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Thursday, October 22, 2009
News / Politics Billionaires For Wealthcare At The MAC
Posted by Matt Davis on Thu, Oct 22, 2009 at 8:58 AM
The billionaires for wealthcare took over the sidewalk outside the richy-rich Multnomah Athletic Club—Portland's only gym with sanctions for "conservative" dress code violations—this morning, to protest about a meeting inside the club of Oregon health insurance chief executives.
"They're discussing health reform. I'm not joking," said Betsy Dillner, with Healthcare for America Now, which organized the protest. "Or at least, they're in there discussing their talking points about it."
A sergeant from central precinct swung by, introducing himself and asking "no arrests today?" The club wanted the protesters to stay off the property, on the sidewalk, he said. And no blocking of the entrance. That appeared to be just fine with them, as long as the officer would let them keep their billions. Would he let them keep their billions, I wondered? Evidently, he would.
"I'm just so upset that people are threatening our income," said Inde Nile, one of the billionaires. "I can no longer afford a full time mechanic, so my Jaguar is in the shop."
"And I'm about to lose my seventh vacation home," said Mora Yorbucks. "Why aren't these greedy poor people just buying insurance?" "I was glad to hear that 45,000 Americans are dying each year because they don't have insurance," she continued. "I mean, what are they doing for me?"
The Mercury asked the MAC representative if it could get in touch with a representative of the health insurance industry meeting for comment about the protest.
"I'm sorry, because it's a private club, I can't let you in," she said. Which is probably a better quote than I could have got from a spokesman, regardless.
It costs $4,900 for an individual to join the MAC, if you can beat the "lottery" system, although of course, there's an evidently much-needed affirmative action program, if you're not white.
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The MAC really exists? I thought it was an urban legend.
Man... I really wish I was a MAC member. That'd be way cooler than my lame-ass 24 hour fitness membership.
i need people to know that i turned down the MAC, both because it is too low-end and because i am Better Than That. they begged. they pleaded. my heart is golden, and gold is hard and cold. i turned them down.
10th Avenue, under the Y, all the way, baby.
I was at that meeting this morning, and I'm not a Mac member. It cost $25 to attend, and was open to any and all willing to pony up to cover their catering costs. Insurance executives told the audience that we MUST have health insurance reform, and spent the better part of two hours talking about ways to provide more care to more people.
Oddly enough, I didn't see the protesters at all - either entering or exiting. Where were they?
oh, really? that's too bad. I'm glad to hear that they said that we MUST have reform, but i'm curious what their idea of reform would encompass. Did they mention as well as not denying claims, not being able to deny on pre-existing coverage, not ordering more procedures and tests than necessary, a public option to compete with their plans? More care to more people is important, definitely, but their are other issues at stake. Thanks for the positive input and sorry you didn't see us!
I wanted to go...my sign was going to be"...we are pure overhead...we deserve pure profit"
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