The American People Versus Obamacare

Published March 17, 2010 11:02am ET



The New York Times writes, “For weeks, Democrats…were taking a pounding in their districts.” But now “pharmaceutical companies [have] made a $12 million investment for a final advertising push.” The Times elaborates: “The new money from Pharma, the association of drug makers, as well as contributions from labor unions and other groups [has] helped equalize the advertising fight. This week…the groups backing the legislation will focus extensively on the insurance industry with this theme: ‘When insurance companies win, you lose.’”

That’s rich: While President Obama crisscrosses the country villainizing health insurers, Big Pharma — whose 19.3 percent profits absolutely dwarf health insurers’ profits of 2.2 percent  — is bankrolling anti-insurer, pro-Obamacare ads. At the Huffington Post, Art Levine frankly explains that “giveaways to Big Pharma have put that industry in the ‘reform’ camp and willing to make ad buys.” However, Levine also laments that Obamacare’s grassroots supporters are “hardly turning out in droves to pressure the members of Congress.” Instead, they’re providing “a weak counterweight to the mass protests and energetic street antics of the Tea Baggers.”

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