote...at which point Snowe can vote against the bill and Lieberman can vote for it just to save face.

The anti civil liberties Blue dog leader Rahm Emanuel is a good indication of the direction Obama is taking, along with Tim Geitner.
Paulson and Summers...and it is definitely not progressive.

Dawn Johnsen has yet to be confirmed to advise the president and there has yet to be an effort to de-Bushify the gov. especially our DoJ by replacing all the USAs appointed by Bush. (sorry Siegleman...if only you were a republican like Stevens, who is guilty, from Alaska who was not shackled and did not serve a day in jail before Holder jumped to make sure he was set free, you still have the "proven" corrupt judge and USA putting you in prison for 20yrs while Holder and Obama look the other way. Justice you can believe in)

What a mess Obama has to contend with...but such a big mess needs good advisers to help the president deal with it...and we get Rahm...which none of us would have elected to the office he now holds that's for sure.

Happy Thanksgiving. I am thankful for all the things that haven
't happened as much as I am for the things that have happened.

[bjobotts]

104. Also Medicare's budget can be expanded to cover us all via reconciliation needing only 51 votes to p

The senators aren't talking about that because it would completely eliminate priv. ins. profiteering. Then pre existing conditions, caps, etc wouldn't matter because we would all have medicare and the gov we elect could focus on fixing Medicare and with everyone covered it would even include dental.

Why won't they listen...expand Medicare's budget to cover everyone and being a budgetary issue it could be passed via reconciliation requiring only 51 votes....so simple.

[kestrel91316]

4. I would have met with same, if for no other reason than to be able to say

I listened to both sides of the debate.

I guess they don't teach diplomacy anymore.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Mithreal]

11. kestrel, du rules apply to everyone

and take a look in the mirror with a post like that.

[parasearchers]

25. I will wait till 2012, and then if the country needs to be shot in the head

I will vote for whatever loony the repukes put in. Let it go to hell.

[FormerDittoHead]

14. I'll wait until the final bill. I wait until his speech about Afghanistan. I might just wait...

I might just wait out 2012. Let's see how he does with all of those moderates who will vote for him.

I don't like playing the "who else do you have to vote for" game.

[Akoto]

15. Consider the present situation for a moment.

What's currently being pursued is, among other reforms, a public option. It would be very helpful to many people (myself included), but it basically remains a form of insurance. The fact that it's controlled by the government ensures a degree of fairness not found with insurance companies.

This, as you are no doubt aware, has been a hard sell. We're engaged in a heated conflict with our opponents, many of whom are swayed by the MSM over whether or not this is socialism/gubmint control. This, over a plan which will benefit many of its fearful detractors.

Consider what the reaction would be to a single payer system, in light of the firestorm over a mere public insurance plan. It'd be an even more drastic change in how things are done. I'm not saying it's a bad system (it works great elsewhere), but if we're ever to go single payer, it will be through steps like the PO. We just won't get there otherwise.

I don't see how the President sold us out for not seeing people whose cause is presently hopeless -- setting aside the fact that he never promised single payer in his campaign. If that were the case, then he'd have sold you out.

[Tansy_Gold]

16. A "hard sell" to whom? Not the public, since the public wants it

We took our last "steps" toward universal health care when Medicare and Medicaid were launched almost HALF A FUCKING CENTURY ago. With the exception of the "public option" in the current "plan," everythng else is a giveaway to the insurance companies with virtually no guarantee that they will actually provide coverage. They demand the premium, but they refuse to guarantee they'll pay out when the patient needs it.

Like justice, health care delayed is health care denied. PEOPLE ARE DYING. Doesn't that mean anything? Don't PEOPLE mean anything?

We get ooohs and aaaahs over what a gorgeous couple the Obamas are at their state dinner. But where is the action on health care FROM THE ADMINISTRATION? Is the failure of this administration to make any headway on this issue just set aside because Barack and Michelle look good in formal dress?

Read the account of the triage doctor from Little Rock. It's here on DU somewhere, tucked behind the photos from the state dinner and the name-calling when anyone dares to criticize His Royal Highness. Most of us critics don't resort to name-calling -- "traitor" "PUMA" "freeper" being among the more common -- but rather we try to deal with the issues.

