The news has been staying with the Penny and United Healthcare CEO murder cases. Now it is hit with two very very different developments. Penny is acquitted of all charges and Luigi is up for Murder 0ne in NYC.
I admit to have not been following either case closely but the news that does get to me seems about right. Penny is broadly considered a good Samaritan and hero for defending the subway riders who couldn't defend themselves. He stepped up reluctantly from what I can tell and a recent post trial interview supports that. But the Jury got it right and that jury from reports was diverse. The George Floyd reaction is thus far very limited and frankly seems weak and held back because the favored status of BLM and other national dividers has waned with Trump's election. No one wants willy nilly killing of anyone of any race, creed or color….yet, the only news item I did catch highlighted a BLM advocate calling for violence against whites.
The Healthcare Exec murder shocked because it was just so cold blooded. With Luigi in custody now, some evidence is being floated out publicly. A Manifesto seems to rant about health insurance etc. and that has gained favor with a certain crowd who have been applauding the murder as somehow justified. Even if United Healthcare was the worst company out there, this man did not deserve to die. He had a job, good or bad, it was legal, good or bad, he made money for the stockholders, good or bad and had a wife and children…there are many remedies to exhaust before becoming a vigilante, so taking to murder is extreme to say the least.
My opinion is that Luigi was radicalized by his Ivy League education and he likely believed himself to be some kind of “Equalizer” in a world that let insurance companies screw over their policy holders. Hey, claims get denied, but there are remedies there as well. I realize that a sick or injured person may have diminished capacity to fight for right, but even then there are volunteer legal teams to take on the worst of them. Watch Silkwood or Erin Brockovich too.
I have owned an Illinois Insurance brokerage for 25 years. In that time, I have had a few clients who felt they were mistreated on their claims. What I have learned is that many such incidents arise from simply not understanding the policy language etc. It is not easy to read the actual policy but one gets a sense of what should be covered in the Summary of Benefits. Denials unfortunately happen. And those unlucky souls who have serious diseases and/or injuries do need help. Maybe a deep level under the surface pool for them is possible. A kind of 2nd chance claim system that all insurers pay into. Just thinking out loud.
I honestly think this murder was spurred by radical thinking taught at the University level. Luigi may eventually provide some testimony on it, if he can at all realize he was duped. One can hope. But don't expect much because the generational brain washing runs deep.
Meanwhile, the news coverage still has its gaps between the angles used. On the Left, Luigi can be a hero, on the Right Penny is a hero. That is the Tale of Two Murders.
Stay Merry and Bright if you can. Watching a little less news helps.
Best,
Donn Marier
DM-Your Own CFO