A Weiner in Hand

http://economicpopulist.org:80/content/weiner-hand
A Weiner in Hand

Submitted by Michael Collins on Fri, 06/10/2011 - 00:38
Michael Collins

(Snip)

If you're in the retail business, it's all about packaging. If you're in wholesale, it's about volume. If you're Congressman Anthony Weiner, it's about the double game of liberal packaging without the throw weight to justify the image. I managed to get through the last few days without much information on Weiner's Tweets. etc. As I exited the corporate media's fantasy land a few days ago, I saw a clip of Weiner with a shit eating grin on his face. He was trying to act like an “adult” (i.e., a pol like Cheney who lies without blinking).

Weiner asked that people not make more out if his situation than was actually there. I thought he's lying as I left the virtual world for some pressing business. Upon my return, I saw just enough to let me know that the congressman was the subject of the much discussed underwear shot heard round the world. What difference does it make? None, really. It's just another distraction in the nonstop series of distractions fueled by corporate media in an attempt to keep us from the more vital issues. Why are there only four million more jobs today than there were in 2000? How are citizens supposed to stay healthy, even alive, when the cost of health care is through the roof? Is there any reason for those 80,000 United States troops in Afghanistan or the 700 overseas US military installations?

Anthony Weiner and the Public Option

As much as I hate to admit it, L'Affaire Weiner explains a key event in our decline and fall as a civilized nation. During the run up to the health care "reform" vote, the eminently rational notion of a public option for health care was put forward. The idea was to have the Federal government provide an efficient health insurance alternative to make health care affordable to those who were not among the 60% covered through the self-paying plans of medium to large business and government entities. If you're not part of that 60%, you have to buy direct from health care insurance companies. The costs for a variety of premiums and deductibles can be as high as $25,000. Congressman Weiner led a block of liberal representatives who demanded a viable public option, one that was available to a broad cross section of the public. This would have provided significant relief with substantial cuts in premiums without the private insurance gorging. This was so important that Weiner, as spokesman for the group, stated that the sixty or so would vote no on President Obama's plan, a gift to the insurance carriers. Of course, Obama's plan didn't include a real public option.

What happened?

All but one of the public option group voted in favor of the Obama plan. Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) was the sole exception.


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