Wednesday, September 2, 2009

The debate – if we can call it that – goes on. And on.

I continue to be astonished at the fabrications being spread about health care reform … spread by people who clearly know that what they are saying is not true. Ohio Republican John Boehner, for example, says the Democratic plan would amount to a government take-over of our health care system.

That’s poppycock and Boehner knows it! I see whichever private doctor I want … I get a blood test whenever my doctor recommends it … I have routine procedures whenever he and I decide they should be done. The only involvement by Medicare is to pay the damn bills!

But the Republicans keep howling that we don’t want to drive the insurance and pharmaceutical companies out of business.

You mean insurance companies like the Aetna, whose CEO gets $25 million a year in compensation?

Or pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer, which has just agreed to pay a $2.3 billion fine -- yes, that's billion with a B -- for illegally promoting some of their nostrums?

Doesn’t it occur to any of those Republicans that if a drug company can afford to pay a several billion dollar fine, they’re making too damn much money? These are the people they're blathering about?

Will said it best: "… it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

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2 comments:

Kolea said...

Thanks, Jim, for your continued contributions to a sensible--AND CIVIL-- discussion of the very real problems facing us, particularly on healthcare.

I drop by your blog about once a week, have never commented before, but today decided I wanted to let you know you ARE appreciated.

Keep it up!

Aloha

JIM LOOMIS said...

Many thanks. Your kinds words are very much appreciated. All any of us can do is keep on punchin' away.