You Still Aren't Listening

by Sudhama Ranganathan

<p>The Town Hall not so peaceful takeover hype during the month of August made it seem a large majority of Americans were opposed to government sponsored health care reform.  All over the media images of village trouble makers organized and having fun at the expense of decent folk was promoted as general American mentality.  Health care reform was vanquished said pundits across the boards because apparently we preferred to let corporate greed alone decide the fate of our health.  Voices of the town hall ambushes were said to be speaking for all of us.</p>

    <p>Of course we rarely saw freeze framed the shocked faces of normal people blindsided by the insult hurling, booing, policeman shoving while never getting arrested and crazy talking protesters.  Nobody ever said "wow did you see that lady's face" or "that guy looks shocked."  Somehow we had to sit through discussions of people telling us they believed that's how most of us were.  Few voices spoke up and said what was obvious to most of us watching - something just was not right about that picture.</p>
    <p>By the end of August more people were coming to their senses and realizing, "geez I was brought up among middle income or lower income folk and I rarely if ever saw anything like that."  That's right the gut feeling telling them it can't be right and something's strange about it were spot on.  </p>
    <p>As time went on facts came out those were groups consisting only partially of anti-reform minded citizens, but also funded by, coordinated by and peopled by lobby interests connected to major health care corporations.  Ahh.  Copies of memos circulating among those groups outlining the same tactics seen carried out on You Tube clips were leaked to the public and a few brave journalists broadcasted them.  The truth began to surface as all things eventually do in this internet age.  It was ugly and drenched in nasty big money.</p>
    <p>Despite the fact they were becoming punchlines anti-reform fiestas still dominated much of the headlines as Americans sentiment.  Now recent surveys and polls are showing what most average folk already felt.  People believe they are not being listened to in favor of big business.  In the era when people demanded change some wonder if the tune currently playing is just a remix of the same old song.  There's time for proof either way.</p>
    <p>A poll conducted by NPR, the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health confirmed those beliefs.  NPR states: "in our poll, when you say who's responsible for the current problems they see in health care, it's insurance companies, pharmaceuticals and the federal government... Most people don't feel like they personally have a voice in this debate... 71 percent told us that Congress was paying too little attention to what people like them were saying... two-thirds say that there's no group in Washington that's representing their views." (http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=113307616)</p>
    <p>A recent article by filmmaker Michael Moore and executive director of the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee  Rose Ann DeMoro, highlighted some things they saw lacking in current health care reform proposals.  Among those were, "no cost controls on insurance companies... coming sharp increases in premiums, deductibles, co-pays, co-insurance, etc. will quickly outpace any projected protections from caps on out-of-pocket costs."  Another was, "insurance companies will continue to be able to use marketing techniques to cherry-pick healthier, less costly enrollees."  That shows interests of the majority of Americans are completely being ignored in favor of wealthy corporations. </p>
    <p>lso, "no restrictions on insurance denials of care that insurers don't want to pay for... the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee uncovered data on the California Department of Managed Care... found six of the biggest California insurers rejected, on annual average, more than one-fifth of all claims every year since 2002."  "No challenge to insurance company monopolies, especially in the top 94 metropolitan areas, where one or two companies dominate, severely limiting choice and competition."  More solid points no tea party bashers claiming to be speaking for the people seemed to be upset with.  </p>
    <p>More points underscoring favoring of corporations over Americans included this gem, "a massive government bailout for the insurance industry through the combination of the individual mandate requiring everyone not covered to buy insurance, public subsidies which go for buying insurance, no regulation on what insurers can charge, and no restrictions on their ability to decide what claims to pay."  Wow those tea partys and all the coverage sure put big corporations in a good position at the bargaining table at the expense of middle income and lower income Americans.  All that was before the Supreme Court decided big corporations were as an entity just as much a person as those lowly human middle and lower income Americans.</p>
    <p>More points included, "no controls on drug prices."  Says the article, "the White House deal with Big Pharma, which won bipartisan approval in the Senate Finance Committee, opposes the use of government leverage to negotiate real cost controls on inflated drug prices."  Can someone remind me what exactly was in our favor there?  I mean who wrote that in?  Which representatives specifically feel this has gone so well for the majority of us at any point? We need names.  (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-moore/why-the-current-bills-don_b_...)</p>
    <p>A recent Rasmussen survey found 66% of voters nationwide are at least somewhat angry about the current policies of the federal government.  60% believe neither Republican nor Democratic political leaders have an understanding of what is needed today.  80% of those who consider themselves "very angry" about government policies, say neither political party’s leaders have the answers.  90% of Republicans are at least somewhat angry, 44% of Democrats and 77% of those not affiliated with either major party are as well.  Seven in ten + Republicans and unaffiliated voters say neither party has the answers.(http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics...)</p>
    <p>With all the back door dealing going on in Washington people who feel the most left out are in fact those who put the elected representatives to power in the first place.  Ain't that business as usual?  This strikes a resounding sour note left ringing in the ears of voters which could be felt on the next election day if things aren't turned around.  </p>
    <p>After all the corporate America Tea Party shill theater subsided the real majority the real voice has been drowned out and left unheard.  The party that fixes this will be rewarded come election time those that favor corporate special interests will be remembered.  Perhaps it's time some other party's start coming into the picture as the current two seem too distracted by the sound of "ka-ching."</p>
    <p>To read about my inspiration for this article go to www.lawsuitagainstuconn.com.</p>