Glenn Beck Isn't Blocking Health Care Reform

Glenn Beck has captured national attention with his caustic poison. The aging right-wing troubadours -- Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly -- still rouse the wingnuts and enforce discipline among Republican legislators. They've peddled the fantasies about ACORN and the all-powerful poverty lobby, and launched a search-and-destroy hunt for targets of opportunity in the Obama administration. Progressives have sensibly organized to question Beck's advertisers, and even the president has called him out.

But it is worth remembering -- Glenn Beck is not blocking the passage of a good health care bill. The old and new carny acts of the right aren't undermining the energy legislation or frustrating financial reform. To focus on who and what is standing in the way -- follow the money.

On health care, the lockstep opposition of Republicans in Congress is deplorable, but Republicans don't have the votes to block progress. The president is forced to negotiate with Democrats who have 60 votes in the Senate and a large majority in the House and could pass a good bill tomorrow if they unified.

The angry tea bag activists shouting slogans in town meetings in August provided drama, but the true opposition is writing checks, not waiving signs. They are wearing pin stripes, not jeans and t-shirts. They represent wealthy insurance company CEOs, not angry workers or small business owners.

The Washington media likes to paint the divisions as ideological. Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats are said to be opposed to "big government," cautious about spending, more concerned about deficits, reflecting more conservative districts and voters. Sure, there are ideological differences between the parties. And legislators do cater to the major interests in their districts. And no doubt, the Democratic Party is a big tent, with a broad range of political opinion.

But the president didn't cut a deal with Big Pharma to sustain the ban that prohibits Medicare from negotiating lower prices on drugs because of ideology or a policy debate. He did it to neutralize one of the powerful lobbies standing in the way of reform. The deals with utilities and coal companies in the energy bill aren't about ideology; they are about special interests and political clout. Republicans don't mind government spending when pouring hundreds of millions into subsidizing insurance companies to compete with Medicare. Blue Dogs aren't worried about costs when they oppose a public option that would help keep insurance companies honest.

The re-born McCarthy like conspiratorial fantasies of Glenn Beck should not go unanswered. His effort to discredit the administration by searching for appointees to target should be resisted and scorned.

But everyone should be clear. The president has called on the Congress to act on fundamental reforms that cannot be avoided. Our broken health care system is unaffordable and must be fixed. Moving to new energy is a national security, economic and environmental imperative, not a choice. Fundamental financial reform is necessary if we are to avoid a worse crisis in the near future.

Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh and the Republicans in Congress oppose these reforms. They want, as Limbaugh proclaimed, the president to fail. But they aren't the major roadblocks to the change we need. What stands in the way is the organized power of the entrenched lobbies that have a direct stake in limiting change, and are willing to spend hundreds of millions to obstruct it. Their legions are less angry citizens, than sophisticated lobbyists, increasingly Democrats, many of them retired legislators. They deliver campaign contributions, not votes. They threaten negative campaign ads, not authentic citizen uprisings.

With literally billions at stake, progressives will never be able to match the money of the industries fighting off change. Our only chance is to make their money toxic -- to expose the contributions, the lobbyists, the inside deals -- and to make legislators understand the president was right when he said we can't let the permanent lobbies define what is possible in the nation's capital.

The struggle over health care reform is now reaching its climax. The backroom struggle over energy and financial reform is already fierce. It is time for Democrats to unite to get these done. It is time for the two or three Senate Republicans with any iota of independence to put country over party and be part of the solution. But most of all, it is time for us to follow the money, to track the contributions, expose the lobbyists, and challenge the legislators in both parties who hope to benefit by serving special interests rather than representing their constituents.

Check out opensecrets.org, where the Center for Responsive Politics tracks contributions. Take a look at their study with the Sunlight Foundation on the lobbyists undermining health care reform. Get angry, not cynical. Let your legislators hear from you -- and join with your neighbors to demand that they represent you and not the interests that are writing campaign checks. The president has called on the Congress to deal with fundamental national challenges that can not be ignored (although his predecessors were happy to do so). We'll not have a better chance to get vital reforms done. But to succeed, legislators in both parties will have to learn that voters aren't going to put up with the cozy beltway business as usual.

 

 

Comments

[oldgeek1]

Glenn Beck is in fact blocking health care reform.

The crazy talk has go in the way of serious discussion and ignoring that is a mistake.

[Nonyabizz]

Nothing about Glen Beck is worth remembering. Even tho the rest of the story is pretty true.

[isjois]

Glenn Beck can stir up the "fringe" - AND those in "middle America" - as can Fox News (as a whole).

