Wanted: Obama healthcare reform volunteers willing to be paid $15 an hour

It seems that, despite all the media attention lavished on e-mail appeals to his supporters, not everyone pushing for President Obama's embattled healthcare reform plan these warm August days is an idealistic volunteer in it for the sake of helping move the country forward and gaining medical attention for millions of uninsured Americans.

The website's large-type headline announces: "Work to Pass Obama's Healthcare Plan and Get Paid to Do it! $10-15 hr!"

It's a web ad on Craigslist: "You can work for change. Join motivated staff around the country working to make change happen. You can make great friends and money along the way. Earn $400-$600 a week."

So both sides appear to have paid lobbyists in this colossal summertime struggle for public opinion and control of the multi-billions flowing into the nation's burdened healthcare system.

The ad links to the Boston-based Fund for the Public Interest, an umbrella organization that rounds up people to round up support, money and signatures for all kinds of campaigns, including healthcare reform and the environment.

It's hiring and assigning canvassers to work in at least 28 states, including California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Oregon, Massachusetts, Minnesota and New Jersey.

"Now is our chance to make health care work," says the ad to recruit recruiters in support for the president's proposals. "America’s health care system is broken. Health care costs are spiraling out of control, throwing families, businesses and government into financial crisis.

"Families are worried their health coverage won’t be there when they need it. Our country can’t afford to wait for health reform that keeps costs down and protects consumers"

It sounds much like the president at one of his healthcare town halls; (next stops, Montana and Colorado). "We’re fighting for healthcare that will protect families’ financial health, lay out a clear path for all Americans to afford healthcare, and improve patient safety and quality care.

"Help make change happen," pleads the advertisement. "If you're good with people and feel passionately about the environment and human rights, you'll make money working for the Fund."

Sounds like an ideal kind of idealism, the profitable kind.

Meanwhile, a want ad memory:

-- Andrew Malcolm

Also wanted: Eager volunteers to click here and receive free Twitter alerts on each new Ticket item. No money needed -- or offered. Or follow us    @latimestot

Top photo: A Massachusetts Obama supporter outside Obama's New Hampshire town hall this week discussing healthcare reform with opponents. Credit: Joel Page / Associated Press

Bottom: Obama speaks inside the high school. Credit: Alex Brandon / Associated Press

Comments

[pdljmpr]

Nice bribe for those poor people who will do anything for money. It is wrong to pay people like that to get support for something.

[allthecash]

Opponents of healthcare reform show up at protests out of care, concern, and passion. Supporters show up for $10-$15/hr. Wow, that's real commitment.

[sell]

Paid supporters to try to push something the majority of Americans don't want. I wonder how many will belong to the SEIU.

[julio camara rodriguez jr]

we need to use stimulus money to offer medicare to americans that can not afford health insurance why reinvent the wheel

[Isabelle]

"So both sides appear to have paid lobbyists in this colossal summertime struggle"

Where's your evidence that opponents to health care reform are getting paid?

[Paty]

How can you be a volunteer and be paid for your services? Makes as much sense as this debate!

[Tonia]

People will sell their souls for $.

[sammy]

hahaha! ASTRO TURF!!!!

[Tom Fox]

Excuse me if I take offense to the statement, "So both sides appear to have paid lobbyists". Can can the writer please explain what he means by 'appears' as the only party that has run ads seeking paid lobbyists has been the dems. They have also paid people to attend town halls and bused them in. The hypocritical dems have the nerve to call the Americans who have shown up to protest the socialization of health-care as mobs and well paid lobbyists, which is untrue. The protesters are average Americans who, in many cases, actually voted for this demagogue but are now waking to the fact that the change he promised has turned into a nightmare for most taxpaying Americans.

[sabu]

Contratulation Mr President for your effort to cover the millions of uninsured Americans.They have no lobbyist,no special interest groups ,no influence on our representatives.Many of representative keep the interest of the lobbyist not the interest of the people whom they represent.You have the support of millions of Americans who keep away from the so called politics.
best wishes
sabu

[Felicia]

Where are the links or citing information for the lobbyists paying people to oppose Obamacare and attend townhall meetings?