Did Obama campaign on promises of "I'm gonna just sit back and let Congress iron out all this stuff with the various industries that have vested interests in the status quo"? No, regardless the fine print, his mantra was change. Change we can believe in.

His numbers are going down because he is not perceived as delivering on that essential promise. if he doesn't want to be a one-term president succeeded by a half-baked Alaskan, he'd better start delivering.



Tansy Gold

[Akoto]

26. Hey, no need to lecture me.

I'm bedridden at 24 with a rare chronic pain condition. There are treatments which might offer me a little relief, but I can't afford them due to lack of insurance/money. A public option or single payer would do nothing but help me.

Having said that, I am aware of the realities as they presently stand. The "hard sell" is to the resistant politicians whose votes are required to make change happen.

[the blues]

10. I draw a distinction between lobbyists and experts

I understand Obama's desire to hear different points of view about health care reform. However, because his time is valuable, individuals with whom he confers should meet a gold standard. By this, I don't mean they will earn much gold if they are successful in persuading him to their point of view. By definition, a lobbyist is "a person who tries to influence legislation on behalf of a special interest; a member of a lobby." There are many raw facts about health care reform that have been obtained by analysis of data. Let experts with no financial self-interest in promoting (or thwarting) health care reform present the case to the president.

I wasn't sure what you meant when you wrote "they don't teach diplomacy anymore" -- but then I saw your harsh response in post #7. Now, I understand exactly what you meant.

[sendero]

43. Well said..

... Washington hasn't changed one bit, and folks on both sides of the aisle know it.

[Crzyrussell]

99. Technically

anybody who goes to Washington to influence , whether it is AARP, SEIU or the chamber of commerce are lobbyists. Even the supporting groups of HCR are lobbyists.

[ljm2002]

31. deleted

[sendero]

42. Yeah...

.... except he never listened to OUR side. Single payer wasn't even given a thought.

[Jim Sagle]

56. But they do teach how to dispense DLC hogwash. Too bad it only pays five bucks an hour.

[Zhade]

107. Shame he listened to the corporate side more than those who care about us.

A familiar occurrence with this president.

[RedCloud]

24. He said no more lobbying before he got elected.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

[HuckleB]

36. So that means he's not going to consult with anyone?

:shrug:

[ooglymoogly]

53. +1 brings it to recs 53 nt

[Bluebear]

105. 117 :)

[Okota]

65. why he met with lobbyist?

Because there his pimps.they tell him what kind of services they want him to perform on the public.

[Name removed]

90. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[SergeStorms]

88. Money...........

lobbyists from the health care industry invest lots of money for access to our government leaders, and they expect a return on their investment. Just like the banking industry, they paid for access and demand it when they want it. Until there is honest campaign finance reform this will be standard operating procedure in Washington. Anyone who thought Obama was different in this respect - that he wouldn't give lobbyists their money's worth - was quite naive.
Hope and change: we hoped they'd change, but obviously they haven't. :shrug:

[Cant trust em]

3. Apparently they also met with critics of the health care system

It says so right there.

[BREMPRO]

12. yes they did, with single payer advocates, dartmouth atlas researchers as well as corporate reps.

does it occur to anyone that the meetings are not just to be influenced by lobbyists, but to understand and listen to their point of view and try court the industry on board for the best possible outcome for us? Obama met with all the stakeholders and kept them engaged in the process. That is why we even have a bill to consider, unlike hillarycare that was a closed door process that was killed by lobbyists before it ever got traction.

[AtheistCrusader]

22. Flood insurance.

It's a federal insurance program, administered by normal insurance companies. Perhaps they are exploring a single payer system in that model?

My home is backed against flood damage by the Federal Government, but Farmers Insurance actually adminsters the policy. Collects the premiums set by the Government, and pushes money around in little piles for the government when payouts are needed.

I don't know what the insurance company's cut is of the piles of money, but it could theoretically work for health care I suppose.

I'll wait and see what Obama comes up with. But everyone needs to keep in mind, while he can apply political pressure on this topic, he can ASK for things, try and broker the deal, etc, his true function is basically go-no-go on whatever the Congress tries to pass. So we need to temper our expectations OF HIM a bit, I think.

