The New Republic

Richard Wolffe has wandered into the crosshairs of the anti-corporate left. Merely to be employed by Public Strategies is a cardinal sin to the likes of Glenn Greenwald. As you write, Gabriel, Wolffe's ties have not been a secret. The unhinged PC left is out in full force once again.

- liberal reformer

August 5, 2009 at 6:34pm

Talk about the forest and the tree!!

Let's put all this in context.

Richard Wolfe as the corporate shill? Yeah, sure, this sort of stuff happens all the time in a culture fiercely obsessed with money, power and celebrity. Some folks will do damn near anything to get them.

But:  Compared to what?

How is what Richard Wolfe did all that far removed from the millions and millions of dollars Wall Street pours into Congress and the White House every election cycle?.....Or from the pecuniary relationship between editorial writers in the media and the corporate giants who pay the editors' salaries in advertising dollars? Are we actually expected to believe the "Salon" scandal at the Post is that rare exception to the rule? The rule being deeply engrained honesty and integrity? Yeah, right.

Once again this exposes the manner in which the mainstream media is ever intent on focusing their vexation on the small fries or the stuff that is so outrageious [Duke Cunningham, Jack Abramoff] it can't just be swept under the rug.

Below, on the other hand, is an actual snapshot of the healthcare forest from Keith Olbermanm. Yes, Olbermann can be quite insufferable at times. But very few others in the media have either the integrity or the balls to broach healthcare relationships like this:

Olbermann:

Finally tonight, as promised, a Special Comment health care reform in this country, and in particular, the "public insurance option." In March of 1911, after a wave of minor factory fires in New York City, the City's Fire Commissioner issued emergency rules about fire prevention, protection, escape, sprinklers. The City's Manufacturers Association in turn called an emergency meeting to attack the Fire Commissioner and his 'interference with commerce.'

The new rules were delayed. Just days later, a fire broke out at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. The door to the fire escape was bolted shut to keep the employees from leaving prematurely. One hundred and fifty of those employees died, many by jumping from the seventh floor windows to avoid the flames. Firefighters setting up their ladders literally had to dodge the falling, often burning, women. This was the spirit of the American corporation then. It is the spirit of the American corporation now. It is what the corporation will do, when it is left alone, for a week. You know the drill. We all know the drill.

You get something done, at a doctor's, at a dentist's, at an emergency room and the bills are in your hands before the pain medication wears off. And if you're one of the lucky ones, and you have insurance, you submit the endless paperwork and no matter whether it's insurance through your company, or your union, or your non-profit, or on your own dime, you then get your turn… at the roulette wheel.

How much of it is the insurance companies going to pay this time? How much of it is the insurance company — about which you have next to no choice, and against which you have virtually no appeal — how much is this giant corporation going to give you back? What small percentage of what they told you they were going to pay you, will they actually pay you?

You know the answer. And, you know the answer if you don't have insurance. But do you know why that's the answer?

Because the insurance industry owns the Republican Party. Not exclusively. Pharma owns part of it, too. Hospitals and HMO's, another part. Nursing homes — they have a share. You name a Republican, any Republican, and he is literally brought to you by... campaign donations from the Health Sector. Sen. John Thune of South Dakota? You gave the Republican rebuttal to the President's weekly address day before yesterday. You said the Democrats' plan was for…

"…government run health care that would disrupt our current system, and force millions of Americans who currently enjoy their employer-based coverage into a new health care plan run by government bureaucrats."

That's a bald-faced lie, Senator. And you're a bald-faced liar, whose bald face is covered by…your own health care plan run by government bureaucrats. Nobody would be forced into anything; and the Public Insurance Option is no more a disruption than letting the government sell you water, and not just Poland Spring and Sparkletts. But, as corrupt hypocrites go, Senator, at least you're well paid. What was that one statement worth to you in contributions from the Health Sector, Sen. Thune?

Five thousand dollars? Ten? We know what you are, Sir, we're arguing about the price. What about your other quote? "We can accomplish health care reform while keeping patients and their doctors in charge, not bureaucrats and politicians." Wow, Senator — this illustrates how desperate you and the other Republicans are, right? Because Sen. Thune, if you really think "bureaucrats and politicians" need to get out of the way of "patients and their doctors," then you support a woman patient's right to get an abortion, and you supported Michael Schiavo's right to take his wife off life support, and you oppose "bureaucrats and politicians" getting in the way, and we'll just mark you down on the pro-choice list. That's a rare misstep for you Sen. Thune. No twelve-thousand dollar payoff for that statement! I am not being hyperbolic, am I, Senator? On the money?

