We are merely chained to a wall in a cave watching reflected shadows dance

[Vinnie From Indy]

Has it not struck anyone else as odd that health insurance companies are drastically raising premiums and dropping coverage at this moment in time? It almost seems that they are doing this as a promotional campaign.

The fact is that these odd rate hikes taking place now may be just a bit more national, political theater designed to sway more people to SUPPORT passage of the HCR bill being considered. That's right, the health insurers WANT this bill and their recent rate hikes could very well be a bit of Madison Avenue psyops designed to remind people of how bloodthirsty their executives can be. The final bit of momentum to give them what they have always wanted - a secure place where their executives can trade lives for houses on the beach, new cars and exclusive country club memberships. This bill will cement into law the very worst practices of the health insurance industry. The health insurers know that even the highly watered down "good things" in the bill will be side-stepped, ignored or changed down the line. The key is that they get the mandate and, by any means necessary, eliminate the public option. Make no mistake, they want this bill! The rest is all theater.

[glowing]

1. I wish more Democrats who are supposed to deliver Universal Health care

would just pass an ammendment to Medicare and fund it enough to include everyone.. and tax the wealthy for initial start-up costs... A few bankers have bonus money from their bank heist...

[CTyankee]

2. Interesting use of Plato's Cave. I have wondered the same thing myself.

I did not reach your final conclusion, but knowing these insurance companies, it may very well be as you say. I would hope something good will come of the bill and that it isn't the end of the public option -- how come you think the public option won't resurface at some future time? Nothing in this bill seems to rule that out, it just doesn't include it here and now...

[Oregone]

3. Its odd people can't see this

They have million dollar PR firms contacted to tell them how to best manipulate their image to eventually lead to more profits. Normally they play with a smile on their face, but all of a sudden, now, in the midst of reform, they are playing cutthroat? Either they are stupid or calculated. I don't buy it for a minute that this is not being done on purpose. Any reasonable industry would forgo temporarily on profit increases to lobby for the people's support if the really didn't like a bill.

This bill puts the fox in charge of the hen house permanently, and they know it.

[RandomThoughts]

4. That story is really deep.

BOOK VII. And now I will describe in a figure the enlightenment or unenlightenment of our nature:—Imagine human beings living in an underground den which is open towards the light; they have been there from childhood, having their necks and legs chained, and can only see into the den. At a distance there is a fire, and between the fire and the prisoners a raised way, and a low wall is built along the way, like the screen over which marionette players show their puppets. Behind the wall appear moving figures, who hold in their hands various works of art, and among them images of men and animals, wood and stone, and some of the passers-by are talking and others silent. 'A strange parable,' he said, 'and strange captives.' They are ourselves, I replied; and they see only the shadows of the images which the fire throws on the wall of the den; to these they give names, and if we add an echo which returns from the wall, the voices of the passengers will seem to proceed from the shadows. Suppose now that you suddenly turn them round and make them look with pain and grief to themselves at the real images; will they believe them to be real? Will not their eyes be dazzled, and will they not try to get away from the light to something which they are able to behold without blinking? And suppose further, that they are dragged up a steep and rugged ascent into the presence of the sun himself, will not their sight be darkened with the excess of light? Some time will pass before they get the habit of perceiving at all; and at first they will be able to perceive only shadows and reflections in the water; then they will recognize the moon and the stars, and will at length behold the sun in his own proper place as he is. Last of all they will conclude:—This is he who gives us the year and the seasons, and is the author of all that we see. How will they rejoice in passing from darkness to light! How worthless to them will seem the honours and glories of the den!

But now imagine further, that they descend into their old habitations;—in that underground dwelling they will not see as well as their fellows, and will not be able to compete with them in the measurement of the shadows on the wall; there will be many jokes about the man who went on a visit to the sun and lost his eyes, and if they find anybody trying to set free and enlighten one of their number, they will put him to death, if they can catch him.


Makes me think about how some can only see in the light, others only in the dark, hence the divide between the split nature of society. Although there is different meanings in different contexts

Without endorsement or criticism
Plato's Republic
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1497/1497-h/1497-h.htm#2H_4_0009

[Hannah Bell]

5. k

[amborin]

6. yes, people think it's not a coincidence:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x195364

[CoffeeCat]

7. So true...

The healthcare industry fought this bill with millions of dollars in campaign
contributions to choice politicians. They stationed hundreds of lobbyists, who
met with our politicians, before the healthcare debate even began. They paid to
have the public option killed.

The healthcare/insurance industry fought like hell and they got what they wanted--
a guarantee that NO public option would be passed. Furthermore, they have also
been guaranteed that Americans will be FORCED to purchase their overpriced, corrupt
health-insurance products.

The reason that healthcare companies are raising premiums and continuing their
disgusting abuses--such as dropping people, denying coverage for preexisting
conditions or failing to pay bills--is because they now have NO FEAR. They
have been to the HILL and now they know they own it.

The health-insurance industry knows that it has purchased our government. They
can do whatever the hell they please. They're more brazen now because the government
is complicit in their abuse of the American people. This administration was supposed
to signal the death knell for healthcare as usual. Real "change" was coming! If
healthcare would EVER change, this would be the moment.

Make no mistake, they were terrified. Now they're not. Now they're relieved, cocksure
and feeling invincible. Brace for even more abuse from these companies.