The American People are a Special Interest?

From President Obama's Colorado Town Hall:

Mr. Obama: "But look, because we’re getting close, the fight is getting fierce. And the history is clear: Every time we’re in sight of reform, the special interests start fighting back with everything they’ve got. They use their influence. They run their ads. And let’s face it, they get people scared. And understandably — I understand why people are nervous. Health care is a big deal. In fact, whenever America has set about solving our toughest problems, there have always been those who’ve sought to preserve the status quo by scaring the American people."


This is absurd. The special interest groups were bought off long ago - including insurance companies and the AMA in exchange for a seat at the table. In fact, they are scheduled to run pro-ObamaCare ads in key states.

The president insists on accusing people who don't want this health care reform of being terrified into submission to the status quo by special interest groups. Nothing can be further from the truth. Judging by poll numbers showing ever decreasing support for the current health care reform proposals in the abscence of health care industry ads against them and the number of Americans who have suddenly taken an interest in attending Town Hall meetings in the middle of August as well as calling and writing their representatives, the only "interest group" against the current proposals are a majority of Americans themselves. Aren't the American people the interest group which Mr. Obama has pledged to serve?

Americans want reform - they want more choice and lower costs. The only way to achieve that is to open the health insurance market to national competition and allow doctors to similarly compete for patients. That's reform only an industry lobbyist or a statist could hate. The president should consider it.