Subsidizing Corporations
2011-03-02 - by
Limiting jury verdicts for the Medical Society, legalizing negligence in the emergency room for the Hospital Association, cutting worker’s compensation for the Chamber of Commerce – business is having a field day like it never had before in the legislature.
In the blink of an eye after the election last November lobbyists and CEO’s and trade associations who for years have happily supported Democrats (from Jim Hunt to Bev Perdue) switched sides and became two-fisted Republicans. The floodgates have opened, the good-will (and cash) is flowing, and the poor Republican legislators – after years in the wilderness being treated like red-headed stepchildren – are naturally enjoying their new-found power while the Medical Society, the Hospital Association and the Chamber of Commerce all see – within their grasp – a bonanza they never dreamed was possible.
“Pro-business” bills are rolling through legislative committees and they all have one trait in common: Money.
Take the Chamber of Commerce’s plan to pass “Workers Compensation Reform.” Right now injured workers receive workers compensation payments as long as they are unable to work.
That, the Chamber says, is wrong. Workers’ compensation, it says, is not supposed to be a retirement program. So the Chamber wants Republican legislators to pass a bill limiting how long a disabled worker can receive workers compensation.
And what happens then? What does the worker do when his workers compensation ends?
He goes on Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare and the taxpayers – instead of insurance companies or corporations – end up paying the bills. It’s called cost shifting. From corporations to taxpayers.
Last fall voters elected Republicans to cut government.
But, now, a month after taking office some of our incumbent Republican legislators are giving the Hospital Association (or, rather, its members) immunity when they’re negligent in the emergency room.
The Medical Society (or, rather, its members) get protection from negligence too.
And they’ve promised the auto insurers, nursing homes and the Chamber of Commerce, all, a helping hand from government.
And the grateful CEOs and members of the Chamber of Commerce and Medical Society and Hospital Association have been sending contributions like never before to Republican legislators. But let’s not be confused: These folks don’t want less government. They want government that works for them.
Thom Tillis and Phil Berger ought to pause a moment and reflect. Allowing folks like Senator’s Bob Rucho and Tom Apodaca to turn the GOP into the party of big corporations might just turn out to be Republicans greatest mistake since Reconstruction.
Subsidizing Corporations
2011-03-02/
Limiting jury verdicts for the Medical Society, legalizing negligence in the emergency room for the Hospital Association, cutting worker’s compensation for the Chamber of Commerce – business is having a field day like it never had before in the legislature.
In the blink of an eye after the election last November lobbyists and CEO’s and trade associations who for years have happily supported Democrats (from Jim Hunt to Bev Perdue) switched sides and became two-fisted Republicans. The floodgates have opened, the good-will (and cash) is flowing, and the poor Republican legislators – after years in the wilderness being treated like red-headed stepchildren – are naturally enjoying their new-found power while the Medical Society, the Hospital Association and the Chamber of Commerce all see – within their grasp – a bonanza they never dreamed was possible.
“Pro-business” bills are rolling through legislative committees and they all have one trait in common: Money.
Take the Chamber of Commerce’s plan to pass “Workers Compensation Reform.” Right now injured workers receive workers compensation payments as long as they are unable to work.
That, the Chamber says, is wrong. Workers’ compensation, it says, is not supposed to be a retirement program. So the Chamber wants Republican legislators to pass a bill limiting how long a disabled worker can receive workers compensation.
And what happens then? What does the worker do when his workers compensation ends?
He goes on Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare and the taxpayers – instead of insurance companies or corporations – end up paying the bills. It’s called cost shifting. From corporations to taxpayers.
Last fall voters elected Republicans to cut government.
But, now, a month after taking office some of our incumbent Republican legislators are giving the Hospital Association (or, rather, its members) immunity when they’re negligent in the emergency room.
The Medical Society (or, rather, its members) get protection from negligence too.
And they’ve promised the auto insurers, nursing homes and the Chamber of Commerce, all, a helping hand from government.
And the grateful CEOs and members of the Chamber of Commerce and Medical Society and Hospital Association have been sending contributions like never before to Republican legislators. But let’s not be confused: These folks don’t want less government. They want government that works for them.
Thom Tillis and Phil Berger ought to pause a moment and reflect. Allowing folks like Senator’s Bob Rucho and Tom Apodaca to turn the GOP into the party of big corporations might just turn out to be Republicans greatest mistake since Reconstruction.