[Raineyb]

29. The insurance companies are not stake holders. They are leeches who

kill people with their claim denials and recisions for profit. Unless you are a doctor or a patient you are not a stakeholder in this debate.

[Sukie]

5. It appears he was doing what was needed in order to

make an informed decision.

[Bluebear]

20. lol

[bobbolink]

27. I will see your lol and raise you a guffaw.

[Jim Sagle]

57. And I'll toss in a haw haw haw.

[Go2Peace]

63. Yep, amazing rewriting of history some here want to do.Anyone else remember when DR.s were shut out?

The administration really fought to keep the grassroots and single payer representation out of the meetings. I can't believe folks have forgotten that already?

[MissDeeds]

59. + 10

It's just amazing the lengths the apologists will go to.

[Skittles]

75. I'M WITH YOU PT

:rofl:

[Bluebear]

79. XOXOXOX

[liberation]

96. Apparently, for some of you... the expected process for a loan application

must include meetings with the Mafia and your local loan shark. After all, one should keep all their options open. Right?

[babylonsister]

8. That's the headline from rawstory? I would have thought David

Himmelstein would have been bigger news, since for months people have been complaining that the WH never met with single-payer supporters.

:eyes:

[radhika]

9. What about Patient's Groups, Community Clinics, Non Profits?

Maybe I missed it, but didn't get the idea that participants in volunteer free healthcare clinics, women's health or disease management advocates or local non-profit community groups that work in medically-underserved areas got through the screening process. Or bankruptcy trustees. Not sure I saw small businesses either - cuz the big lobbies don't work for them.

[change_notfinetuning]

13. The same lobbyists who were going to be sent packing by the new sheriff?

Nah, couldn't be. Not with that tough-talking sheriff who was going to show them who's boss.

This is the last time I run up to kick the football with it being held by a Democrat.

[optimator]

17. can't wait to hear the spin on this

.

[AllTooEasy]

21. what spin...he met with both sides, and the CEOs left pissed

It's been well documented. This is old news. His group meeting with the CEOs was broadcasted on every news station. It was one of the first things he did.

[winyanstaz]

81. why were they pissed? The insurance companies got a hand out...

and get to keep on playing God with our health system.

[Bluebear]

18. But O-man looks hawt in a swimsuit so all is forgiven

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

48. and aren't they a gorgeous couple?

[Jim Sagle]

58. Michelle is so hawt! All is forgiven.

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

[AllTooEasy]

19. old story, we knew this. His group meeting with the CEO's was broadcasted on every news channel

...and the immediate reports were that it didn't go well.

The CEO's didn't like what Obama wanted and Obama was surprisingly (how?) upset with their complete unwillingness to bulge.

Hey, nice try.

[sasquatch]

23. I know Obama isn't quite the president I wan't him to be yet, but this looks like a good thing to me

He met with all sides of the issue in order to reach a decision. I'm sorry but that's the reasonable thing to do.

[Mithreal]

32. So Physicians for a National Health Program got a meeting?

Or Mad As Hell Doctors, not just the AMA?

I see David Himmelstein on there, but were physicians' groups given similar access as the AMA?

I don't know, but it sounds like you might and I don't see the full list.

I disagree that he met with all sides in order to come to a decision. Rather I believe it was known he would not support single payer when elected and would be weak on public option as well. And I also believe the meetings were to ensure corporate support for a bill and corporate donations for the party.

What you wrote sounds so reasonable. I just think it is untrue. I'm sorry too.

[Go2Peace]

64. +1

[Cha]

28. Right and that's not all they met with..

<snip>

"Top aides to President Barack Obama met early and often with lobbyists, Democratic political strategists and other interests with a stake in the administration's national health care overhaul, White House visitor records obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press show.

The AP in early August asked the White House to produce records identifying communications that top Obama aides — including chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, senior advisers David Axelrod, Valerie Jarrett and Pete Rouse, and 18 others — had with outside interests on health care. The AP in late September narrowed its request to White House visitor records for those officials on health care.