So many Americans are speaking out against their own "best interest". They listen to Beck, Hannity, O'Reilly and the "others" and then go argue against the very same "reform" that would help THEM.

How do we effectively make "those people" see what's in their own best interest?

[Beca]

There is no way to "make" "those people" (tebaggers, birthers, etc.) see what's in their own best interest. They are adults, they are ignorant, mostly uneducated or undereducated, ill informed, and programmed through generations of like-minded people to believe the type of garbage these right wing extremist hatemongers spew. You can't change their mind. The only thing that might help change their mind is a devastating personal tragedy that forces them to be face to face with the broken health care system--and even then, they may not change their way of thinking.
What you can do is work hard to mobilize those who are already supporting health care reform with a public option. The majority of Ameircans want a health care reform and support a public option, which means that those idiots who screamagainst any reform are not really important in the end. What is important is to make sure our legislators know that the majority of Americans support a reform with public option, and that they better vote accordingly or they will not get the votes they need for re-election, regardless of the moeny they get from lobbyists.

[JJM21]

All of what you say is fine and dandy - but lobbyists are not going to lose their influence simply because they call their legislators. We need campaign finance reform. We dont need lip service on it like Obama gave in the Presidential campaign. You cant say you are for reform, then go against it when you realize you have an advantage over your competitor. It is going to take a politician willing to look at the big picture rather than selfishly on themselves. The only was for lobbyists to lose their influence is to fund campaigns evenly & justly.

[desmo4]

After Bush anyone or anything could have got elected. A vegetable, an animal, or my poor dead cat. Extreme situations have extreme consequences. We have an eloquent intelligent President now who made a lot of promises and kept almost none of them. And he will go down as the eloquent do nothing President. It's better the the vicious Bush Cheney, Rove, Voldemort government we had but not by much. At least some of the world doesn't hate us. So whether it's health care, global warming or any other social problem to be solved, it never will be, as long as money flows so freely into the pockets of Congress and the President. Some one should realize that according to the Constitution, when government does not represent the population then Revolution is required.

[Beca]

OK, but until campaign finance reform happens, we can lessen the influence of the lobbyists in Wash by making sure the electorate are registered to vote, are well educated on the issues at stake, and actually vote. One of the reasons corporate lobbyists have so much power is because the citizens have abdicated our power by not voting. The % of Americans who actually vote is incredibly low, especially compared to our huge population, and even more so when compared with other developed nations. The shamefully low level of factual information voters have is also a huge factor, because low-information Americans are the ones most influenced by big flashy political campaigns (the ones that are more funded by lobbyists). We can take back our country from the control of the corporate lobbyists, we can do it with existing measures--­significan­tly better public information on issues affecting Americans, and a significant increase in voter registrations and voter turnout. Now the question is, are we all willing to contribute to this effort? or are we all just too lazy to lift a finger to fix this problem?

[PAsteelers]

YOu say that Beck is not blocking healthcare, but you are wrong of course.

Beck may not be a cong or senator(thank goodness) but what he is

is a cheerleade­r/instigat­or for the rightwing extremists. He speaks for

them and sometimes tells them what to think. They get whipped into a

frenzy and gallavate into action, hence tea parties, townhalls, etc.

Sadly some repubs and bluedogs think they are perfectly reasonable.

They vote in polls that thereby sways vulnerable politicians.. Politicians

listens and votes accordingly.

Now tell me again how beck is not against healhcare.

[Estreet1964]

I agree, Beck unfortunately, is a force to be reckoned with. He excites the crazies, who naturally go crazy, the MSM takes notice and help to drive the narrative.

Nothing's been done to reign in Wall Street after last years collapse yet we hear nothing about it because the corporate media is too busy jumping on the Teabagger's Acorn/Czar bandwagon.

[JJM21]

Mr. Borosage did not say Beck wasnt against health care. What he said is Beck can do all the ranting, kicking, and screaming his heart desires and it doesn't matter. Dems have the votes to pass the reform they want. And the reason they are not is because either A) Too much of their campaign funding comes from these lobbies or B) They are afraid that voting for a reform bill will not help their next re-election campaign.

All the blaming of Repubs is white noise. If the Dems were confident in what they are offering they can pass it alone.

[Beca]

This is why it is so very important that everyone contact their Congress people repeatedly to make sure they know that we are paying attention, and to remind them that they work for us, and that we are the ones who vote, regardless of the amount of money they may get for their campaign from corporate lobbyists, if we, the voters, don't like the way our legislators voted on a bill, then we the voters, will make sure they do not get re-elected by actually voting in every election!

