Joe Klein: How Special Interests Could Block Reform

TIME:

One of the most difficult things to do in a democracy is react to a problem that is real, but not immediately threatening. Obama is trying to do this in two monster areas, health care and climate change. "He's killing me," says Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, referring to the hordes of special-interest groups that have camped on her doorstep and clogged her phone lines. Stabenow is smiling as she says it. She supports the broad thrust of Obama's initiatives. "But you can't believe all the groups that want to make their case. There are the doctors, the nurses, the cancer society," she continues, raising the specter of a conga line of disease groups bending her ear. "All of them have legitimate concerns. And that's just health care."

Read the whole story: TIME

Comments

[krocklin]

I just got turned down by Blue Cross, because I had it for 6 months 10 years ago and went to a psychiatrist after my girlfriend left me. I saw her about 3 times and got a few useless prescription drugs.
I recovered on my own though. But now I guess I don't qualify just 4 months before I get Medicare.

[loki]

"Could Block Reform"?? They do all the time, and they will again.

[WIpatriot]

Joke Line states the obvious. Again.

[sbvpav]

it is now all too apparent that in this our representative government, our representatives are representing others than those who elected them; they are representing first, themselves and their re-election by campaign donations and representing the interests of those who pay for their campaigns.

[sense oar sheep]

special interest cannot block health care reform: only congress and the president have the power to enact law.

if health care reform is blocked, it's because congress or the president sold out to special interests.

[Rog49Thomas]

Joe, how about "do" instead of "could"?

[Lasnoe]

My question is to those who support this "Obama Care" bill.

The most common complaints I hear from those who appose the current system are that private insurance companies are too greedy and corrupt.... you can make that argument.... but what doesn't make sense to me is how you plan on curing this problem of greed and corruption by centralizing the power to the government? Are we to assume that those in government are somehow less prone to being greedy or corrupt?

I keep hearing that "Obama Care" will increase competition.... I'm convinced the people who say this don't know what competition means... How will this bill increase competition when it prohibits private insurance companies from signing up new members? Competition is what keeps companies honest.... If you have the fear that your customers can go to your competitor you do whatever you can not to lose them.....what competition will the government have to keep the government plan honest???

How do you keep this government system free of greed and corruption? and how do you do it for the long run? This administration might have good intentions but how can you guarantee that an administration 10 presidents from now will not abuse it? If you can't than you must reject this system.

[moosala]

Are we to assume that those in government are somehow less prone to being greedy or corrupt? Well yes, actually, by the very definition of government-run... you know, the part where there is no profit motive... remember the Wall Street mantra, greed is good? And what do they care about on Wall Street... PROFIT? Right.

How will this bill increase competition when it prohibits private insurance companies from signing up new members? Well, it doesn't prevent private insurers from signing up new members, there ya go.

Competition is what keeps companies honest.... Couldn't agree more! So injecting new competition into the 90%+ markets in which there are presently only ONE or TWO insurers ought to be a welcome change.

What competition will the government have to keep the government plan honest??? The private insurers... that's why the president is pushing a strong public option as opposed to single-payer insurance.

How do you keep this government system free of greed and corruption? By eliminating the profit motive. While we're on this subject, tell me: how do you keep these private insurance monopoly profiteers free of greed and corruption, and how do you do that in the long run?

The CEOs of the private insurers might have good intentions but how can you guarantee that a management team 10 CEOs from now will not abuse it? If you can't than you must reject private insurers. Thank you for pointing that out.

[Lasnoe]

- your premise that only profit motive is what leads to corruption and greed is absolutely incorrect. Power, for example, can arguably be a greater motive for corruption and greed and you completely ignore it.

You also ignore, completely, a key ingredient for preventing corruption.... which is competition. A healthy competitive environment will weed out corruption and greed from a market because it will prevent firms from keeping customers for the long run.

So, now you propose a policy that gives more POWER to the government. But more importantly, your proposing to give this power to a government that has no COMPETITION.

Your giving more power to an entity that has no competition and your trying to sell me on the idea that this is going to cure corruption and greed....

You have to understand why I would have to, respectfully,disagree with you and this health care bill.

[Lasnoe]

another point.... cheating on your taxes could be considered both greedy and corrupt...

How many tax cheats did we find in government this year alone.....? imagine all the cheats we don't know about.....

You think government isn't a corrupt and greedy entity??? come on.... lets get serious people

[uvymopka]

The enemy isn’t conservatism. The enemy isn’t liberalism. The enemy is bullshit.

[illinoisan]

Joe Klein: How the Earth Could Turn on its Axis.

[sense oar sheep]

is it possible?

[krocklin]

Americans' assumptions of prosperity forever are dying.
And though Obama is doing a good job explaining why, Americans are still too obtuse to catch on.
Things could get a lot worse for most Americans. And even if it does, it isn't likely that the damage can be undone from corporate greed.
Many will be prosperous enough however not to care about the rest. That is the problem.
Americans are far less humane than Europeans and citizens of other First World. And their understanding of how much cost effective a more humane system is nil.
Imagine how much less stressed out people would be if only healthcare were available like it is in other countries.
Even Medicare, with full coverage, is costly.
The whole American system could be unravelling except for the upper classes.
People say they are happy with their healthcare. This is sheer ignorance. And they fear "socialism", preferring corporate greed to run things.
Foreclosures, general anxiety, joblessness, credit card debt, etc. are all on the rise.
America is all about making a buck.
Tv ads promise pills are the answer and this is the invisible plague affecting people's sleep, mental and physical health.
A healthy body and mind don't require pills. There must be a tenfold increase in prescription drugs in recent years because doctors are incentivized to prescribe them and the pharmaceutical companies are raking it in.

[Waltb31]

Klein forgot the biggest special interest group: the for-profit insurance companies.

[LeftLeaner]

Yup, there on top of the pile, reaking the worst.

[TankGirlz]

If there ever was a duh...

[sbvpav]

""We've gotten rusty at legislating," says Representative Jim Cooper, a Tennessee Democrat."

boy oh boy, this guy hit it on the head! it is now all too apparent, when the health care industry is spending a million dollars a day to maintain the status quo, in our representative democracy, who our representatives are representing.

until we have public financing of all elections, and until primaries are only decided by the fringe element, we the people will be on the light side of the scale in representation!