The White House on Wednesday provided AP with 575 visitor records covering the period from Jan. 20, when Obama was inaugurated, through August. The records give the name of each visitor to the White House complex to see people on AP's list, the date of the visit, who they were supposed to see, how many people attended the gathering, and in a sampling of cases, the purpose of the visit. The records do not identify the visitors' employers, say on whose behalf they were there or give any specifics on what was discussed.

The records show a broad cross-section of the people most heavily involved in the health care debate, weighted heavily with those who want to overhaul the system. Among them were Dr. Eliot Fisher, a Dartmouth health researcher who has estimated that nearly one-third of health care dollars are wasted on unneeded services, and Dr. David Himmelstein of Harvard Medical School, who is among the top advocates of a single-payer health care system.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091125/ap_on_bi_ge/us_white_house_health_meetings

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x17508

[Barack_America]

30. Wait, so the AP is a TRUSTED source now?

Or has the LW become the RW?

[Mithreal]

33. Raw Story. Before you shoot the messenger, learn to aim better

"The Raw Story is a left-leaning news and politics weblog<1> founded in 2004. Updated continuously, it is known primarily for its investigative reporting. The Raw Story currently covers daily local, world and economic news and publishes its own editorials and investigative pieces. According to their own masthead, Raw Story has been reported and featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, LA Weekly, the New York Post, the Toronto Star, The Hill, Rolling Stone, The Advocate, Roll Call, and Hustler.<2>
Screenshot of Rawstory.com

Boasting an average 3.6 million readers, the site is described by Newsweek as, "Muck, raked: If you're looking for alleged GOP malfeasance, the folks at rawstory.com are frequently scooping the mainstream media."<3>

On August 4, 2008 the Online News Association announced that RawStory.com was a finalist in the 2008 Online Journalism awards in the "Investigative, Small Site" category<4> for the story "The permanent Republican majority", about improper partisan influence in the prosecution of former Governor Don Siegelman of Alabama."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Raw_Story

[bikingaz]

34. I am interested in proper investigations on both party hacks

We should be investigating both parties & holding their feet to the fire, not just the repubs.
Otherwise, you are just a pary hack. We have enough of those.

[Barack_America]

35. Did you miss the headline?

:shrug:

Or perhaps not read who Raw Story is quoting and where they got their information?

[Mithreal]

37. So let me get this straight. You advise only reading headlines?

Just admit ya goofed.

[Barack_America]

44. No but apparently you do.

Raw Story attributes the story to the AP throughout the article.

Did you read it?

Just from the bit the OP posted.

AP: White House ‘met early and often with lobbyists’ on health care

By Raw Story
Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 -- 4:15 pm

White House officials "met early and often with lobbyists" involved in the health care reform effort, visitor logs obtained by the Associated Press show.

The White House on Wednesday released some 1,600 records of visitors to the White House since the inauguration of President Barack Obama in January. AP reports that among the visitors were several health care experts who advocate a more radical overhaul of the health care system than the one being debated in Congress. Eliot Fisher of Dartmouth Medical School, a vocal opponent of inefficiency in health care, and David Himmelstein of Harvard Medical School, a supporter of single-payer universal health care, were both on the list.

Also on the list were a plethora of health insurance CEOs and lobbyists, including the CEOs of Blue Cross Blue Shield, Kaiser Health Plans and the heads of pharma lobby group PhRMA and the American Hospital Association...

This is little more than a rehash of an AP story.

[Mithreal]

50. Ugh, I was wrong.

Fwiw I read the story down to the FULL STORY FOLLOWS BELOW and still don't see anything below. Then I reread the White House released the records and googled that. I jumped the gun but I think we were both wrong not that it gives me any pleasure to say so. The 1600 records out there are hardly something to challenge the AP on and it is with that I still raise the question, what does AP have to do with an official WH record.

That it may be a complete rehash, I just don't know since you are correct, I had difficulty reading the whole story and still do.

Apologies for that.

[Barack_America]

92. Don't worry about it.

It's just that with the media so polarized these days, we have to be very careful about where we are getting our "news" from, whether we are inclined to believe the source or not. Bias is everywhere.

