I'm struck by the disparity between our media coverage of every detail of the last moments of a dying Iranian girl, tragically killed while protesting an election, while there is no such coverage of the multitude of American soldiers dying in Iraq or Afghanistan brought to the public's attention.  Such coverage is, in fact specifically suppressed.  I had a friend from France, sadly departed from this world now, who in less than perfect English would describe people, other friends of ours, who tended to exaggerate descriptions of events in order to promote their particular agendas.  She would say that so and so:  "bends the news".  This seems to be an apt description for the media coverage we are being exposed to here in the Land of the Free.

We must remember that in time of war what is said on the enemy's side of the front is always propaganda, and what is said on our side of the front is truth and righteousness, the cause of humanity and a crusade for peace.  Walter Lippmann

 


None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.
                                    Johann Wolfgang von Goethe


Since G.W. Bush involved us in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as his open ended so called War on Terror, (SCWOT), we appear to be involved in perpetual war, and Walter Lippmann's quote above, describes an insidious tendency toward 'bending the news' that itself will have no end.  For some reason I keep thinking of The Matrix.

It came to me, like a whack upside the head with a two by four.  This paradigm wherein we pay exorbitant rates for medical coverage which may be withdrawn if we forget to cross a 'T' or dot and 'I' on our application.  This insurance for which we pay a significant portion of our income with the idea it will protect us when calamity strikes, but which can be withdrawn should we lose our job or get sick.  It's like that distant relative, or friend from our past who came to stay for a week, but never left.



He's still sleeping on the couch.  Drinking our milk, and gad forbid, our liquor.  Pays no rent.  Can you remember when it was he last did the dishes?  Now he wants us to front some cash, so he can lay some money on Saturday's game.   Why would he get an honest job as long as we keep taking care of him?   WTF?  Are we crazy?  Time to show these slackers the door. 

I've been spending some time at Open Secrets lately, trying to see what patterns I can in the corporate donations to our legislators and how that might affect the ongoing healthcare debate.  There is a lag in reporting campaign donations, so all is not known yet as to where money is being directed.  There are also some areas where donations may not be as easily viewed.  First let me paint with some broad strokes.

In the 1990 and 1994 election cycles Healthcare professionals ranked #2 among industries contributing to political campaigns, as might be expected in a presidential campaign year, and in light of the anticipated stab at healthcare reform by the Clinton administration.  Donations from Healthcare Professionals increased from $54.5 to $95.8M between the 2006 and 2008 election cycles, or an increase of 78%.  The ranking of this group rose to #4 during the current  2010 election cycle.

The insurance industry ranked #4 among industries contributing to political campaigns in 1990.  It had dropped to #6-#8 in the following 6 election cycles, eventually falling to #11 and recently rebounding to the #8 position.  In actual dollars the Insurance industry has increased its' giving to our politicians from $31.3M to $46.7M between the 2006 and 2008 election cycles, a 49.3% increase in 'giving'.

The amorphous group identified as Lobbyists jumped from a ranking of #15 in 2008 to #9 in 2010 election cycle with actual dollars donated to their favorite politicians jumping from $24.1M in 2006 to $35.1M in 2008.  I'm not sure how to interpret this but thought I would include it.

Health Services/HMOs upped their political contributions from $8.3M in 2006,  $14.1M in 2008 an increase in political donations of 70%.    

Hospitals & Nursing Homes dug deep in 2006 and donated $14.1M, which increased to $22.9M in 2008, an increase of 62%.

Pharmaceuticals / Health Products donated $19.5M in 2006, which increased to $29.1M in 2008, an increase of 49%.   This group jumped in rank from 21 to 13 in 2010 election cycle.

Some of these increases in donations can be attributed to the presidential election in 2007, but it would be a stretch to think they all were just a reflection of that.  Healthcare reform has been widely anticipated by these industries, and spending has been proportionate, and not all of it, (particularly from the healthcare professionals), was donated with an expectation of defeating the reforms, however much of this cash is given to politicians with a tacit understanding that the favor will be reciprocated.

 

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