Prominent Democratic Consultants Sign Up to Defeat Single Payer in Colorado

[dixiegrrrrl]

The Democratic consulting firm that is fighting to kill single payer in Colorado is also currently advising Priorities USA Action,
a Super PAC backing Hillary Clinton.
I
NFLUENTIAL DEMOCRATIC CONSULTANTS, some of whom work for the Super PACs backing Hillary Clinton, have signed up to fight a bold initiative to create a state-based single-payer system in Colorado, according to a state filing posted Monday.

Coloradans for Coloradans, an ad-hoc group opposing single payer in Colorado, revealed that it raised $1 million over the first five months of this year. The group was formed to defeat Amendment 69, the ballot measure before voters this year that would change the Colorado constitution and permit a system that would automatically cover every state resident’s health care.

The anti-single-payer effort is funded almost entirely by health care industry interests, including $500,000 from Anthem Inc., the state’s largest health insurance provider; $40,000 from Cigna, another large health insurer that is current in talks to merge with Anthem; $75,000 from Davita, the dialysis company; $25,000 from Delta Dental, the largest dental insurer in the state; and $100,000 from SCL Health, the faith-based hospital chain.

The filing reveals that the anti-single-payer group has retained the services of Global Strategy Group, a Democratic consulting firm that has served a variety of congressional candidates and is currently advising Priorities USA Action, one of the Super PACs backing Clinton’s bid for the presidency.

https://theintercept.com/2016/05/03/single-payer-dems-colo/

[Kip Humphrey]

1. "SAY NO TO SINGLE PAYER UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE", brought to you by

DEMOCRATIC CONSULTANTS, some of whom work for the Super PACs backing Hillary Clinton

[Baobab]

42. The real reason we dont have single payer health care, you Kip, know but we all

need to realize, is not anything we;ve been told about, instead its bad trade policy hatched during the 1990s which was intended to lock us out, of health care affordability, not just us but the whole world, at least the whole WTO membership.

This paper goes into depth about it.

[Scuba]

2. Pay close attention and you'll hear Hillary doesn't advocate for universal healthcare ...

... but advocates for universal health coverage.



But then she also takes big bucks from the insurance industry, so she's obligated to them.

[abelenkpe]

15. +1000 nt

[Baobab]

43. No, they force a system on us that punishes everybody but the richest

with substandard health care.


Thats its ideology.

[hunter]

79. The irony is that the wealthy also get inappropriate substandard care.

Doctors motivated by the money, skilled at selling themselves to very wealthy people, may not be the best doctors.

[Enthusiast]

58. + 1 bazillion!

[Plucketeer]

66. And I second your bazillion!

Either Clinton's a good liar or her faithful are tone deaf.

[MidwestTech]

80. tone deaf

Hillary, like Obama, has not actually hidden who she is... no one is listening.
at no point has Mrs Clinton actually stated she's a liberal or progressive.
she's a moderate, like obama, and bill, et al.
I don't know why people are so surprised when she acts like she's always acted.
her hard kore PUMAs just don't care (tone deaf) or they know and are trying desperately to hide it from the general populace who they KNOW will revolt.

I'm not afraid of whoever wins the white house, honestly.
oi'm afraid of the downward spiral. both options presented to us by the media will hurt this country.
one faster than the other is all.

[rhett o rick]

97. No one on the Left is surprised that Clinton isn't either liberal or progressive.

I don't consider her a moderate either. Her support of the Iraq War and cluster bombs knocks her out of the "moderate" category.

Her followers don't care what her positions are. They seek a tough authoritarian leader. The fact that she is tough on the 99% and not on the 1% is ok with them.

[KansDem]

85. I've seen the term, "managed competition" in reading H's views on health insurance

I'm not sure what that means...

[awoke_in_2003]

87. The stronger parasite wins. nt

[Fantastic Anarchist]

92. Bingo!

[bvar22]

99. There is a BIG difference between "Universal Health Care" and "Single Payer Health Care".

Single Payer would be a national program with IMMENSE Collective Bargaining Power with both the Health Care Providers and the Pharmaceutical Corporations.

"Universal Health Care" has come to mean the everybody has Health Insurance.
I don't believe that any one state has enough of a Risk Pool to make a State Run Public Option viable, and that gives the Insurance Industry Ammo point to states like Vermont as say,
"See, we tried it, and it didn't work."
Colorado will be in the same boat.

IIRC, there is also a Poison Pill written into the ACA that states that for an individual state to implement a state run program, it must break even the first year....that NO State or Federal funds can be used to help with start up costs and low return during the enrollment process. Under these conditions, there is no way for a new State Run Public Option system to survive the first year. Ask Vermont.

