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Particularly at issue is the relationship between top presidential advisor David Axelrod and his former political consulting firm, which has raked in $24 million in fees.
These sorts of stories strike me as terrible politically for the President for two reasons: First, they reveal the erstwhile candidate of "hope" and "change" to be conducting nothing more than political "business as usual" -- and therefore further damage his "hope/change" brand. Second, they remind everyone that when government is big and busy, the ones who come out ahead aren't necessarily the "best" or the most efficient. They're the ones with the best connections.
And bringing the discussion full circle back to health care, this is why a government-run medical system is so profoundly frightening to so many Americans. As I noted in
For powerful government officials, the (ObamaCare) plan would work well. Their political influence will guarantee that they (and their friends) will receive the finest treatment available under a government-run system.
In other words, the people with ties to the politically powerful -- like those associated with the consulting firms now enjoying the largesse of the Obama White House's PR bonanza -- will do just fine whatever happens to health care. You and I? Not so much.
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