[WWWexler]

Absolutely correct, Glenn Beck is not blocking health care reform. The Democrats have the numbers to do that, and if they were not on the take, we'd have it. Not only would we have it, but we'd have a bill that takes place immediately, not some time in the future that allows everyone to get another piece of pie before the government snatches it away.

However, Glenn Beck serves some purpose for comic relief and a harmless distraction for those who are so intellectually devoid that they can listen to his pure crap and believe it as truth. It's for those folks that I started my nw Glenn Beck website, www.glennebeckreport.com, where you can enjoy a Glenn Beck news digest and get a couple of chuckles.

Stop by and comment, no registration necessary.

-Wexler

[Cosatjockomo]

A great oversight in creating our government was the failure to provide for a means to pass legislation aimed at congress without asking congress itself to do it. We have foxes watching the hen house and expecting them to regulate themselves is completely unrealistic. It will not end until and unless we get an independant elected as President who then characterizes the corroption in congress as treason lines half our reps up against a wall and shoots them. That is the only wake up call that might get them to act more honestly in the future. Congress will not pass reform until they believe their very lives are at stake.

And you're completely wrong about implying that the dems should be held accountable for their own inaction. You don't understand how the two party system works. Its ALWAYS the other party's fault. That way the dems can promise the moon with no intention of honoring that promise and the reps can pass wealth biased legislation and say dem interference caused everything to flow to the top.

[allis1]

YOU said it beautifully, right on!

[Beki345]

Bravo! So how do we reform our government to get rid of the two party system? It is a dinosaur in today's society, it does not give us a government "for the people."

[Tony Zahn]

glen beck actually helps healthcare by keeping so much attention on it,people aren't stupid I think people know they can't take this cartoon character seriously.­HELP!!!!!!

[AirForceBlue]

"legislators in both parties will have to learn that voters aren't going to put up with the cozy beltway business as usual."

That last sentence of the article is astounding. It provides unrecognized credence to what voters of one party were responding to, in effect, the Tea Party demonstrators were "fed up" and acted, unlike voters from the Democrat Party who were satisfied to viciously attack the demonstrators, otherwise do nothing but sit on their hands........at least, most of them.

The unjustified charges attached to angry protesters attending town hall meetings blurred what was really happening. In effect, republican voters were shouting down republican& democrat senators and congressmen/women at the meetings, with limited democrat voter participation (including some instances of "plants" with abrasive signs), becase they were fed up with business as usual -- period.

Once democrat voters of this nation wake up and recognize republican voters are not their enemy, and indeed, quite the vice versa, perhaps we'll have realistic reform. What? Form up, identify the culprits from both parties in the back pockets of lobbyists, then vote the bums out (as particularly said but not acted upon).

Uh huh.......­......sure­.

[codycap]

We just have to pass one law to get our government back. Campaign Reform. It night possibly take a constitutional amendment - but it must be done or we are irrelevant in our own government.

Corruption is not a problem in our government – it has become our system.

I see on the liberal, republican, and libertarian sites voters like ourselves all cry for campaign reform.

It is the one thing that voters of all ideologies recognize is essential for honest government.

The one thing ALL voters agree on is that our system is corrupt, but it is always the other side. It is both sides and we need leaders in the Democratic party and their opposite in the Republican party, same same Green, and Libertarians etc to come together on this ONE thing for the American people.

Campaign Reform would heal the split of the American people that big money has encouraged in order to weaken us and keep us fighting with each other. I can see no other way for the average citizen to get their representatives back to doing what is best for our country.

[zardinuk]

And harsh sentences for corruption. Good for Glenn Beck for going after the corrupt ones.

[codycap]

See, you are proof of what I am saying. Campaign Reform is the ONLY thing we all agree on.

Let us work together on this.

[JusticiaParaTodos]

With all due respect Codycap why would these same corrupt politicians pass legislation that would limit their receiving what amounts to as legal bribes? Think about it! If we can't get REAL healthcare reform due to healthcare corporatists buying off weak politicians, how are we going to see real campaign reforms passed?

Whether one is Democrat or Republican is not the issue. The issue is that our electoral system is seriously flawed and that is by design! Neither party truly represents the interests of working people, the elderly, the poor or those with disabilities. Opportunists exist in both parties and this is precisely why we cannot get REAL healthcare reform passed!

I would propose that trade unionists, environmentalists, REAL liberals (as opposed to neo), populists, socialists, etc unite and build a viable alternative to the corruption we are stuck with now! Until then we and our families will never see any good come from our esteemed Congressional representatives!

[Libarchist]

Exactly...

[codycap]

It is a populist cause that we could have the entire public behind.