We NEED a National Single Payer Public Option. Nothing less will work.

[MisterP]

3. 5 minutes later: "the Democrats are the party of universal healthcare!"

[scscholar]

4. Well that's certainly disappointing

Maybe they have a reason to be against the proposed ballot measure as it is currently written. Same reason so many marijuana advocates were against the ballot measure here in WA. They knew if something bad got passed, it be even harder to fix it.

[maindawg]

7. That is the talking point

You nailed it. That's the standard textbook lie. Bullseye. Sure don't want to make the problem worse by doing the right thing . Move the goal posts , better luck next time.
It is utterly evil to keep people inbondage to the private corporate money users It is against the very law of the land it's UN constitutional. It only hurts the poor and the almost poor .Almost poor, is poor. While the millionaires stash trillions we can't get to see a doctor?

[Baobab]

45. Maine was the only state that was honest about the real reason, back in 2006

Now cover-ups are the norm. here is the real reason, we are held hosptage to a bad trade ideology.

http://www.maine.gov/legis/opla/ctpchlthcaresub.pdf

[KPN]

67. Wow!

[passiveporcupine]

30. Maybe they have a reason to be against the proposed ballot measure as it is currently written.

Of course they do. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Dont call me Shirley]

5. Fucking Greedy Assholes!

[Loudestlib]

6. Disappointing.

Not surprising but still disappointing.

[TryLogic]

94. Beyond disappointing.

[rurallib]

8. follow the money, follow the money, follow the money

If I have learned nothing else here I have learned this.

[onecaliberal]

9. But hey, keep voting for the "incremental change" crowd to fuck us over.

This is why I'm just done with them. With the exception of a handful, the party is just as corrupt and paid off as the republicans are. They WANT people to die, so they can make more MONEY. If this isn't flat out evil, I don't know what is.

[Peace Patriot]

10. Scumbag Democrats! Makes me ashamed of my 50+ year membership in this party!

Our Democratic Party has become merely a lobbyist for those who are pricing us out of health care as we speak! Not to mention lobbyists for every other evil-doing transglobal corporation and bankster--those robbing us blind, off-shoring their taxes, and KNOWINGLY killing the very planet we all depend upon for life itself.

Disgusting.

[Snotcicles]

28. +1.nt

[Jopin Klobe]

11. Truly, we now have a two party system ...

... Stupid "Republicans" and More Stupid "Democrats" ...

... it's going very, very well for the sewer rich ...

[Oldenuff]

57. That is Republicans and Dino's.

I'd like to think that there are still progressives within the party..but it seems they are in a distinct minority.

[LiberalLovinLug]

88. Its even now moved on to Fascists and Goldwater Republicans

there is no "moderates" left other than a few reps like Sanders.

[clg311]

12. Awful.

And I 'm sure media flacks in Denver will mock the supporters of single payer the same way the corporate media mock the supporters of Sanders.

[OwlinAZ]

44. This is a movement that will persevere and not

be afraid to challenge the status quo. Progressives must be influential in our Party. There are interests which will always fight for the greedy.

[ReRe]

13. K&R

OK... so does anyone not get what this is saying? DU seems to be frequented of late by people who can't understand plain English. I thought it was pretty clear.

How is it that a political candidate in this country can flip-flop on such an important issue as single-payer healthcare within a 25-year period? Can someone who understands that explain how that works? Is it kind of like the drug use issue... "yeah I did that 25 yrs ago when I was a kid, but I don't do that anymore. Ha-ha." Of course it isn't. That's not like the issue of Universal Health Care.

"Democratic Consultants" my ass. They are Ins. Co lobbyists who will fight to the death to be absolutely sure that the health insurance monopoly will continue to govern whether we live or effing die, or hang on by the skin of our effing teeth, and make absolutely sure they maintain a grip on that big wad of MONEY. Everyone got that?

Thanks, dixiegrrrrl. It's all pretty plain to me.

[Baobab]

46. GATS

did you read that?

[KPN]

68. And don't forget GATS as Baobab says!!!! It's all connected -- and it is about the money!!!!

[NightWatcher]

14. This election will be interesting. A lot of traditional democratic voters will be conflicted

Hillary is not feeling very democratic. If the Party wants to go that way too, I predict a lot of Progressive people might reexamine their party affiliations, and or stay home on Election Day.

Damn shame.

[Doctor_J]

24. She will win, primarily because of her gender. A right wing female is perfect for the owning class

The party will get massacred again this year and in 2018

[Volaris]

47. Very likely, and for it we can rename the White House the Hawk's Nest.

Lovely, isn't it?

