Are the insurance companies addicted to your money? And are politicians addicted to theirs?

Good old Gordon Howie. For all our differences, we still seem to have quite a few basics in common.

For example, on the post below, we both agreed (I think) that the best way to help thieves and addicts recover is to let recovering thieves and addicts coach them.

So here's a question for all Forumpians. Given the extraordinary amounts of money paid to insurance company executives and stockholders, the rising costs of health care, the fact that so many Americans aren't covered, and the downright outrageous way one insurance company (AIG) practically brought down the world economy selling those exotic derivatives, is it safe to say that insurance companies probably have a money addiction problem and can no longer help themselves or anyone else?

And as for some politicians, who are voting they way they do on Health Care — not because their constituents want them to, but because the insurance companies want them to — is it safe to say that those people are probably addicted to the insurance companies' money and can no longer help themselves or anyone else?

And if so, what to do?

How do we help these folks get out of this unhealthy mess before it becomes the ruination of us all?

Well, how about this?

The classic first step of any good 12 Step program goes like this: "We admitted we were powerless over money and that our (lives, clients, constituents, neighbors... circle all that apply) had become unmanageable."

One step at a time, right Gordo? One step at a time.