(Original article found here.)
It's a Slam Dunk,
and Here's Why
Although it may appear that corporate medicine's opposition is strong enough to kill health care reform, I would argue that Obama's health reform is now a slam dunk inevitability. Not only that, Obama's public health plan will mean the end of the health insurance industry. And, I say good riddance to this bloated evil empire.
Enemies of Health Reform Line Up for Battle to the Death
The major enemy of health reform is the Health Insurance Industry, and its proxy, the AMA (American Medical Association). With billions of dollars of revenue at stake, the seven major health insurance companies are not planning to die without a bitter fight.
1) Obama Hates the Insurance Industry. Every chance he gets, Obama recounts the personal story of his mother dying of breast cancer, all the while arguing from her hospital bed over insurance coverage. Obama retold his Mom's story on Jun 15 to the American Medical Association, and gave a stinging rebuke to the AMA for opposing his public option. Obama said at a recent Press Conference, "the public option is an important tool to discipline the health insurance industry." (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
2) Obama's Rebuke to the AMA is Child's Play. The American Medical Association has opposed public health care for a 100 years, so it is not surprising that the AMA's recently issued statement opposed Obama's public health insurance option. The AMA is clearly acting as a proxy, representing the interests of the health insurance industry.
Obama grabbed the national spotlight with his address to the AMA convention in Chicago on June 15. Obama's speech was a stinging rebuke to the doctor organization, and a striking example of how easy it is for Obama to completely and utterly decimate the opposing side. Obama excels at monopolizing national media to broadcast his persuasive arguments which totally destroy his adversary (in this case the AMA).
3) Obama Answers Only to Wall Street, and owes nothing to the health insurance industry, or the AMA. Obama's power base comes directly from Wall Street, and not from the health insurance industry. We recently witnessed Obama orchestrate a 13 trillion dollar government bail-out of Wall Street, while others, such as the auto industry, are left to fend for themselves or file bankruptcy. The health insurance industry will receive the same indifference, disdain and non-treatment.
John Kusumi says in an Op-Ed article: "If you look also at the people that Obama has put on his appointments list, it's all Wall Street. It's government of Wall Street, by Wall Street, and for Wall Street. There's nobody from heavy industry. There's nobody from the auto sector. Nobody from Silicon Valley. Nobody from big oil. Nobody from defense. No labor, no women, no retirees, no small business, nothing. It's pure Wall Street. The only people who have a voice in Obama's councils are Wall Street finance oligarchs. That's all there is. Nobody else counts for anything under Obama. It's the most extreme Wall Street administration we've ever had."
4) Good News and Bad News. The Good News is that Obama's Popularity Will Surge. Passage of Obama's public health insurance option will be immensely popular with the people. Now, the bad news: Obama's increased popularity will facilitate the continuation of an overseas military agenda, and a continuation of the policies of the Bush era which rolled back our civil liberties, and concentrated immense power in the office of the presidency.
5) Power of Obama's Presidency. Obama inherits from the Bush legacy a totally new office of the presidency with unprecedented executive powers. Obama will destroy the health insurance industry with a vengeance, because he can. One tool is the executive signing order.
6) Money to Pay for the New Plan. The new plan is estimated to cost one trillion dollars over ten years (according to the CBO). This is peanuts compared to the 13 trillion just dumped into the black hole of a failing Wall Street Banking system. And, this is peanuts compared to the immense military spending every year which maintains our overseas military presence.
Savings will pay for the plan: Besides, we are now paying double per capita for health care than most other countries that already enjoy single payer health care. This suggests we can cut our national health care bill in half just by eliminating the middle man, the bloated and corrupt health insurance industry that steals our health care dollars while withholding health care to the needy.
