Bill's Box

Rachel Maddow exposes the monied interests pretending to be "average Americans" who are fueling the outrage at these "town halls gone wild". First up, Recess Rally, sponsored by Michelle Malkin, Smart Girl Politics, Redstate, but also American Majority, and as Rachel points out, this group is hardly made up of average Americans even though they tout themselves as being a non-profit, non-partisan organization.

The people behind American Majority; Ned Ryun, former George W. Bush speech writer, Lonny Leitner, Regional Field Director for Bush/Cheney '04, Shari Weber, former Republican State Legislator, Matt Pinnell, a former Washington conservative lobbyist.

Rachel notes that American Majority is an offshoot of another Recess Rally sponsor, The Sam Adams Alliance. Their President, John Tsarpalas, former Executive Director of the Illinois State Republican party, their Director, Joseph Lehman, former Dow Chemicals engineer and president of the nation's largest conservative state level policy think tank.

Another sponsor of Recess Rally, Let Freedom Ring. Their founder, the money man behind the television ad exploiting 9-11 to promote the Iraq invasion. Another sponsor, the swift boaters.

Yet another sponsor, Americans for Prosperity, and their subsidiary Patients First. Americans for Prosperity's Director, Art Pope, who has the headquarters of the North Carolina Republican party named after him since he's given them so much money. Their Chairman, David Koch, the 19th richest man in the world who runs Koch Industries, which is the largest privately held oil company in the United States.

To talk about these town hall events as some organic outpouring of average American folks who have concerns about health care is to be willfully blind to what is really going on, which is professional P.R. operatives generating exploitative, manufactured, strategically deployed outrage in order to line their own pocket.

This is professional, corporate funded Republican staffed P.R., and it should be reported as such.

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Today, speaking at the National Press Club, Michael Steele explained: Transcript:

260 million Americans currently have health insurance coverage, the great majority through private insurers, and polls consistently show that they are overwhelmingly pleased with their current coverage. ... The vast majority of Americans like their health care coverage. The vast majority of Americans like the quality of their health care. The vast majority of Americans don't want Uncle Sam to touch their health care.

I would like Michael Steele and others echoing these same lines why the actual numbers show otherwise. 85% of Americans support "fundamental changes" to or a "complete rebuild" of the health care system. 64% believe the government should guarantee insurance for all Americans and 72% think the government should offer a public option styled after Medicare to compete with private insurers. OK, so they don't like the current plans. Then become involved and put out some ideas and plans of your own. All I've heard from Republicans so far is "this is too expensive", "Americans don't want this", and "This is a jobs killer". None of which helps the actual problem. No health insurance causes people to put health care completely, or resort to the emergency room, which usually only makes their health problems worse. These people are the same that if they survive will eventually be on Medicare/Medicaid with worse, preventable health problems. It will cost more to help them then, than to find some way to get them affordable preventative medicine now. Also, especially in this economic climate, many people are attached to their jobs not just for their paychecks, but their health insurance. Many households may have a desire or idea to go into small or home-based business, but don't want to lose their families health insurance package, so they stay at their job. This has often been referred to as "Job-Lock". So please politicians, we know your party is hurting, but do a favor for America and instead of standing in the way, help come up with a way to get this done affordably. Health Care ‘Job Lock’ Stifles Entrepreneurship

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My Box, My Voice

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The vast majority of Americans don't want Uncle Sam to touch their health care.