The recent slaying of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has other bigwigs running scared. Meanwhile, his alleged killer, Luigi Mangione, has become a folk hero.
Granted, what Mangione did was wrong. Violence is never a good way to make a point. However, considering how many people have died, how many families have been bankrupted, because greedy health insurance companies repeatedly denied perfectly legitimate claims, it may have been only a matter of time before somebody snapped and took such a drastic measure. I could go on and on and on and on how our health “care” system is totally broken, but that would be a whole other essay.
The death of Brian Thompson has other top dogs extremely nervous. “Wanted” signs featuring health CEOs are popping up all around New York City. Corporate websites are removing the names of their top managers, and senior executives are being urged to remove their digital footprints as much as they can – including details about where their children attend school. They are contacting security companies and hiring more guards. That, of course, is the wrong reaction.
A far better response would be to amend their policies and approve more claims, especially for life-saving medicines and procedures. When insurance companies are raking in money hand over fist and their senior executives are living like emperors, there is no excuse for treating patients as human cash cows, rather than as people who need medical attention.
Every civilized country on this planet has universal health care. It may not be free – and everybody supports it with taxes – but at least people don’t have to worry about drowning in medical bills and having to contemplate personal bankruptcy. Every year well over 500,000 US residents go bankrupt thanks to medical costs; I would not be at all surprised, thought I would certainly be downhearted, if some people took, shall we say, a more drastic way out.
During the 1920s, the Republican administrations of Harding, Coolidge and Hoover shifted the focus of government away from supporting the Little Guy (and Gal) to sucking up for the obscenely wealthy. All three aforementioned Republican presidents progressively deregulated our financial system. It all came to a head in October 1929, when the Great Depression began and GOP deregulation caused banks to fail across the nation, causing enormous economic hardship for millions. As a result, the bankers were viewed as rapacious hogs, while bank robbers were regarded as new Robin Hoods rather than violent villains.
The torches and pitchforks are starting to come out. Working class Americans are struggling to pay the bills and put meals on the table. We are sick and tired of being ignored, of politicians breaking their promises, of our voices being drowned out by the jingle-jingle-jingle of the filthy lucre from ultra-rich donors. Mangione just might have fired the next “shot heard round the world” – or at least across the United States.
So, who is the worse killer – Mangione, or Thompson? Mangione (allegedly) killed only one person. Thompson has a lot more blood on his hands; his killings may be indirect, but the blame still falls ultimately on him, just as blame for the Holocaust ultimately falls on Hitler.
Attention 1%-ers: Be afraid. Be very afraid.
