More surprise: various Republican and Democratic legislators own stock in assorted health care-related companies. Let's kill 'em all!

/meh

This guy makes me ashamed to live in CT.

Babwa Wawa: This guy makes me ashamed to live in CT.

Hey, Lieberman kind of balances him out...

/MA, you're out of luck

Babwa Wawa: This guy makes me ashamed to live in CT.

At least his vote counts for something.

/DC

Health care will never be fixed in this country. We are totally farked.

/Maybe Canada will eventually invade and "liberate" us

all that is wrong with politics

conflict of interest? who cares.... fark the people

Now That's What I Call a Taco!: Health care will never be fixed in this country. We are totally farked.

/Maybe Canada will eventually invade and "liberate" us

Canada will be greeted as liberators, and will muddle through Mexico next.

They told me if I voted for McCain there would be a culture of corruption is D.C. and they were right.

Has Chris Dodd given up on running for reelection after all of his scandals? He is not even trying to be discreet anymore.

Shrew2u: More surprise: various Republican and Democratic legislators own stock in assorted health care-related companies. Let's kill 'em all!

/meh

Had to throw in the "Republican" part, didn't you? I'm not saying that most Republicans in DC are scum too, but that is the motif of the left now. Whenever a Democrat is caught red-handed (which is about every day) I hear the classic "Both parties are corrupt" line. Didn't hear that as much 3 years ago from you guys.

This is a b..buh...buh... Bush!, but

Halliburton.

Shrew2u: More surprise: various Republican and Democratic legislators own stock in assorted health care-related companies.

Really? You don't understand the difference between owning a few stocks out of hundred of thousands of stockholders, and serving on the Board of Directors?

And how exactly does the [R] and [D] factor change whether or not this is corrupt politics at its most distilled?

Corupted has both a [D] AND and [R] in it.

Phil Herup: all that is wrong with politics

conflict of interest? who cares.... fark the people

And every single one is just like him.

Until we take money out of politics and reform , this is what we can expect. I wish people would stop being suckered into thinking money is the same as free speech.


Seriously, not defending Dodd, but getting upset out outrage at this is like getting mad that the sky is blue.

Let folks buy insurance across state lines... considering there are over 1000 companies, there's your competition.

/blow me, Dodd

JimmyCarter'sSecondTerm: Has Chris Dodd given up on running for reelection after all of his scandals? He is not even trying to be discreet anymore.

Considering that most of them are tempests in teapots, he'll probably continue to do just fine.

But yes, I'm sure the only reason Dodd is proposing that everyone have health insurance is so that the pharmaceutical companies have more people to sell to.

This far into the thread, and still no criticism of the misleading headline? What's wrong here? Ain't nothing in that article suggesting Sen. Dodd has pushed any bill that is beneficial to any particular company.

/that's not to say there is no appearance of impropriety or conflict of interest

Super Chronic: /that's not to say there is no appearance of impropriety or conflict of interest

Well, it's a pretty weak "appearance of impropriety".

I mean, that would be like complaining Ted Kennedy championing literacy and reading programs is self-serving because Caroline Kennedy is an author, and more literacy means more people can buy her books.

godofusa.com: Let folks buy insurance across state lines... considering there are over 1000 companies, there's your competition.

/blow me, Dodd

Solves nothing.

godofusa.com: Let folks buy insurance across state lines...

This. THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS!

BojanglesPaladin: godofusa.com: Let folks buy insurance across state lines...

This. THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS!

Wouldn't that allow insurance companies to congregate in the state with the most insurance friendly laws? Wouldn't this actually cut jobs and positions in the other states? Wouldn't this mean less regulation and suddenly larger insurance companies could grow and offer less insurance for a higher premium?

Unless this is regulated by the federal government, it will repeat all the mistakes that we just faced with these banks that were 'too big to fail'.

BojanglesPaladin: Shrew2u: More surprise: various Republican and Democratic legislators own stock in assorted health care-related companies.

Really? You don't understand the difference between owning a few stocks out of hundred of thousands of stockholders, and serving on the Board of Directors?

And how exactly does the [R] and [D] factor change whether or not this is corrupt politics at its most distilled?

Corupted has both a [D] AND and [R] in it.


AND another "r", for all you fans of literacy.

Cat is out of the bag dumpocraps!!! And it is no even Caturday.

Can you say totally corrupt?????

Chris Dodd is ugly as fark

Listerine: Chris Dodd is ugly as fark

Inside and out.

Change, it's like it never does.

godofusa.com: Let folks buy insurance across state lines country borders... considering there are over 1000 companies, there's your competition.


/fixed
//seriously, why only allow the US companies to compete?

Best culture of corruption EVAR!

/Seriously, WTF?
//republicans are too incompetent to be this corrupt

soy_bomb: Best culture of corruption EVAR!

/Seriously, WTF?
//republicans are too incompetent to be this corrupt

Once again I agree with you

rppp01a: BojanglesPaladin: godofusa.com: Let folks buy insurance across state lines...

This. THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS!

Wouldn't that allow insurance companies to congregate in the state with the most insurance friendly laws? Wouldn't this actually cut jobs and positions in the other states? Wouldn't this mean less regulation and suddenly larger insurance companies could grow and offer less insurance for a higher premium?

