One is AKPD Message and Media, the Chicago-based firm headed by David Axelrod until he left last Dec. 31 to serve as a senior adviser to the president. Axelrod was Obama’s top campaign strategist and is now helping sell the health-care plan. The other firm is Washington-based GMMB Campaign Group, where partner Jim Margolis was also an Obama strategist.

This year, AKPD and GMMB received $12 million in advertising business from Healthy Economy Now, a coalition that includes the Washington-based Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America, known as PhRMA, that is seeking to build support for a health-care overhaul, said the coalition’s spokesman, Jeremy Van Ess.

Axelrod was president and sole shareholder of AKPD from 1985 until he sold his interest after Obama’s victory, government records show. The firm owes Axelrod $2 million, which it’s due to pay in installments beginning Dec. 31. Axelrod’s son, Michael, still works there. He didn’t return a phone call. The firm’s Web site continues to feature David Axelrod’s work on the Obama campaign.

…At the White House, Axelrod’s role in the health-care debate ranges from Sunday talk show appearances to meetings with House and Senate lawmakers…

Van Ess said HEN is now dormant. PhRMA and three other members of HEN, plus the Washington-based Federation of American Hospitals, have created another coalition, Americans for Stable Quality Care, which last week announced a new $12 million ad campaign to promote health-care overhaul. GMMB and AKPD are also working on the new coalition’s ads”.

OK this is just the tip of the iceburg. A 1000+ page bill is beyond the scope of most congressmen to read let alone grasp. So the Apollo Alliance should be in charge? What about all these other characters surrounding Obama? Each one of them has a history! Do your research. . .

We don’t get anything in this country without asking for it. We would have to apply for the new “health care option” and complete “paperwork” – including disclosure of income information – to be allowed access to any future health program.

The SCHIP program in many states takes family income into account. If parents have income, they may be required to pay premiums/copays/deductibles – even though their children are participating in a government program. Not all government programs are “free”. The parents submit info. The government doesn’t have access to their banking info – the parents disclose info on their application forms. Same goes with seniors/disabled persons participating in medicare. They provide personal/financial info to the government to determine eligibility. Some medicare recipients showing low-income status will have certain premiums/fees/copays/etc. paid by state/federal programs – without their “applying” for them, based on prior paperwork submitted to the government. Hope this isn’t too confusing.

Anyways, Medicare wouldn’t be broke if we had tax rates similar to those in place prior to Reagan – or better yet – before JFK. As the rich conservatives (Republican and Democrats) have reduced the tax rate on the wealthiest Americans – they have borrowed money from China and other sources. The rich in our country SHOULD pay more. Read about tax history – it’s pretty shocking what’s been done to our country. Medicare isn’t the problem – class warfare and greed is!