[Arrogrant American]

I wonder why the masses, society, the general populace cannot see the separation of the elite and themselves...
Seriously, do any of you think there is a single politician, or political party follower that cares about anything other than self advancement and personal wealth accumulation.

If the people making the laws, Senators and Congressman, have their own isolated insurance, and lifetime salary retirement and are not taxed, as they are now, what makes any of you think they care one bit about you?

Once you ascend to the throne you no longer wish to be among the peasants. That is how Obama and his Democrats think, and that is how the republicans, independants, green party etc, all think. They want personal wealth and power and to he11 with you.

I say we vote them all out of office. No more incumbents, vote in new people everytime, until the ones that get in figure it out. By the way, once you get elected as a senator or congressman, you get your salary for life. We need to limit that to their term only. Limit all of them to 2 terms.

This is a country for the people of the people, not for the greedy few who can afford commercials and prime time media coverage.

[Chisco]

OK.......so who are the "ASTROTURF", "manufactured", "brown-shirted", phony segment of this healthcare "debate" now???

The Democrats are showing their true goal.........WIN AT ANY COST....

[Tom Fox]

Don't bother writing your comments as this paper censors those opinions that do not reflect their liberal leanings. I commented only to have my previous post deleted, not for any profanity or abusive language but for disagreeing with the writer.

[FredPinVT]

So, the only good deal is a *Carl Rove* deal?

[FredPinVT]

my first comment appeared instantly! Now they're being moderated?

[Kevin Neugebauer]

President Obama had a Town Hall style meeting on 8/11/2009 in New Hampshire. He told America today that he supports private insurance when before he said he wanted to eliminate it. See the video at

http://www.showusobama.com/

[TC Rider]

I'm glad to see some of Obambi's stimulous money working it's way back into the economy.

Wake up America!

[jen car]

Funny, no one has to pay anybody to speak out against obamacare! Those against this radical reform clearly outnumber those for it! Listen to America and go back to the drawing board!!!!!

[Sweating Through Fog]

I hope that in addition to paying these advocates $15/hour, that they are also paying for generous health insurance, the way they want to mandate other businesses to do.

[Sweating Through Fog]

I hope that in addition to paying these advocates $15/hour, that they are also paying for generous health insurance. After all, they want that to be the mandate for all businesses.

[AntonioSosa]

Obama continues to use tax payers money to continue lying, manipulating, intimidating and coercing people into submitting to his will and shoving socialism/communism down out throats!

EVERYTHING Obama has done so far has harmed us. He has multiplied our deficit, increased unemployment, increased poverty, and decreased our wellbeing and safety. He sides and defends terrorists and U.S. enemies (Hamas, Castro, Chavez, Zelaya) and harms us and our friends (Israelis, Hondurans).

How can anyone believe that his plans to socialize our health care system are good for us?

Socialized health care is just another step to impose socialism/Marxism on us, and the corruption, poverty, enslavement, destruction and despair that Marxism entails.

Imitating Hugo Chavez, Obama wants to nationalize everything, including our health care system! "Hey, Obama has just nationalized nothing more and nothing less than General Motors. Comrade Obama!" Chavez cheered on Venezuelan TV. He added that he and Cuba's Fidel Castro would now have to work harder just to keep up.
http://www.hacer.org/report/2009/06/us-obamas-red-chorus-investors-business.html

[Rosie]

The right has NO paid protestors...That's why we carry homemade signs...I have 8 kids & took my shrinking grocery budget to pay for gas, babysitter & posterboard & markers before attending my own town hall. I'd just like my kids to not be burneded by massive govt. intrusion into our life.
Thank you for at least trying to report honestly by showing the craigslist ads. I'd LOVE to get paid $15 an hour, but not for something I feel is going to wreck our economy.
Rosie -navy wife, stay at home mom, not a paid protestor

[Tcat]

I keep hearing about how Republicans are paying people to attend these townhall meetings, but have seen no actual evidence to support that. Do you have any evidence to support that the Republican party is paying people to protest against the HC reform?

[Jeff]

Rent a Mob??

Why don't you just go the the local homeless shelter and promise them a meal????