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BENCH SITTIN' — Healthcare held hostage by senators in pockets of insurance companies
October 29, 2009 — As the battle for any type of health care reform continues in Washington D.C. it is interesting to see how special interests really defines what gets done.
Two senators, who could be considered in the Democrats camp, are now announcing they will block any reform bill if they don’t like any part of it.
Sens. Evan Bayh and Joe Lieberman have said they will move to filibuster if they don’t get their way. What was reported on Wednesday evening is both Bayh and Lieberman are currently benefiting financially from the health care industry, specifically insurance companies.
Bayh’s wife is on the board of Wellpoint, a health benefits company, and the Bayhs have considerable stock in th company.
Lieberman also has ties to insurance companies in Connecticut, which he represents - once as a Democrat and now as an Independent.
When several senators announced their intention to stop the current bill stock prices rose significantly for insurance companies.
Would this be considered insider trading? No, just good old politicians working the system and forgetting about who they really serve.
While there are many provisions of the current health care bill that I personally do not like, it is apparent if something doesn’t change this year we all we be held hostage by the health care industry.
But to have U.S. senators openly blocking legislation and at the same time earning more money in their personal bank accounts it down right wrong.
Bayh and Lieberman should be ashamed and the Senate Ethics Committee should do something about it.
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