[freebrew]

73. She will 'probably' win...

because the other side has lost it's f*ing marbles...

and hasn't chosen a candidate since (dog knows when) that understands the basic concepts of gravity.
You know, the one that says 'what goes up must come down'???

But, 'right wing female' is sort of oxymoranic isn't it??

[rhett o rick]

98. The Party leadership has been coopted by the oligarchy and their

first and foremost priority is to keep a progressive out of the WH. The Oligarchy as explained by both Goldman-Sachs and the Koch Bros would be happy with either Clinton or other Republicon.

[greiner3]

36. How about;

1/3 votes Donald, 1/3 votes for Democratic Hillary and 1/3 vote Bernie.

House here we come and it would be Ryan's task to see????? wins

[RoccoR5955]

16. They have to be true to their corporate masters. n/t

[Geronimoe]

17. As Chair, President and Chief Executive Officer at ANTHEM INC, Joseph R. Swedish made $13,604,681

A battle of the have more and want more, over people who want affordable health care.

[valerief]

18. Today's Democrats, inspiring insurance companies everywhere. nt

[Feeling the Bern]

19. Democrats in 2016. Party over principle.

[bbgrunt]

20. yes sir, don't expect the third way dems to help get single payer.

[Jack Rabbit]

21. No, that can't be right. No Democratic Party affiliated group would oppose single payer

That must be a neoliberal Republican-lite group.

[mountain grammy]

22. Not surprised at all.

This will be a battle in Colorado with both side demonizing this initiative. I have little hope it will pass, but I'll work for it as hard as I can.. Coloradans for Coloradans, ha, what a joke, like Coloradans for Responsible Energy Development, or CRUD, oops, CRED, pushing fracking down our throats with dozens of daily commercials.

[RiverNoord]

35. Damn.

I didn't even note the name until I saw your post.

Maybe the point has been reached where front groups don't even have to get inventive with their naming, as they don't ever seem to get called out by the general public for absurd names that are designed to appear as though their agendas are basically the opposite of what they really are.

Actually, as I was typing, I realized that there is a further step down that path. An insurance front group could name itself, say, in the case of this battle, Coloradans for Universal Health Care. Instead of vaguely bulshitty, just going all the way.

Or... an ExxonMobil propaganda front group opposing progress toward addressing global warming calling itself 'Americans for Affordable Public Housing,' and, of course, having no interest in or position on public housing.

Yep, make way for 'Americans for Everybody,' 'The National Institute of Good Things,' and 'Citizens United Just Because.'

[Doctor_J]

23. This is why I don't consider myself part of the party any more. Hillary's entire right wing agenda

is apparently now the party standard.

[KPN]

71. Damn right it is! Hillary's gotta go!

I'm with you -- still registered D, but not for long. And Hillary damn well won't get my vote in the fall.

It's Bernie or Bust --- because we're going to bust anyway!

[randr]

25. One more reason Colorado is leading the nation into the future

Single player is on and we chose Bernie

[Peregrine Took]

26. Any scumbag Dem names we might recognize?

Pukes!

[dchill]

27. Single Payer: The only legitimate position...

for a legitimate Democrat.

[Enthusiast]

59. Huge +1!

[gregcrawford]

29. After they've been tarred and feathered...

... let these treacherous DINO swine be drummed out of the Democratic Party for-fucking-EVER!

[KPN]

72. Strong words -- but having a hard time disagreeing.

[suffragette]

31. Hmm, wasn't it pushed that states could later move to single payer

As a positive point for the ACA?

Don't remember back then that influential Democrats would be the ones trying to block that change.

[Volaris]

49. It was never openly offered as a discussion point because if it was

It would have been another obvious reason to scream our silly little liberal heads off about not getting a damned Public Option.

It's a hell of a lot easier for lobbying interests to kill State initiatives than Federal ones...and lobbying firms know it.
So of course that little bone was thrown to us, because they knew someone would try to swallow it, and then choke themselves on it.

[suffragette]

53. Yep, it's right up there with 'we can change it after it passes'

When the core is bad, small changes don't address the problem.

I hope the people in Colorado can get single payer in place.

But it will be a big fight, since so many forces have a stake in keeping the system as is and the profits rolling in.

[Volaris]

54. If they can manage to change it, that will then be the model for us to follow.

I wish them well.

[rury]

32. This is why we can't have nice things

[tom_kelly]

33. And I'm supposed to feel guilty

for not pulling a lever for HRC in the GE? Bullshit! As I've said before, I will never again vote for the lesser of two evils for President in a GE. I've always, and will always vote but them Clinton days are over for this cat.

[840high]

34. +100

[KPN]

74. +200!

[dixiegrrrrl]

100. I want a ballot that has the option for "none of the above".

Been saying that for years.

