I shot off an email to Andy as soon as I saw his post:
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Re: Thugocracy vs. Capitalism
The treatment of those public companies is a perfect example of a little-remarked-upon danger in Obamacare:
government control of the flow of information.
Recall last September when Humana sent a letter to its Medicare Advantage policyholders. It told them their
plans might be cut under the health care legislation. Obama’s HHS “ordered” the company to retract the letter
and “remove any references from its website”. They said the company was lying and scaring old folks.
Of course, we know the health care bill has now done exactly what Humana said it would.
There was also the study released by the insurance companies indicating premiums would rise dramatically.
Within 24 hours Congress had moved to strip the companies of their anti-trust exemptions. Again, they accused
the insurance companies of lying in their report. They clubbed the insurance companies into submission.
Now those thugs control the whole system. No insurance company or health provider will dare release information
that would displease the master. As consumers, we will only be allowed to hear positive information. Negative
results will never see the light of day. And dissent will be squelched. That’s what happens when politicians
control any segment of the economy.
The Supreme court ruled decisively (in the McCain-Feingold case) that corporations most definitely do have free speech rights, so this will not survive any legal challenge.
This ruling may end up being extremely important.
++good