As you say, we will never get it otherwise because big money will always make sure it will not ever come to a vote unless ALL the people come together to FORCE their hand.

It has to be a grassroots movement of citizens. That is the only way we can have enough power.

It cannot be a Democratic movement; right-wingers will fight anything that comes from our party so it would fail. It cannot be a Republican movement; progressives will fight anything that comes from that party so it would fail. It HAS to be a GRASSROOTS non-ideological bill on the one thing that I believe the left, middle, and right agree on.

EVERYONE would come together on this. All the suggestions that are being made I.E. term limits, spending amounts etc. etc. would be corrected by this one thing, Campaign Reform.

I haven't researched on how to pass a constitutional amendment , how many signatures it would take etc. but I KNOW it can be done.

The beauty of the Internet would make it much easier to get signatures than ever in our history.

If we could get people like Dylan Ratigan, Keith Olberman, Ed Shultz and their counterparts on the right to back say an amendment, we could do it.

What citizen would not sign a petition to stop corruption? Then we can say we are taking our country back.

[research]

Yes!

[Beca]

Justicia, you are correct. However, we do have more power than we think, we have just abdicated that power and given it to the powerful corporate lobbyists. VOTING! It does not matter how much money the corporate lobbyists give members of Congress for their re-election campaigns, if the American people were better informed on the issues at stake, were ALL registered to vote (those 18 and over), and ALL registered voters actually arrived at the polling stations armed with FACTUAL information on the issues that matter to them, rather than the garbage fed to us by the media and lobbyist's campaigns, and then all voted, we would effectively neutralize the power these corrupt corporate lobbyists would have on our elected officials. It's about not sitting back and waiting for a change to happen, it is about getting off our fat asses and 1) help educate people around us on facts vs garbage, and 2) making sure everyone we know is registered to vote and actually votes on every election. What's it going to be? It's up to us really.

[seagullking]

agreed. w/ a cpl exemptions: Bernie Sanders, Kucinich, Grayson, Franken, Rockefeller, Wasserman-Shcultz etc...

[kkrimmer]

I SUGGEST that we do not re-elect anyone of any party for any office for the next 20 years.

Washington is totally corrupt, both (all) parties (including liberman independent joke).

[incite1]

kkrimmer, everybody is fed up now. Especially since they don't have jobs. If people had jobs and could afford their own insurance, it would be public option, schmublic, option. But people realize that they are going to have to really live with this public health option and it could make a difference between life and death. It's bad enuf fighting big corporate if you disagree with their decision, but how the heck are you going to fight the federal government if they deny you care wrongly or take too long. Do you have any idea how impossible it could be to unravel the public option if it turns out bad???

[Beca]

incite, you forget that Medicare and Medicaid are government run health plans that don't have nearly as many problems as the care provided by private health insurance. Nobody has been denied care under these programs. The only ones who have always denied care are the Private health insurers, because they don't care about our health, they care about their profit margin. Medicare began to have problems when the private health insurance industry got its dirty claws around it and created what is called Medicare advantage programs--where the gov. pays HUGE subsidies to the private health insurance companies to manage the care of seniors who chose the Mediare advantage plans, and seniors then pay additional premiums to the private health insurance companies--these are the seniors that get denied care--NOT by the Gov. but by the Private Health Insurance companies. That crap about "what if the government denies care to someone" is based on garbage and lies, certainly not based on the government's history with Medicare or Medicaid.

[incite1]

Obama I'm sure means well, but to overhaul the entire health care system without trying some basic comsense things first is a recipe for total disaster.

[Eykis]

You, obviously, know nothing about healthcare or how congress works. If these idiot Rethugs wanted to change or reform healthcare, they had 8 years to do so and all that happened was premiums rose and rejections of healthcare rose. -- MEDICARE FOR EVERYONE is the easiest route -- Obama should have started with that and worked his way down.

Rethugs hate America and love the money for insurance companies. It is that simeple. We must remove these thieves from office and REFORM CAMPAIGN and LOBBY LAWS.

[incite1]

Eykis, the repubs had their chance and they blew it. I applaud Obama for sirring up the dirt like this. Something is sure going to happen now! I just don't think it portends well for the future when just because change is needed and wanted, that the then elected governement can feel free to make this kind of change so quickly. This is too big and affects too many people.

[zardinuk]

I'm a rethug, I think some common sense things are all we need. The problems I see are mainly that the labor unions have negotiated health care plans that cover everything but the dog and cost $400/month, but you go to get a plan from an individual insurance plan and it's $100/month, but some people can't get it. Simple solution. Make it illegal to deny coverage or drop your coverage for any reason.