[Gman]

37. I wonder what the real story is

And not what some unknown website thinks it is or says it is.

[OnyxCollie]

41. LOL!

Damn, that's funny.

[Enthusiast]

60. Funny but I'm not laughing.

[KPN]

75. Huh? For real?

“I know that most men, including those at ease with problems of the greatest complexity, can seldom accept even the simplest and most obvious truth if it be such as would oblige them to admit the falsity of conclusions which they have delighted in explaining to colleagues, which they have proudly taught to others, and which they have woven, thread by thread, into the fabric of their lives.”
-Tolstoy

[Gman]

86. Somehow I doubt Tolstoy would consider The Intercept

A source of truth.

"Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold."

[snot]

38. K&R'd & bookmarked.

[Vote2016]

39. The Democratic establishment has grown so corrupt it will oppose the best interest of Democrats if

that's what the lobbyists who run our party demand.

Sickening.

[tomm2thumbs]

40. The movement is underway, they can only hold the tide back for a little longer

same with smoking on planes, same-sex marriage laws, minimum wage, etc -- the tide eventually wins, but the people that dump money into the system keep it alive a few more years longer than it was planned

delay the inevitable, but the inevitable is coming for them, and they'll live to see the day it changes

[LannyDeVaney]

48. Seriously, I know this won't change any minds ...

but read the article. It's a bunch of "some of whom" and "served a variety" ...

Most of you seem to interpret this post as a "Clinton is funding anti-single payer", but be honest, that is a reach.

[2banon]

50. Isn't Global Strategy Group a Bill Clinton creation?

Or am I mixing that name up with another similar sounding Global something or other, that Clinton formed.. ??

[Buddyblazon]

51. I'm in Colorado...

It's one thing for Clinton, her financial backers and her supporters to tell us we can't have UHC...that's bad enough.

But when you and your people are actively working to kill it....well fuck those people.

Want to work to kill single payer in my state? Well...you don't get my vote. Shove your ballot straight up your nose.

Guess she doesn't need my vote in this swing state.

[Enthusiast]

61. Huge +1!

[KPN]

77. And she won't get mine here! Good on you!

[Betty Karlson]

52. If this is what Debbie and the "Democrats" want, then count me out. Disgusting corporatism.

Third Way is a dead end.

[eridani]

55. The harderst thing to overcome will be the fact that most people will never get expensively sick

In every age demographic, 15% of that demographic accounts for 85% of health care costs. 5% accounts for HALF. That means that the 85% healthy majority thinks they already have good insurance and are not likely to ever find out otherwise.

[Oldenuff]

56. Super Pac that supports Hillary is behind this?

I am Shocked!

Shocked I tell you!

[Enthusiast]

62. K&R! This post deserves hundreds of recommendations.

[MaeScott]

63. Thanks, DixieG. Kicked. nt

[islandmkl]

64. K&R....there is no agenda that Hillary's financial supporters cannot have her favor...

while she tells the rubes she is 'opposed'...'considering with certain changes'...'will investigate further'....etc.

[KPN]

65. Fuck the Democratic Party! After 44 years of being a registered Dem, I'm over it.

Passing this on to the Bernie campaign.

[marmar]

69. A Center-Right Money Party and an Insane Asylum Money Party.....

..... those are our options.

[jwirr]

70. Promenant Hillary supporters.

[merrily]

76. Fuck them.

Twice.

[bkkyosemite]

78. Bernie is the only true and honest candidate who wants us to have Medicare for all HR676

[Octafish]

81. Astroturf Professionals

Sad to see who they really work for.

[CanonRay]

82. Hey, there's money to be made

Fuck the people.

[nadinbrzezinski]

83. How much should I pretend to be surprised?

[ISeeA BrightFuture]

84. To DONATE to help PASS Single Payer info is here!!! If It pass there, it might pass here too :)

We can help to overturn their overturning

Single Payer in Colorado donations to pass the bill:

https://hcac.nationbuilder.com/donate

More info about this organization is here:

http://www.healthcareforallcolorado.org/mission

[Ed Suspicious]

89. I want the DINO lovers on this site to get in here and explain this shit!

What is it, you fucksticks? Why do you not support single payer?

[SalviaBlue]

90. The absence of Hillary supporters in this thread is telling. nt

[saidsimplesimon]

91. Insurance, Big Pharma work for profits only!

[TryLogic]

93. Those scum balls !!!

[liberalnarb]

95. Neoliberalism, destroying the dreams of true progressives since 1985.

[madokie]

96. another example

of the fact that Hill is not OUR friend. If 'our' is one of the 99% of Americans that is.


Birds of a feather and all that shit so don't tell me I'm off base in what I just typed