A Health Care Protest -- In Song

By: Stephanie Condon
Topics: Health Care

Members of the insurance industry may as well have been walking into a lion's den when they converged in Washington this week for their annual State Issues conference.

Unlike previous years, this year's convention happened to fall smack dab in the center of a hotly contentious debate over whether the government should offer a health insurance plan to people as an alternative to private plans. Lest anyone at the conference forgot about the controversy, hundreds of protesters were there to remind them -- some did it in song.

Insurance industry pollster Bill McInturff was giving a speech Friday when he was interrupted at first with cheers of praise from people who seemingly belonged at the conference, given their business attire. The cheers turned into a song about the "public option," or government-run health insurance, performed to the tune of "Tomorrow" from the musical Annie.

The singers, who were eventually escorted out of the conference, belonged to a group that calls itself Billionaires for Wealthcare

"Health care reform is on life-support and we're here to pull the plug," the group writes on its Web site. "Thanks to our loyal foot-soldiers Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, we've raised the level of discourse to a cacophonous din."

The groups Health Care for America Now and MoveOn.org also bombarded the health insurance conference, hosted by America's Health Insurance Plans, with hundreds of protesters and families with stories of being denied care by the insurance companies.

AHIP did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the incident, but according to the Huffington Post, McInturff commented, "If you are going to have protesters at least you can hire people who sing."

Stephanie Condon
Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
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by RespectMichael October 24, 2009 4:50 PM EDT

Do you think CBS would post the song about Obama and his ridiculous healthcare reform spending...of course not..they only do the positive stories..can't trust them...

Reply to this comment


by hakori October 25, 2009 10:27 AM EDT: They would if the radical right were smart enough to come up with one. All you people know how to do is shout people down. So are you admitting that this protest song was positive? Should we respect you, michael? Respect is earned not given, michael; so you will never be respected by anyone who uses their brains. That's just the way it is. For a paid poser, I mean poster, you do a horrible job. Or maybe you aren't paid and just have no life....sad, really sad


by SD92040 October 26, 2009 2:31 PM EDT: Come on.....you want CBS to be balanced? Unless it's a press release from the Whitehouse, CBS has no clue.


by hungry1968-16 October 24, 2009 4:18 PM EDT: (To the tune of "Battle Hymn Of The Republic")

Rejoice and let us glory in the profits we attain
By rationing the remedies for suffering and pain.
And no one's gonna mess with all our monetary gain.
Let's save the status quo!

Chorus:
If our healthcare corporation
Never faces regulation,
We'll be brimming with elation!
Let's save the status quo!

We bought a bunch of senators and congresspeople too.
They serve our corporate interests and we tell them what to do.
This gravy train will stop the day a healthcare bill gets through.
Let's save the status quo!

Chorus: If our healthcare corporation (etc.)

Our PR team is crackerjack. We?re framing the debate!
We?re spreading lots of lies and we?re unleashing lots of hate.
We?ll drive a stake into the bill the day it leaves the gate.
Let's save the status quo!

Chorus: If our healthcare corporation (etc.)

A decent public option is an option we won?t bear.
And Medicare for Everyone would kill our market share.
We?ll never win the game if all the rules are just and fair.
Let's save the status quo!

Chorus: If our healthcare corporation (etc.)

In every other wealthy nation healthcare is a right.
But not here in America, no not without a fight!
We?re fighting for the right to monstrous profits day and night.
Let's save the status quo!

Chorus: If our healthcare corporation (etc.); Reply to this comment

by olyboy October 24, 2009 11:45 AM EDT

A Note to Congress and the Protestors:

When taxes go up and the level of care goes down (as they surely will) we will notice and we'll know who to blame. All the childish protests by the weak minded and lazy and protestations by our leadership don't hide the fact that the promises are illogical. While many seem to be willing to fall for the fairy tail of something for nothing, many of us went down that road as children and grew out of it. We are watching, and we vote.

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by stn_sage October 24, 2009 1:14 PM EDT: Those of us who support a public option, understand what you are saying!

And YOU are correct when you say taxes (expenses) go up, and level of care (benefits) go down! And, THAT is exactly the PROBLEM! AND, it WILL continue to get worse...IF it's NOT dealt with soon!

We are saying an effective health care public option, may and should...force a 'tightening down of the waste, fraud, and abuse' IN the medical system...as well as provide for competitive insurance rates and increased coverage for most persons.

It CAN work! IF the politicians set it up correctly, efficiently, it could work beautifully! IF they don't want it to work, they'll sabotage it, and things will continue to get worse. It's up to THEM!

And yes, WE WILL know WHO to blame...the politicians who are responsible for these matters, NOT our fellow citizens who labor under the defects IMPOSED upon them by these same politicians, who are supposed to be representing us and looking out for our well-being!


by velma179 October 24, 2009 10:37 AM EDT: I LOVE this group.

They showed up at a Town Hall for my Congresswoman -- which was attended by the bussed in "tea baggers", mostly from the next district which is represented by a far right fellow.

They walked around an so many of the clueless actually thought they were against reform and the public option (which my rep firmly supports).... it was hysterical.
I had a blast playing along with the "billionaires" as they passed by me!

Kudos to them... the old motto "always leave 'em laughing" never goes out of style.; Reply to this comment


by SS_433 October 24, 2009 1:48 AM EDT: National health care isn't only about treating health problems. It's also about national security. Terrorists might be more subtle than blowing up a big bomb. The healthcare system needs to be highly integrated to allow for analysis of the population's health. What about privacy? Look around, it's gone already.; Reply to this comment


by rightbehind October 24, 2009 1:33 AM EDT: The democrats that stand in the way of the robust public option need to be exposed and their political careers laid to waste. The DNC needs to clean its ranks after this vote. We need to send all the yellow dogs that call themselves blue dogs packing. Vote the robust public option straight up or down. Pass or fail we win. I would rather a good bill fail than have a bad bill pass. The health care insurance companies have rode every one's backs long enough. It's time to end the phony baloney market.; Reply to this comment


by rightbehind October 24, 2009 1:08 AM EDT: The health care insurance companies are a phony baloney market created by the republicans. They provide no service to the patient and are first in line to collect health care dollars. They eat up 1 of every 3 dollars spent on health care. We need to get rid of them and go for a single payer system. The people that work for the insurance companies now could find federal jobs handle billing and payment just as they do now. It's time to end the phony Baloney market.; Reply to this comment


by hcovitz October 24, 2009 1:06 AM EDT: The music of Billionaires for Wealthcare, mp3's, sheet music, and lyrics, can be freely downloaded at:
http://www.thebillionaires.org/
Please share!; Reply to this comment


by DC-B4W October 24, 2009 12:50 AM EDT: We put up a newer video with the lyrics scrolling at the bottom of the screen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2QX9sMV5xI; Reply to this comment


by thincaboutit October 23, 2009 9:31 PM EDT: Healthcare reform needs a ?Parody Option.? Check out ?Healthcare Fighting (Kung Fu Mix)? at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nc1VwJOb9Y; Reply to this comment