The AP used to be an unbiased source and that it clearly no longer the case.

I don't doubt the 1600 records the AP obtained, I question the handful of visits they decided to report and why they chose that particular handful.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

[philly_bob]

39. I'm trusting AP less and less. Lately they seem to enjoy getting LW mad at Obama. /nt

[Mithreal]

41. I can't stand AP either, but it is irrelevant wrt this story.

On Progressive Radio am1090 in Seattle they use AP for the on the hour newscast which is often filled with rightwing slant. I called more than once to express my anger and I have noticed less. It could be my imagination or I am better able to ignore it, not sure. Still plenty of slant on NPR which I listened to for years and unfortunately complaints are ignored. I pretty much try and avoid AP or any other rightwing slanted news.

This reporting is originally from Raw Story btw.

Thank FSM for progressive radio.

[Barack_America]

47. No, the reporting is not originally from Raw Story.

They're reinterpreting an AP story, which is why they mention that the information comes from the AP both in the title and throughout the article.

BTW, it seems you may need some backstory on what has happened to the AP:
http://mediamatters.org/columns/200807220006

[Mithreal]

51. Thank you, please see my post 50 for my apology.

[Barack_America]

45. It's been an issue ever since Fournier took over the DC bureau.

You may find this an interesting read.

http://mediamatters.org/columns/200807220006

The AP has a Ron Fournier problem

"Karl {Rove}, you might think the media are liberal, but you can trust me. And give me access and return my emails. Because I'm on your side."


So yeah, I think it's understandable to be skeptical of the AP and question why a so-called liberal source would take a story like this carte blanche.

[HughMoran]

38. I think this was stated on numerous occasions

The visitor logs prove what the Administration has stated since the beginning. Some "news"...

[Mithreal]

40. When Obama blocked the list of visitors to White House he made it news.

Some "news" indeed.

"The Obama administration is fighting to block access to names of visitors to the White House, taking up the Bush administration argument that a president doesn't have to reveal who comes calling to influence policy decisions.

Despite President Barack Obama's pledge to introduce a new era of transparency to Washington, and despite two rulings by a federal judge that the records are public, the Secret Service has denied msnbc.com's request for the names of all White House visitors from Jan. 20 to the present. It also denied a narrower request by the nonpartisan watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, which sought logs of visits by executives of coal companies.

CREW says it will file a lawsuit Tuesday against the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Secret Service."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31373407 /

But you knew that already.

[anonymous171]

46. Compromise in action.

:puke:

[earth mom]

49. Didn't Obama say that NO lobbyists were allowed at the WH back in January?

:grr:

[MissDeeds]

60. Oh, but that's so yesterday

Old news, and all that. :sarcasm:

[Bluebear]

106. indeed

[Bryn]

52. Lobbyists are still accepted? WTF

x(

They were the ones who wrote the new bankruptcy law which both parties bowed to and helped it to pass.

Please outlaw the lobbyists! They're nothing but parasites!

[TexasObserver]

54. Of course, they did. The White House is carrying water for the health care industry.

They're protecting the insurers who have helped make this mess.

We aren't getting health reform. Not since the Houston Oilers blew a 30 plus point lead in the Superbowl has anyone blown such a huge lead. The president could have pushed through a real reform bill six months ago, but he's been too busy taking care of the health care industry biggies.

[mopinko]

55. cuz god forbid he make an informed decision.

ferchrissakes. he talks to stakeholders in a major policy decision. what an ass, eh.
:eyes:
some of you people can spin anything.

[Bluebear]

68. Lobbyists are vital to an informed decision? Some of "you people" can explain away anything.

[mopinko]

89. and some of you people

understand nothing. nothing.

[Number23]

61. Okay, so even though the 3rd line of this article states that he met with

single payer advocates, because the headline says "Obama met with lobbyists" the usuals on DU come screaming that he's a sellout again??

Good Lord...

It even says in the article "The records show a broad cross-section of the people most heavily involved in the health care debate, weighted heavily with those who want to overhaul the system." but that still doesn't stop the cries of "is this change I can believe in??!one!" from people here.

