On the recordFebruary 23, 2010
I think the special interests are so glaringly obvious, my colleagues; the fact that they can escape these Federal investigation and enforcement measures, measures of antitrust laws that make them subject to Federal prohibitions against bid rigging or price fixing or dividing up market territories. These are tools in the tool kit that don't serve consumers well. And as if the escaping isn't egregious enough, they can then move to prejudice against by not insuring because of preexisting conditions. We have talked about some of those more easily recognized or imagined conditions--heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer--but it gets into the realm of the very loosely defined preexisting conditions--acne, domestic violence, overweight for toddlers, or what have you, obesity in toddlers. It is all set up in their favor. And I believe that there needs to be balance.