Sen. Thune has thus far received from the Health Sector, campaign contributions — and all these numbers tonight are from "The Center For Responsive Politics" — campaign contributions amounting to one million, $206,176. So much for Sen. Thune. How about Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite? Good evening Ma'am. You are the Florida representative who claimed on the Floor that Democrats had…"…released a health care bill which essentially said to America's seniors: drop dead."

Now those are strong, terrorizing, words — that's exactly what your Insurance and Medical Overlords wanted to hear. But are you truly worth every dollar of the $369,000,255 of them you have received over the years from the Health Sector? I'd reed the rest of the operative part of your speech myself, but your rendition actually cannot be matched:

Listen up, America, seniors have special needs. This bill ignored the, ignores the needs of Florida's health care system. We should be fixing what is broke. Not disseminate, disseminating, decimating, the care of our senior population. -- July 21, 2009

You can always tell, can't you, Congresswoman, when the hostage is reading her own ransom note, and when she is reading one written for her? So much for Rep. Brown-Waite. There are so many other Republicans, bought and sold — like the unfortunate Congresswoman there —by the Health Sector. Minority Leader McConnell of the Senate?

Rep. Bart Gordon of Tennessee. Congressman? Undecided on the public option? At $1,173,000 in donations from the Health Sector, I'm surprised. You should have already said no — and loudly. The only thing you should be "undecided" about, is whether or not you're really a Democrat. So much for Rep. Gordon. Sen. Max Bacus of Montana. Good evening, Senator.

So you're supposed to be negotiating all this out with the Republicans and hesitant Democrats? To gain bi-partisanship with a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Health Sector? Bi-partisanship that will get you, what? A total of no votes? And your price has been, let's see $414,000 in donations from Hospitals. About $667,000 from the insurance companies and just over a million from Big Pharma. There was a $1,300,000 from other health professional and $237,000 from Nursing Homes.

When you think of getting $237,000 in campaign contributions from nursing homes, Sen. Baucus, do you ever think about whether they subtract that amount of money evenly from all the patients suffering and dying in the lousy ones, or just from a few of the lousy ones? So much for Sen. Baucus. Sadly, this list could go on almost all night, too.

I could ask Blue Dog Congressman, Democrat John Tanner of Tennessee, if, since he's gotten $215,000 from hospitals over the years, if I and the appropriate number of my friends were willing to make it $216,000, if we could buy his vote — or would there have to be an auction?

We could bring up Senator Hagen, and Congressman Pomeroy, who, at 628-thousand, appears to represent the Insurance Industry and not North Dakota. I could bring up Sen. Carper, and Sen.Blanche Lincoln.

Senator Lincoln? By the way, considering how you're obstructing health care reform, how do you feel... every time you actually see Sen. Kennedy? I could bring up all the other Democrats doing their masters' bidding in the House or the Senate, all the others who will get an extra thousand from somebody if they just postpone the vote another year, another month, another week, because right now without the competition of a government-funded insurance company, in one hour the health care industries can make so much money that they'd kill you for that extra hour of profit, I could call them all out by name.

But I think you get the point. We don't need to call the Democrats holding this up Blue Dogs. That one word "Dogs" is perfectly sufficient. But let me speak to them collectively, anyway.I warn you all. You were not elected to create a Democratic majority. You were elected to restore this country. You were not elected to serve the corporations and the trusts who the government has enabled for the last eight years.

You were elected to serve the people. And if you fail to pass or support this legislation, the full wrath of the progressive and the moderate movements in this country will come down on your heads. Explain yourselves not to me, but to them. They elected you, and in the blink of an eye, they will replace you.

If you will behave as if you are Republicans — as if you are the prostitutes of our system —you will be judged as such. And you will lose not merely our respect. You will lose your jobs!

Every poll, every analysis, every vote, every region of this country supports health care reform, and the essential great leveling agent of a government-funded alternative to the unchecked duopoly of profiteering private insurance corporations. Cross us all at your peril.

Because, Rep. Ross, you are not the Representative from Blue Cross.

And Mr. Baucus, you are not the Senator from Schering-Plough Global Health Care even if they have already given you $76,000 towards your re-election. And Ms. Lincoln, you are not the Senator from DaVita Dialysis.

