Why Are AMA and AARP Supporting the Government Health Care Plan?

How do you like the deals that Congress is making among themselves to get their government health care bill passed? I was speaking specifically of the open purchase of Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu's vote to open debate on the bill in exchange for 100 million dollars earmarked for Louisiana. But what about the government's getting the support of the American Medical Assosciation and the AARP?

Of course, most folks know that the AARP is a liberal group. It was clear that they would push for the bill. But is there a conflict of interest in AARP's support? Some are maintaining that slashes in Medicare would be in AARP's interest since a lot of people would need to go out and purchase additional health insurance-and guess what? AARP just happens to have a big business stake in that since they are up-to-their-neck involved in promoting insurance plans that offer Medicare supplements.

http://trueslant.com/rickungar/2009/11/05/aarp-conflict-of-interest-casts-doubt-over-their-endorsement-of-health-care-reform/

According to the above article, by a supporter of the bill, primary physicians also stand to gain by the bill's passage as opposed to specialists. Of course, there is a great divide among AMA rank and file (heck of a name for doctors) as to whether the AMA should be supporting the bill at all. Why is it that the AMA supports government health care when a majority of their doctors are against it?

It's a messy business going on in Washington-especially on a matter that involves such an important part of our citizens' lives, as well as such a big part of our economy. It is full of conflicts of interest and back-room deals.