And if you're still adamant about healthcare being a "right", why don't you force everyone to get it over threats of jail time. That's what we're talking about here, right? Healthcare is a right, so lets force everyone to get it.

[bmc55]

Eykis are you kidding me you obviously know nothing about research, did you even read the article or did you skip that part and go straight to spouting your hate speech. Since you only read the title at least use that and "Follow the Money"...who is getting it? Since you do not like doing any research let me help you out...Democrat Max Baucus
http://assets.sunlightfoundation.com/images/blog/infographics/finance_committee/baucus_wheel.html
Obviously its not just Republicans who love money.
Here's another link to an article you might find interesting with info pulled from the same website that the author of this article used. The Democrats really have people fooled into believing they are the underfunded grass roots organization that is for the "working people".
http://www.helium.com/items/186311-the-politics-big-money-comparing-democratic-republican-candidates-campaign
I sure bet the mean ole rich Republicans wished they had 8 of the top 10 contributing companies donating to their party.

[codycap]

This system has failed. The other countries seem to be doing it better. We don't even have to experiment. They have already done that. All we should do is study their different plans and adapt what works while disregarding what has failed. Whats wrong with that?

[zardinuk]

The public option has failed in other countries.

[Beca]

You are correct, in fact several independent sources, including some colleges and universities, and medical associations have done extensive research on the health care delivery systems that exist throughout the world. The information is available, that is not the problem. One of the problems is that we, as a country, are so incredibly arrogant, that the thought of creating a system based on systems that are used in other countries, is so "beneath" us that it makes no sense. I mean, if the popular belief drummed into us by our media and government is that "we are the best, we are number one, we have no problems, we are better, bigger, richer, (and fatter) that any other country" then why on earth would we look at "inferior" countries for infomration on "fixing" any system of ours--especially when we are perfect!!

[Lilli917]

The health care system is corrupt with greed and we have needed reform for fifty years! How long would you like to wait for reform? I think if it fails now it will be another fifty years before we see any reform. We can't continue with the favoritism and fraud that we have now!

[Beca]

The government has been "trying some basic commonsense things" with our health care system for over 60 years, and nothing has changed to the better. The reason is that Health Care is NOT a Business and should NOT be treated like a business, it is a Service. When it is treated like a business, like the Private Health Insurance industry does, health and people don't count for anything, what is important is on increasing their profit margin, and making their shareholders and CEO's even more wealthy. The ones who have been rationing care, denying care, and have what could be called 'death panels" are the Private Heatlh Insurance companies--the same ones paying billions of dollars on lobbyists to fight any kiind of real reform--and they have obviously gotten to you. Just wait until you develop a serious illness, see if your insurer stands by your or sends you to an early grave as they rake in more profit off of you.

[Aaror]

You know, I have unlimited long distance from my plan (internet telephony). I wonder how many folks we could find with those plans.
Imagine if real Americans started calling people, especially independant voters, in the districts of the folks who are blocking the public option. Imagine if we apologized for calling, then had a real conversation about what their pol was doing. Imagine if we asked the person to contact their Senator.
Once a Senator realized that thousands of people in their state had been contacted, swing voters, about the public option, the insurance dollars would be less important (and we would give the Senators with a consience political cover).
We just need an organizer.

[mariah793]

You're it. The best organizers come from average people with good ideas. Like you.

[Libarchist]

I am registered as an unaffiliated voter; and swing voting is the reason why I left the Democratic Party.

I may be able to assist in any swing voting campaigns.

My political philosophy is pro Israel rights, with liberal pacifist ideals.

[Shannon Del Vecchio]

No need to re-invent the wheel, as there's already an organized telephone effort in place. Please visit the Organizing for America website and start making those calls! http://www.barackobama.com/issues/healthcare/

[rekk]

That's not what s/he's talking about,ere's just not enough human faces in this campaign. that's just Obama's web site and an electronic petition. It's true, th. I say go at 'em. Start calling! Why not a relative who doesn't support health care, that'll give you a good start. Good luck!

[Beca]

Unfortunately Shannon, in my opinion, Organizing for America dropped the ball on this one. They have not come out in strong support for a public option, which is key to any meaningful health care reform in this country.

[zardinuk]

I thought you were going to make a point about how free healthcare means unlimited healthcare and massive waste. Oh well.

[Beca]

Time for you to rent the movie "Sicko" by Michael Moore. That will tell you what you need to know about our system and what it means to have healthcare for all.

[TN60]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33213245/ns/msnbc_tv-countdown_with_keith_olbermann

Transcript of KO's commentary.