[redqueen]

62. Yep. See post 39.

The M$M knows that when it spins, people listen!

[Bluebear]

66. Obama said no lobbyists would be welcome in his White House, and this isn't what's happening.

Not that you would care.

By the by, the !!!11 comes from frenzied people who let up the shift key too early and get the number one instead of exclamation points. They don't type "one"

Finally, you are also one of "the usuals" in case you didn't know. You are just "usually" apologizing and pretending that Obama never utters these promises which are later "amended".

[sudopod]

73. !!!11

and elite is spelled with an e and letters instead of the numbers 1, 3, and 7, but that's how we roll on the http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edaJP3Lp0Gg">information superhighway.

[Number23]

101. Didn't you leave DU?

I could have sworn you had a big ol' goodbye post a few months back.

Your post is the dumbest thing I've seen today. From the thoroughly unnecessary "explanation" of the "one" characters that are typed to your actually trying to pretend that you have even the FIRST clue as to what I'm about or what I think about anything. Go find someone else to try to analyze, dear. You are not good at this -- at all.

[sudopod]

72. The AP will play us for chumps every day

and twice on Sunday until we wise up and learn to look beyond their inflammatory headlines. They are trying to turn us against one another.

[Number23]

102. Right. Some don't need AP. They're happy riding the Ferris Wheel of Foolishness all day, every day

without help from anyone.

[unblock]

67. well duh! this was obvious the day he stood there with all those insurance ceos behind him

the day he announced the health care initiative, with all those insurance ceos behind him, well, due, he had to have had major negotiations with them to get them on board.

they were the FIRST people to get a seat at the table.

[bridgit]

69. Oh I would have, I'd have been all, "So let's hear it. Lemme hear what a forked, $300K tongue...

"...sounds like." But then I'd be all, "So that's it? Yeah? Then get the hell out of my oval office!"

[johnaries]

70. And yet, insurance companies HATE the proposed bills

in both the House and the Senate and are spending millions of dollars to try and block both bills.

And this is the question everyone needs to consider - if these bills are just a big "give-away" to insurance companies, then why are insurance companies so strongly against them?

[Mithreal]

71. They are paying nearly $500,000,000 for influence. Not block, write.

"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - It's not just spending on U.S. healthcare that is breaking records. Drugmakers, insurers and industry groups are on track to spend an all-time high of more than $500 million this year to influence Congress' revamp of the healthcare system.

Lawmakers, especially Democratic Senators up for re-election next year, have seen a flood of campaign donations from hospitals, device makers and others with billions at stake.

The healthcare sector spent $486 million on lobbying last year and nearly $400 million through September of this year, according to the non-profit Center for Responsive Politics."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/20/AR2009112002797.html

"The industry and interest groups have spent $380m (£238m) in recent months influencing healthcare legislation through lobbying, advertising and in direct political contributions to members of Congress. The largest contribution, totalling close to $1.5m, has gone to the chairman of the senate committee drafting the new law.

A former member of Bill Clinton's cabinet says fears that the industry could throw its money behind the populist rightwing backlash against public insurance have scared the Obama White House into pulling back from the most significant reforms in return for healthcare companies not trying to scupper the entire legislation.

Drug and insurance companies say they are merely seeking to educate politicians and the public. But with industry lobbyists swarming over Capitol Hill ‑ there are six registered healthcare lobbyists for every member of Congress ‑ a partner in the most powerful lobbying firm in Washington acknowledged that healthcare firms' money "has had a lot of influence" and that it is "morally suspect"."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/oct/01/lobbyists-millions-obama-healthcare-reform

How much are they spending to block it outright? I don't know, I am curious.

[sudopod]

74. I have a way around this.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7090955

[Mithreal]

77. Sounds right. Or we could work for public financing of elections

which disallows opt out or at least guarantees opt in. Nah, will never happen.

If I really thought we could never get there, I wouldn't be here still. DU, that is, or politically active either.

I shudder to say this, but maybe there is something to the idea in Nader's latest book.

Our government seems impotent while our army seems all powerful, weird, no?

