The Dissolving Band-Aid

While the contest for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination is already revolving around conservative-themed attacks on "Obamacare," back when the healthcare bill was being legislated, the most important debate was within the Democratic Party, which held large majorities in both houses of Congress. On one side were the drug companies, the insurance companies and President Obama -- the latter who had not only disowned his prior support of single-payer healthcare but had also worked with his corporate allies to actively undermine a modest public insurance option. On the other side were progressives who opposed any bill which further cemented the private insurance industry as the primary mediator between doctors and patients.

Ultimately, Obama and his corporate-backed allies organized enough conservative Democrats in Congress to win, effectively turning healthcare "reform" into a blank-check TARP-style bailout for the health industry. But, of course, to even whisper that last truism is to now run the risk of being labeled a blasphemer in a conversation that can only tolerate misleading red-versus-blue analyses. In today's national political debate, there are Republicans who insist "Obamacare" is a Canadian-style "takeover" of America's healthcare system, and there are Democrats who insist that the health bill is a major Medicare-like achievement -- any other argument, no matter how valid, has been vaporized by election-season pressure to fall in ideological line.
~ from When Health Insurance Isn't Enough by David Sirota ~

I can think of numerous reasons why I would NEVER cast a vote for Barack Obama and his so-called health care reform bill ranks up near the top. As Sirota describes it and I strongly agree with, the biggest component of this false reform is that it represents yet another bailout for an industry that doesn't need to be bailed out. The health insurance industry is making money hand over fist! Thanks to their good buddy Obama, their fortunes will now move beyond the sky is the limit.

I know that many diehard Obama backers say that "It's not everything we hoped for, but at least it's a start in the right direction..." I've got news for you. It is NOT going in the right direction unless what you mean by right is funneling money to the egregiously wealthy. That's what this new law is all about.