Although the “news� media have produced a number of hilarious attempts to spin the Norman Hsu story as a net positive for Hillary, the scandal is a useful reminder that the lady’s soul is still for sale to the highest bidder. And this has important implications for health care reform.
Because “reforming� health care would be a top priority for a new Clinton administration, the various stakeholders will be anxious to influence the outcome. Many of these stakeholders, not least the insurance and pharmaceutical companies, possess enormous amounts of money to spend on the project.
The last time Hillary attempted to socialize health care, the big stakeholders correctly judged that outright opposition held the best potential ROI. This time, however, they may take the “if you can’t beat them, join them� route. Indeed, they have already begun pursuing that strategy:
According to Center for Responsive Politics, a non-partisan group that tracks campaign finance filings, Clinton has received $781,112 in contributions from the health-care sector during the current election cycle, which makes her the No. 2 recipient of funds from that sector.
Considering the well-documented Clinton affinity for cold hard cash (brown paper bag optional), who can doubt that the moneyed interests will have considerable influence on her majesty’s deliberations concerning the “new and improved� Hillarycare?
Just a little food for thought for anyone naïve enough to believe Hillary’s election will usher in a brave new world in which the “health care industrial complex� will hold no sway.
Comments 2
You’re a funny man David - you’re spinning is hard you don’t know which way is up any more. So the Rebulicans are squeeky clean on campaign donations? And if Hillary will be heathcare industry friendy, surely that’s what you want.
Posted 13 Sep 2007 at 4:34 pm ¶Marc, dude, you have a real genius for missing the point.
Posted 14 Sep 2007 at 5:46 am ¶Post a Comment