It has all the straight-faced sincerity of a legitimate PSA – the weepy, corny variety we usually see before a feature film.
But this mock Public Service Announcement – called Protect Insurance Companies – hits home with the kind of wake-up-and-smell-the-corruption sarcasm that makes you want to storm Washington and burn flags once again (even though we never really do it).
Written by Lauren Palmigiano, Chad Carter and Peter Koechley, it features Will Ferrell, Jon Hamm and other stars making the claim for why insurance executives shouldn’t have to sacrifice their profits and benefits for Obama’s health reforms.
The actors tells us as the health care debate heats up, we have to remember who the real victims are: the insurance companies, who have been looking out for us for so long. It’s time we look after their interests.
“Why is Obama trying to reform health care when insurance companies are doing just fine making billions of dollars in profits?” asks Ferrell. “Insurance company CEOs have the right to their American dream!”
Among the dreams cited, $500 million in your pocket, several homes and a zoo in your yard for exotic animals like white tigers and Pigmy horses.
Among the most laughable lines of this send up (sponsored by Moveon.org) is that insurance companies offer great variety. “They can change the price and terms of your plan at any time or stop covering you all together. Do you want to get rid of those options?”
Is this a good way to get the word out? You betcha!