Because, ladies and gentlemen, President Lincoln did not promise that this nation shall have a new death of freedom, and that government of the corporation, by the corporation, for the corporation, shall not perish from this earth.

george walton

[annie/danny]

- iambiguous

August 6, 2009 at 12:12am

It's very simple, and far from the short-sighted "anti-corporate left" comment above. (Way above. Waaaay above. Use your scroll button, because it's way up there.) It's ridiculous to bash Glenn Greenwald because he is a fan of accountability and transparency.

Serving notice on The Daily Beast, and having a notation on Wikipedia, is fine and dandy. But MSNBC did not tell its viewers about Wolff's affiliation. Now, I'm not saying he's not worthy to appear on 'Countdown,' but MSNBC should spell out his affiliations. That's basic, simple and easy. Put it right there in the chryon: "Richard Wolffe, Writer/Lobbyist/Consultant" or whatever. This is not a case of "anti-corporate" leftists running amuck. It's simple case of MSNBC being straight with its viewers, who can't be expected to log onto The Daily Beast to learn where Wolff's coming from.

- WoodyBombay

August 6, 2009 at 1:34am

To be denominated as short-sided by W.Mumbai is an honor. It must mean that I am doing something right. It is preschool Marxism to reduce a person to his or her corporate interests. Richard Wolffe wears numerous hats but the PC left wishes to reduce him to a corporate shill. Mumbai probably adheres to the Charles Beard school of economic determinism as regards the Founders' motivations and political positions. Regarding Keith Olbermann, all that he needs to know about the Blue Dogs is that a number of them have taken substantial contributions from the insurance industry. He is apparently unaware that many of the Blue Dogs come from conservative, rural districts, where there is a good deal of skepticism about a government makeover of health care. Warning and truth-in-labeling: Mumbai is a former journalist and we all know about them, don't we?

- liberal reformer

August 6, 2009 at 2:00am

Gabriel Sherman - did you mean "would have to reconsider" (instead of "consider")?

Liberal reformer - jeez, you suddenly sound like Jamie Kirchik in full-blown snit mode. Hell, you almost sound like George Walton in that second comment, stylistically speaking.

- jobeek2

August 6, 2009 at 4:51am

job,

Aside from the fact lib and I have absolutely nothing in common, have never met, and are astrologically incompatable, we are for all intents and puposes identical twins.

You know, like you and Kirchik.

gw

- iambiguous

August 6, 2009 at 5:29am

"MSNBC should spell out his affiliations. That's basic, simple and easy. Put it right there in the chryon: "Richard Wolffe, Writer/Lobbyist/Consultant" or whatever."

That would be acceptable, probably even a very good thing to do.  So would MSNBC issuing a disclaimer for Olberman that reads "This guy is a nut.  Don't assume anything he says is accurate or take anything he says seriously".

- McDuffy

August 6, 2009 at 7:27am

Jo: Even you cannot believe the nonsense you write. I am coherent, walton is not. And I am definitely not a neoconservative like James Kirchick, which you would know if you were even minimally intelligent and your hermeneutic skills were at least at the sixth grade level. Lastly, I wrote my post with a heavy dose of irony, especially the last line, an irony that obviously escaped you.

- liberal reformer

August 6, 2009 at 12:14pm

lib ref,

First off, I made no mention of your sides at all. I have no idea if you are short-sided or long-sided or medium-sided. And frankly, I'd rather not think about it.

Second off, you wrote another of your straw-man arguments against "the PC left" and tossed in a Charles Beard reference that's so out of left field that Carl Yastrzemski would blush. (He played left field for Boston back in the day, lib ref.) But you still haven't explained why you are so determined that Richard Wolffe appear on MSNBC as a Man without a Country. Why, Orly Taitz is identified as a dentist AND a lawyer AND a real estate agent AND a birther. Why are you so invested in Richard Wolffe's cloak of anonymity?

- WoodyBombay

August 6, 2009 at 1:09pm

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. I strolled out into left field to engage you.

- liberal reformer

August 6, 2009 at 3:44pm

Lib reformer - coherence is in the eye of the beholder, apparently. And c'mon, Kirchik's neo-conservativism is irrelevant to my comparison - since I noted that you sounded like Kirchik "in full-blown snit mode", I thought it was clear the comparison was about style rather than ideology.

- jobeek2

August 6, 2009 at 8:28pm

Well, there is not much objectivity out here, jo. When you mention James Kirchick and me in the same breath, I am going to take it as a political comparison. There are all kinds of loons here that make Kirchick look sedate.

- liberal reformer

August 7, 2009 at 2:24am

So now erudite references are incoherent? Should I dumb things down for you people?

- liberal reformer

August 7, 2009 at 2:24am