Quiet as it's kept, capitalism has failed. Monopolism reigns.

[loudnclear]

Heading toward one bank, one media, two classes--rich and poor.

[theivoryqueen]

1. The rich unanimously agree

and approve.

Here's a little thank you from those at the top!

http://tompaine.com/op_ads/opad2.cfm/ID/9255

[denverbill]

3. Nice letter.

Bank of America thoughtfully announced today they are outsourcing thousands of jobs to India.

From now on I'm gonna called them Bank of India.

[Armstead]

2. Moving towards one health insurer too

There have been two announced mergers of major health insurers.

But most DUers don;t seem to care about this. We'd much rather atgue about Clark's hair or Dean's teeth.

The devultion of our economy and society towards a Monopolist Corporate State is a central issue that is being ignored. Too bad. Politics was nice while it lasted.

----------------

http://biz.yahoo.com/rc/031027/health_insurance_antitrust_1.html
Reuters
Doctors' group questions health insurance mergers
Monday October 27, 7:20 pm ET


WASHINGTON, Oct 27 (Reuters) - The largest U.S. physicians' group on Monday sharply questioned the billion-dollar mergers proposed by two of the largest health insurers and said they should be "highly scrutinized" by regulators.

The American Medical Association said proposed multi-billion dollar acquisitions by Anthem Inc. (NYSE:ATH - News) and UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:UNH - News) could lead to too much consolidation in the industry and add to the ranks of those without insurance at a time when premiums are already rising.

AMA president Donald Palmisano said in a prepared statement that the two merged companies would control more than a quarter of the U.S. health insurance market.

"The announcement of these two mergers on the same day should raise concerns that the country is headed toward a health care system dominated by a few publicly-traded companies that operate primarily in the interest of shareholders," Palmisano said.....

MORE
--------------

Associated Press

Monday October 27, 7:01 pm ET

Insurers Anthem, WellPoint to Merge for About $16.4 Billion in Cash and Stock
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/031027/anthem_wellpoint_merger_7.html

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The two largest Blue Cross Blue Shield providers plan to merge in a $14.3 billion cash and stock deal, creating the nation's largest managed-care provider with 26 million members from Maine to California.

Anthem Inc., the slightly smaller of the two, will swallow California-based WellPoint Health Networks Inc., keeping the larger company's name but consolidating its operations at Anthem's Indianapolis headquarters, the companies announced Monday.

<snip>

Anthem and WellPoint have grown through acquisitions in recent years, with Anthem a particularly busy buyer, now owning Blue plans in nine states. WellPoint's acquisition of Wisconsin Blue Cross provider Cobalt Corp. won final approval just five weeks ago. WellPoint also operates Blue plans in Georgia and Missouri.

MORE

[Misinformed01]

4. Sadly, one of two of the best threads

on DU today falls immediately to page 2-

I wish you had titled this something to the tune of "What's the ANSWER to this?"

Or "Which candidate will address this?"

[Terwilliger]

5. You should have said that Nader suggested this

there'd be hundreds of replies by now ;-)

[Armstead]

6. Well Nader DID suggest this

so I guess that means it's a radioactive issue that can;t be touched with a ten foot pole.

[loudnclear]

8. Feel free to copy it and re-post it.

I take no pride in authorship. I just want some real important issues discussed.

[PATRICK]

7. When it exceeds its limits

and abuses the extremes, when it becomes commonly criticized and a self-apparent failure propped up by myths that even if believed do not succeed- then it is decadent. Capitalism, markets and corporate empires cannot survive by cannibalizing everything else.

In the past it might take centuries to shed the snake skin. Ten years from now(though I doubt it) it COULD be radically moving in new directions. A century of dismal triumphalist oppression however could probably kill the planet or most of the human race. There is no reason or justice or reality behind it to sustain anything.

[loudnclear]

9. Meanwhile, socialism is doing is still alive, even under embargos

and sanctions. And we have not rid the world of communism lest the Reagan worshipers start dancing around the flag pole. China is on its way to burying us ...something Kruchev promised but China is really doing. One thing that communism can do is to morph into hybrids of socialism and capitalism...something capitalism cannot do because of it competive, greed-driven nature. The only economy that actually thrived in this country was when we established measures closer to socialism than campitalism...New Deal, Great Society. The bullshit sold to us as capitalism is really socialism for the corporations and the wealthy.
We will wake up one day.

Instead of making more and more weapons and selling them or giving them away, we should be making rails, and railroad cars, fixing bridges, making jobs for Americans...real jobs producing useful products...building and refurbishing schools, setting up transporation systems for our elderly, establishing a really good social health system, fixing highways, building pedestrial walkways and over passes in our major central cities. We will not be able to survive on fast-food chains and nanny jobs. Wake up America!

[kentuck]

10. Well, we're going to build a free, capitalist society in Iraq....

But it will take a fortune, plus an arm and a leg...literally.

[loudnclear]

11. Kicking for the working poor to comment on.

Convince me that I am wrong. I would love to be.