2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumBill Clinton Was the Keynote Speaker for the Health Insurance Lobby Bash in Nashville
This is from June, but most relevant today!Clinton's cozy relationship with the group that killed the 'public option' seems ill-timed.
By Zaid Jilani / AlterNet
June 3, 2015
The Clinton's made over $100 million from paid speeches to domestic and foreign corporations since the year 2000. Much of this money came from Wall Street banks, health care companies, and other corporations with interests before the government – raising concerns about influence-buying.
After Hillary Clinton formally announced her own presidential run, Bill Clinton was asked whether he would continue to do paid speeches to groups that have interests before the government. He replied that he would, because “I gotta pay our bills.”
This week, the nature of paying the Clinton's bills will take the form of keynoting the Nashville conference of the America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the chief lobbying group for the health insurance industry.
Clinton will serve as the keynote speaker on Friday, in a session AHIP's schedule strictly rules that “no press” is allowed – meaning that we will have no idea what Bill Clinton plans to say to the insurers' lobby.
Interestingly, while Clinton is the main event, former GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney will speak at the conference the day before. His speech is titled: “Shaping America's Future: Major Trends, New Ideas, and Big Decisions.”
This isn't actually the first time Clinton spoke to AHIP. In June of 2010, just months after the Affordable Care Act was signed into law, the former president took $175,000 from the group for a speech at one of their events.
Recall that AHIP played the primary role in killing the public health insurance option and trying to sink the Affordable Care Act altogether. It was estimated to have funneled around $100 million into the Chamber of Commerce's scorched earth campaign to defeat the legislation.
Today, AHIP continues to advocate for deregulation of the health care market and to fight any move towards a more comprehensive and efficient system, such as an expansion of Medicare. By any measure, it stands completely opposed to the progressive health care agenda, which raises questions about why Clinton sees it as an appropriate outlet on his speech circuit.
Zaid Jilani is an AlterNet staff writer. Follow @zaidjilani on Twitter.
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/bill-clinton-keynote-speaker-health-insurance-lobby-bash-nashville
**********************************
Time for more transcripts to be released, this time from Bill. Insurance has doubled under the ACA and many want to know what's causing this, and the ACA to unravel as costs escalate. Nice....now I want to see this transcript as much as Hillary's speech to Wall Street. Bernie needs to talk about this speech too!
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
dchill
(38,489 posts)Just more money to be made.
CorporatistNation
(2,546 posts)BOTH ARE CORPORATIST CHECK CASHERS!
ViseGrip
(3,133 posts)I say plural as Hillary did say she was going to use Bill in economics. Well, a natl' health program is right up there, and now he cannot be trusted, as well.
think
(11,641 posts)ViseGrip
(3,133 posts)
RiverLover
(7,830 posts)Effing repub. In plain sight.
Jackilope
(819 posts)I'd laugh, but it is tragic and dad.
Jackilope
(819 posts)
libtodeath
(2,888 posts)ViseGrip
(3,133 posts)Scuba
(53,475 posts)And yes, we can afford it.
I'm sure Bill will be telling the health insurance industry that Hillary is going to shut them down. Yeah, that's it.
think
(11,641 posts)If the other major countries can do it then America can also.
Cal Carpenter
(4,959 posts)At least change "is" to "was".
It's really misleading, and I'm sure you know as well as I do that folks react to the title without reading past it a lot. Especially these days in GDP. No need to spread false impressions when those who oppose you will grab anything to discredit you.
Posted in good faith.
ViseGrip
(3,133 posts)But you're right...anything to remove my posts these days!
SHRED
(28,136 posts)SHRED
(28,136 posts)...with what's wrong with our country.
merrily
(45,251 posts)ViseGrip
(3,133 posts)operating in a private way.
In fla, they get tons of subsidy money, put people in plans without doctors. Imagine.....no one does anything. They gave them a raise this year, almost double.
I want Bill's transcript of what he said to the insurance companies of our healthcare system.
More than wall streets. These people are ruthless and beyond governing, due to their incessant greed!
ViseGrip
(3,133 posts)ViseGrip
(3,133 posts)
Uncle Joe
(58,361 posts)Thanks for the thread, ViseGrip.
BernieforPres2016
(3,017 posts)Did they put nothing away from that $153 million they pulled in between them over the last 15 years?
What kind of bills does Hillary have that aren't paid for by her campaign? Does she even carry money?
Avalon Sparks
(2,565 posts)I could look away at all the other stuff about Hillary Clinton.
However the "speaking fees" are where I draw a line.
Secret emails = maybe repub smear campaign
Not releasing speech content = lame excuse not to release, but whatever ...
Super Pacs = most are using them, money is going to campaign support, it's BS but whatever
Her Neoliberlism = at least the Dems throw middle and working class some crumbs
Flip flopping = they all do it
Misc Mudslinging = sigh
However, with these speaking fees, influence money is going directly into their personal bank accounts, the sheer volume and millions "earned" is what I can't get past. Yes other politicians have received mega money from speeches, but almost all after LEAVING politics for good.
The vast amount of personal wealth the Clintons obtained for "speaking" is obscene. He, while she was a senator and SOS, and she during her brief hiatus before jumping back into the political arena.
I could overlook a few engagements, and certainly fees earned speaking to the more neutral audiences, like University students. But if you look at the majority of organizations that bought a Clinton Speaker, it reads like a who's who of the big industry players that always have their hands out begging for more legislation that increases their bottom dollars, (while usually screwing over the average American).
The majority of speaking fees are bribes, money going directly into Clinton's personal bank account that is meant to influence political decisions in their favor. There is no other name for it. This happens all over the world and its called corruption.
Individuals holding political decision making power and their close relatives (spouse, children still living in the family home) should not accept anything of value that benefits them directly from any person or entity that is seeking an unfair advantage through legislation or other political decisions.
A person with integrity would never put themselves in such a position because generally you either have to screw over those that paid the influence money or the people you promised to protect from being taken advantage of by big industry. Rarely is it ever possible to serve both, which is why the money is being offered in the first place.
What I'm trying to say is I could be a good Democrat and support the Clintons despite any smears, or whatever else is thrown their way.
But no matter how much I try, I simply cannot get past the vast amount of personal wealth they have achieved by accepting what can only be called influence money. It's the very definition of absolute corruption no matter how you look at it.
think
(11,641 posts)with an obvious interest in keeping America from getting single payer or any other form of universal healthcare.
This is not what Democrats should stand for. The rest of the modern world has proven that universal healthcare works and are making sure that their citizens have this protection. There is no reason America cannot do this also.
cantbeserious
(13,039 posts)eom
Octafish
(55,745 posts)Must-Know Info.
Avalon Sparks
(2,565 posts)Ka Ching for Clintons
Cheese Sandwich
(9,086 posts)Avalon Sparks
(2,565 posts)Clinton sang for supper
Accepted Bribe
Ka Ching
More favors to Health Insurance companies
Cause billions in profit isn't enough
