Monday, May 25, 2009

Star Calls Out Bayh Conflict On Health Care Reform

Throughout his political career, Sen. Evan Bayh's wife, Susan, has used her husband's political jobs to parlay millions for the Bayh family. This has been accomplished from her service on a variety of corporate boards. Few would doubt that Susan Bayh would have never been appointed to any corporate board but for the fact that she's married to Evan Bayh. It's a form of legalized bribery. An editorial in today's Star focuses on one of those boards, health care giant Wellpoint. For her part-time service on Wellpoint's board, Susan pocketed $327,000 last year. Star editors believe it is impossible for Sen. Bayh to engage freely in the debate over health care reform in Congress given Susan's role with Wellpoint. A government-run plan, such as proposed by liberal Democrats in Congress, could effectively put Wellpoint out of business. Both Wellpoint's Angela Braly and Bayh's Senate office assured the Star that appropriate safeguards were in place to avoid conflicts, but as the editorial points out, the conflict of interest is unavoidable and limits Bayh's ability to lead on the issue.

6 comments:

Covenant60 said...

We should double legislators' pay and halve their power.

Leave health care alone. Govt involvment, as with anything else, will only make it worse. In fact true reform would be to find and eliminate govt's present involvement.

Anything that keeps Bayh or any other politician from screwing with our health care system is fine by me.

artfuggins said...

It is about time someone called Bayh on anything......believe many people are watching his votes on healthcare and if there is any appearance of his protecting Wellpoint....there will be hell to pay.......

artfuggins said...

It is about time someone called Bayh on anything......believe many people are watching his votes on healthcare and if there is any appearance of his protecting Wellpoint....there will be hell to pay.......

Paul K. Ogden said...

I love these "safeguards" that people claim to use to insulate oneself when they have a conflict. Sometimes a conflict is so overwhelming that there is no safeguards you can take that is going to remove at least the appearance of impropriety.

artfuggins said...

Paul..you are correct...does anyone really believe that Evan and Susan don't discuss healthcare???

Ron Ames said...

Congratulations, Senator Bayh, you are in the running for the Most Blatant Conflict of Interest of the Year award. It seems that you probably couldn't do anything more nor could your wife without drowning yourselves in the trough you are currently drinking you celebratory champagne from. My family lived in your state for many years and some members are still there. I am sure they pleased with your efforts to protect them from the evils of affordable healthcare. You have discovered a way to secure the two objectives above, simultaneously. Bravo!