Recent comments

As a practicing, board-certified, Preventive Medicine Physician, I daily work in the trenches with people struggling to maintain their health, coping with inordinate stress, and facing egregious treatment by insurance companies. There is no doubt that the greed of these Wall Street favorites (along with drug companies) is in large part responsible for the health-care financing debacle. It is my understanding that insurance companies, drug companies and others in the sick-care business spent over half-a-billion dollars this year alone influencing congress in the healthcare reform bill legislation. The Center for Media and Democracy’s Senior Fellow on Health Care, Wendell Potter, is one of my heroes. He reflects my own disappointment and outrage at the utter disregard by the bought-off Senators and Representatives whose legacy will be largely disparaged throughout history. The gutting of sanity from the so-called “compromise” senate bill this year was ludicrous. Does it really stop insurance companies from refusing coverage for pre-existing conditions, assure decreased premiums for businesses and families; offer a competitive choice to the sick, crass insurance and drug company businesses whose monopoly is running, and ruining, this once-noble country? Obama, in his inaugural address, said, “America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.” It were far better that Obama braved the icy currents of insanity (as displayed by such small-minded corporate/political types who are shaking every penny from the most of us), by fighting for what is right rather than what is expedient - and lost his second term - than to leave this awful legacy of dashed hope, despair and death once more to our children’s children. I look forward to Wendell Potter’s book. He is the principal reason I contributed recently to the Center for Media and Democracy. Bless you, Mr. Potter, for your own courage to say what needed to be said.