Why is Big PhRMA spending millions to lobby for "reform?" A Progressive response to Mitch Stewart & OFA letter

Dear Mitch Stewart & OFA,

I am glad you are still Organizing for America -- we need the activated grassroots energy that swept Mr. Obama into office to keep things moving forward.

But I have to share with you things that are really bugging me in the "Health INSURANCE Reform" debate -- the first one is just that, the language you started using.

When the healthcare debate got started, you hooked me into supporting the President's ideas with the words "Health Care Reform." Then, once I had heard the health-care horror stories, and was spoiling for a fight to support these much-needed reforms (which sounded good), suddenly you altered the language, subtly, adding the word INSURANCE, to make it "Health Insurance Reform," not Health Care Reform. (If I understand correctly, health insurance is something you purchase for a fee from a for-profit insurance corporation, is generally employer-based, and is only indirectly connected to health care.)

So why are the high-powered grass-roots OFA organizers now being organized, essentially, to strategize and advance a plan that keeps for-profit insurance in control of health care? Why the bait & switch on the grass-roots organizers?

Next point: today, it comes out in the New York Times that Big Pharma's big-money lobbying arm, "PhRMA" has now hired Public Relatsion firms including "Obama for America's" PR expert David Axelrod's old firm, for $3 million per day to lobby for "Health Insurance Reform."

Do you think progressives should be concerned about these OFA/Axelrod/Big Pharma connections? Exactly who is making money lobbying for Big Pharma's health care agenda, painting it with Obama's colors and making it "Hopey & Changey?"

How much more money will Big Pharma make off the proposed 'reform' agenda? Pharma isn't kicking in $150 million for PR in August simple promote the Obama plan for nothing, are they?

What happened to the promise OFA originally hooked me with, of moving towards a system that lowered costs and expanded coverage to all? Where did that go? Am I being bamboozled?

Maybe I'll find out on the conference call you've invited me to with David Axelrod, whose PR firm is front and center of the PhRMA corporate campaign for "insurance reform."

I admit it: when massive amounts of corporate money starts being spent on an agenda, while the organizational infrastructure I trusted now "moves the goal-posts" and alters the message to health INSURANCE REFORM, I get a bad feeling I've been suckered.

(Tell me I'm not becoming paranoid: my health insurance plan doesn't cover that. )

Mike Copass

PDA Metro San Diego

http://www.newser.com/story/66443/pharma-to-push-obama-plan-in-150m-ad-blitz.html
(Newser Summary) – Drug companies have authorized their lobbyists to spend up to $150 million on TV ads supporting Barack Obama's health care reform plan—a surprisingly large sum that suggests the industry still has a deal with the White House on capping pharma's costs, reports the New York Times. A few spots that have already aired echo Democratic talking points about consumer protection and universal coverage. The connections run deep—one of the agencies involved is David Axelrod's old firm.
Democrats in Congress have bridled at an agreement struck with the White House last June, in which the drug industry agreed to pay $80 billion over 10 years into health reform. The terms of the deal were not made fully public, and it's unclear just what drug companies are getting in return—although the industry stands to pick up millions more customers as health care coverage expands.


On Mon, Aug 10, 2009 at 11:01 AM, Mitch Stewart, BarackObama.com <info@barackobama.com> wrote:

Mike --

I just talked with David Axelrod, former Obama for America strategist and current Senior Adviser to the President.

David knows that with the fight over health insurance reform at a fevered pitch, the organizing we're doing is more important than ever. So he asked to be able to speak with a few of our most active supporters to update them on the state of the fight -- what we'll need to do to make sure real reform passes.
I've set up a conference call for Tuesday night, and I'd like to invite you to join us.

What: Health Care Conference Call with David Axelrod
When: Tuesday, August 11th8:00 p.m. Eastern Time

http://my.barackobama.com/AxelrodCall
The call will be led by Jeremy Bird, OFA's Deputy Director. David will give an overview of the debate in Washington, discuss the strategy for passing reform, and answer questions that you can submit when you sign up. It's a great opportunity to hear from one of the smartest minds in politics at a critical time. I hope you can make it.

Talk to you soon,

Mitch

Mitch StewartDirectorOrganizing for America
P.S. -- Please make sure to register by 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time tomorrow (the day of the call), so that we can make sure your information is entered in time and you're able to join.