[sudopod]

78. Public funding would be awesome.

And we gotta do something about the military grabbing more and more power. That ain't healthy. :/

[Mithreal]

82. Thom Hartmann regularly mentions Portland's Campaign Finance Fund.

http://www.portlandonline.com/auditor/index.cfm?c=38751

I am a little bothered by all the private armies as well.

[sudopod]

83. When the hell did that become OK?

Were there any Blackwater-style outfits in Vietnam?

[Mithreal]

85. Contractors yes, but I just don't know

Someone who has studied this problem could answer that question. Another DU'er for sure, or maybe Jeremy Scahill's book?

Am doing some googling, I think I am going to spend some time on his website, wouldn't have looked for it if we hadn't been talking, looks good.

http://rebelreports.com/

[Mithreal]

86. Hey, have a Happy Thanksgiving. I am signing out.

[sudopod]

87. You too! :) nt

[winyanstaz]

80. I think the people have been screwed...again....

[Marr]

84. If Obama had wanted to, he could've got a single payer system enacted.

All this "negotiation" on watered down hand outs to massive insurance companies is a joke-- on us. Obama came out of that election with a hell of a lot of political capital, and the public wants a single payer system anyway. Had he wanted to, he could've spoken directly to the public and put such pressure on Congress that few would've dared side with lobbyists.

[Octafish]

91. Rahm's brother must've helped, too.

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2009/02/dr_ezekiel_emanuel_rahms_broth.html

[California Griz]

93. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

I've heard a lot of I'm going to wait and see. That may be better than foretelling doom and spreading despair but it's not helping. Get out and do something put your energy to good use. Obama doesn't need a bunch of armchair quarterbacks he needs foot soldiers. Stop whining and try and make a difference.

[ZombieHorde]

94. ‘Met Early and Often with Lobbyists’ = Loaded language.

"Early and Often" is a phrase used to describe illegal voting techniques.

[dpbrown]

95. So that's where Single Payer went

Change a lobbyist could love.

[OneGrassRoot]

97. It's not about the OP's, it's about the comments that ensue....

DU is officially Free Republic Lite.

:(

[truedelphi]

98. But hey, the President would have been happy to meet with any one of us

If we had come up with $ 30,000 so we could buy our way into one of the "Health Care Reform" lunches that Rahm and his people sponsored.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

108. did you read the full article proper and not only the headline blasted?

Since the headline is somewhat misleading

The records show a broad cross-section of the people most heavily involved in the health care debate, weighted heavily with those who want to overhaul the system. Among them were Dr. Eliot Fisher, a Dartmouth health researcher who has estimated that nearly one-third of health care dollars are wasted on unneeded services, and Dr. David Himmelstein of Harvard Medical School, who is among the top advocates of a single-payer health care system.

[truedelphi]

110. But that does not undo the terrible damage done to this country when Obama's initial meme

"I believe that Single Payer Universal Health Care is the only logical solution to the health care crisis," being watered done to the following meme: "Uh, well, now public option is only one of many tools that we may use in the Health Care Reform Bill, and it may not even be in the final bill."

The first statement is from Obama when he ran for the Senate back in 2004. The second is from Obama this summer when he was asked by A Univ. Of CO at Boulder student about how the Big Insurance industries could compete with the public option.

If we had a free press in this nation, the fact that Obama switched from his early, totally logical statement to a totally frivolous one once Industry showered his campaign coffers with their monies would have been daily news.

If we had a free press, the media would have mentioned the INSANITY represented by Obama's 2009 stance that "Single Payer would be the best option, if we were not already caught up inside a system and needed to work within that system." How lame is that statement - "we need to have a HC reform because we are in crisis, but hey, let's not disturb the siystem we have."??

SO yeah and yeah, BIG CAN OF WHOOP ASS for these two people showing up to discuss the HC Reform situation. Problem is, Fisher and Himmelstein didn't get much done for us did they!?! as the lobbyists rule inside this Admministration, not the solution oriented people.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

100. Was it a cash or credit card transaction...er..meeting?

[berni_mccoy]

109. I take this as a good thing. Shouldn't the President listen to ALL Sides of an Issue?

[spanone]

111. you gotta listen to all sides. not unusual imo. unfortunately lobbying is 100% legal.