Unless this is regulated by the federal government, it will repeat all the mistakes that we just faced with these banks that were 'too big to fail'.

Yea, let's put the government in charge. That did wonders for education!

Nemo's Brother: Shrew2u: More surprise: various Republican and Democratic legislators own stock in assorted health care-related companies. Let's kill 'em all!

/meh

Had to throw in the "Republican" part, didn't you? I'm not saying that most Republicans in DC are scum too, but that is the motif of the left now. Whenever a Democrat is caught red-handed (which is about every day) I hear the classic "Both parties are corrupt" line. Didn't hear that as much 3 years ago from you guys.

I typically vote for Democrats, and I'd have to agree with you about this. "But, but the other side does it too!" isn't a valid defense. It stinks, and a conflict of interest is so obvious here.

Is it too much to ask to, say, have a senator work on a bill that he/she won't financially benefit from should it pass? Especially when it concerns something as volatile as health-care!

I hoped that the Dems would at least TRY to keep stuff like this on the up and up for just one year, what with a majority of Americans feeling completely numbed from the antics of the past 8 years.

/ugh, godammit Dems, don't be so freaking nonchalant about this kind of corruption, at least act like you wanna pull the wool over my eyes

I wanted to be as outraged as my righty troll sibs here, then decided to read the article first.

Huh. The article says nothing about pushing a health care bill.

It says that Dodd sits on (and is acting chair of) the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (Pensions?) Committee. It also says Dodd previously sought an extension to financial reports Congresspeople file yearly, but managed to get the report done in time. The report states the info about his wife sitting on health company boards. Then the article talks about other Senators' financial reports.

It's actually really cool that the AP put together an informational piece like this that reveals the committee - which will write the health care bill - members' conflicts of interest.

While it's a given that the to-be-penned bill will probably benefit the committee members' interests, isn't it kind of hollow to rage about it before it happens? Or, rage about it, my mighty whitey righty friends, but not pretend like it's already happened?

/prepping rage for when bill is written
//prepping pre-bill ragey letter to my Senators to warn 'em

godofusa.com: Yea, let's put the government in charge. That did wonders for education!

Yes it did.

Did you mean to link to a different article, subby? Because the article says NOTHING about your contention in the headline.

Or...just trollin'?

Uh-huh.

Where in the hell is Ned Lamont now that he could actually be helpful?

Now That's What I Call a Taco!: Health care will never be fixed in this country. We are totally farked.
===============================================

When the health insurance companies send lobbyists to congress with millions of dollars... I can assure you, you are correct.

Sadly.

But that's the way it is.

vernonFL: This is a b..buh...buh... Bush!, but

Halliburton.

Laura Bush sat on the board of Halliburton? Who knew?

discount sushi: At least his vote counts for something.



What does it count for?

Phil Herup

Wow! A book written by right-wing loonies about how EEEEVIL and corrupt the "left" (lawl) is. And it's endorsed by Tom Delay. I'm convinced.

Where is Obama? Where is the change?

godofusa.com: Let folks buy insurance across state lines... considering there are over 1000 companies, there's your competition.

Do you really want to be subsidizing America's "Elephant Graveyard", Florida? I don't want my premiums to offset some bedridden octagenarian on 17 daily prescriptions so they can live to be 90.

Stupid Guitar: Is it too much to ask to, say, have a senator work on a bill that he/she won't financially benefit from should it pass? Especially when it concerns something as volatile as health-care!

There won't be any direct financial benefit. His wife doesn't serve on any health insurance boards, she serves on three pharmaceutical boards and one board for an elderly care home.

Yes, indirectly there may be a benefit -- if more people have insurance, maybe the companies will sell more drugs -- but that's pretty nebulous. And where do you stop? Should anyone with investments be prohibited from working on economic stimulus legislation on the notion that if the economy rebounds, their investments will rebound too? Should anyone who has written a book be prohibited from working on legislation aimed at increasing English literacy, because maybe if more people can read, more will buy their book? Should all legislators be banned from authoring tax cut legislation, because it would cut their own taxes too?

It's not like these companies would be direct beneficiaries (the insurance industry would be).

It's only bad when the other side does it.
And since both sides tend to do it, it makes us all raving hypocrites.

YAY!

BalugaJoe: Where is Obama? Where is the change?

It is the only money left in your pocket.

Super Chronic: Ain't nothing in that article suggesting Sen. Dodd has pushed any bill that is beneficial to any particular company.

Exactly. This is stupid, not that Dodd doesn't deserve scorn for being such an industry whore at times.

*IF* Dodd votes against a health care reform bill that will have the effect of lowering health care costs and insurance company profits, I will direct my outrage to him accordingly.

Chris Dodd sucks. Career politicians suck. Term limits for all elected officials!!!

JimmyCarter'sSecondTerm: Has Chris Dodd given up on running for reelection after all of his scandals? He is not even trying to be discreet anymore.


No. We're being bombarded with his campaign ads already. He must be shiating his pants, thinking that he probably won't even get a democratic nomination. Maybe he can run in Lieberman's party?

Dodd is a tool! He's done!

What else is new, It will be forgtoten and business as usual. Look at Pelosi. Libs.

ObeliskToucher: Babwa Wawa: This guy makes me ashamed to live in CT.

Hey, Lieberman kind of balances him out...

/MA, you're out of luck

Wut?