Stan Geiger

Health Care Summit Irony

I didn't watch the big health care show on TV. I did, however, see some clips on the evening news. I was impressed with the irony.

I guess the first comment I saw that caught my attention came from the president, when he said to John McCain, "We aren't campaigning anymore."

Dude, Obama has done nothing but campaign since he took office. I reckon that's because he knows a lot about campaigning but little about governing. The Air Force will likely have to replace a couple of 747s when Obama gets voted out of office. The president will have worn them out with his travel habit.

But Senator Jay Rockefeller really got my attention. He was shown scolding the Republicans for being too cozy with the health insurers. He referred to health insurance companies as sharks in the water that you don't notice until they sink their teeth into you.

Yes, Jay Rockefeller is a member of that Rockefeller family. He is the nephew of David Rockefeller; he is the great grandson of J.D. Rockefeller.

First, I couldn't believe a Democrat was scolding Republicans about coddling health insurance companies. The federal mandate for health insurance isn't coming from Republicans; it's coming from Democrats. And that's the big plum for health insurers. Health insurers want healthy people forced into paying thousands a year in premiums. Whether the money comes from individuals or the government matters none to them; they just want the money. Democrats are playing that game, not Republicans.

Second, I don't know, I didn't bother to check, but I imagine David is dead these days. But in his time, David was a bankster of note. These days, I think everybody is aware of what banksters are about.

J.D. I know is dead. In his time, he was one of the biggest robber barons in American history. J.D., more than anybody else, gave birth to antitrust laws in this country. Using every dirty trick in the book, he drove out competition and took over the oil industry. He owned virtually all of it at one point.

For a guy from that family to accuse health insurance companies of being sharks in the water looking to exploit people is, well, disingenuous at best.

The Rockefellers are much like the Kennedys. They exploited the masses to acquire huge family fortunes, then they went into politics claiming the very people they exploited to get filthy stinking rich need government help.

I don't need to hear anything from anybody with the Rockefeller name.

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