Comments on: Top of the Morning http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2010/03/02/top-of-the-morning-287/ Affecting NC public policy through informed, energetic and progressive conversations. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:49:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: John Rhodes http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2010/03/02/top-of-the-morning-287/#comment-64458 John Rhodes Thu, 04 Mar 2010 02:47:21 +0000 http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=12091#comment-64458 Lou Meyers has made several good points, but a vetting process, in this case, even one that would have dredged each section of the News and Observer from front page to back, incorporating the time from whence Roper received his blessing from Bowles and former Chancellor James Moeser to serve on Medco's board - which was November or December 2007 - to the present, Obama would have found zilch! But why, I must ask, especially given the fact that Senior Editorial staff at the N&O have received e-mails, some as far back as July, 2008, concerning Roper's conflict of interest and have replied acknowledging they know of the relationship but remain, to date, silent about the issue. The question now is, why is the N&O censoring this from the public? Could someone at the News and Observer have a conflict of interest, too? Lou Meyers has made several good points, but a vetting process, in this case, even one that would have dredged each section of the News and Observer from front page to back, incorporating the time from whence Roper received his blessing from Bowles and former Chancellor James Moeser to serve on Medco’s board – which was November or December 2007 – to the present, Obama would have found zilch!

But why, I must ask, especially given the fact that Senior Editorial staff at the N&O have received e-mails, some as far back as July, 2008, concerning Roper’s conflict of interest and have replied acknowledging they know of the relationship but remain, to date, silent about the issue.

The question now is, why is the N&O censoring this from the public? Could someone at the News and Observer have a conflict of interest, too?

]]> By: Lou Meyers http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2010/03/02/top-of-the-morning-287/#comment-64450 Lou Meyers Thu, 04 Mar 2010 02:08:07 +0000 http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=12091#comment-64450 Concerning John's point, let's hope Mr. Bowles fesses up to poor judgment before moving on to co-chair the Deficit Commission ordered by President Obama. In addition, he should immediately remove himself from all corporate boards. These glaring conflicts of interest could taint the recommendations yielded by the commission. What started off as a constructive approach by our president to fix what congress and Bush have screwed up, could end up backfiring on him simply because he failed to properly vet those he's counting on to get the job done. Sound familiar? Concerning John’s point, let’s hope Mr. Bowles fesses up to poor judgment before moving on to co-chair the Deficit Commission ordered by President Obama. In addition, he should immediately remove himself from all corporate boards. These glaring conflicts of interest could taint the recommendations yielded by the commission.

What started off as a constructive approach by our president to fix what congress and Bush have screwed up, could end up backfiring on him simply because he failed to properly vet those he’s counting on to get the job done.

Sound familiar?

]]> By: John Rhodes http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2010/03/02/top-of-the-morning-287/#comment-64094 John Rhodes Wed, 03 Mar 2010 01:37:34 +0000 http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=12091#comment-64094 As President of UNC, Bowles approved a board membership to allow the CEO of UNC Hospitals, Dr. William Roper, to sit on the board of Blue Cross administrative arm Medco Health Solutions. This has been completely overlooked here. Why, may I ask? This relationship presents a direct conflict of interest, especially given the damage done to the state health plan by Blue Cross and its affiliates. Who is Roper working for, anyway, the state, or Medco? And given the state of health care reform - a current issue both statewide and nationwide - why hasn't the state press in Raleigh reported on any of this? As it relates to factual reports about UNC and its top executives, has someone in the state press been co-opted by Bowles, Incorporated? As President of UNC, Bowles approved a board membership to allow the CEO of UNC Hospitals, Dr. William Roper, to sit on the board of Blue Cross administrative arm Medco Health Solutions. This has been completely overlooked here. Why, may I ask?

This relationship presents a direct conflict of interest, especially given the damage done to the state health plan by Blue Cross and its affiliates. Who is Roper working for, anyway, the state, or Medco?

And given the state of health care reform – a current issue both statewide and nationwide – why hasn’t the state press in Raleigh reported on any of this? As it relates to factual reports about UNC and its top executives, has someone in the state press been co-opted by Bowles, Incorporated?

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