Healthcare industry spending $1.4 million - a day - on lobbyists
Published: June 26, 2009
Updated 4 months ago
The healthcare industry is spending upwards of $1.4 million each day on average to lobby members of Congress on health care legislation, a report issued by Common Cause this week reveals.
Industry spending has nearly doubled since 2000. Healthcare interests contributed $94 million to Congress members during the 2008 election cycle alone — up from $40 million in 2000.
Common Cause’s report has received almost no treatment in the press — with a single article in Bloomberg News and one in the National Journal.
The industry is attempting to alter the course of Democrats’ plans to provide universal health coverage for most Americans.
“The top recipients of health industry campaign contributions from 2000 to 2008 are new Democrat Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) and Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AK) at $7.3 million and $6.3 million respectively,” National Journal reports. “All of the campaign finance data used in the report came from the Center for Responsive Politics.
“The report concludes that members of Congress face a disheartening conflict of interest: side with their large campaign donors or back reform measures that have support from the public, like the public plan option which would create a publicly-funded health insurance entity to compete with private insurers,” the site adds.
The full Common Cause report is available here.
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seriously,
if you are involved in “healthcare,”
wealthcare, kill yourself.
no seriously, kill yourself.
if you have anything to do with hmo’s
or “healthcare lobbyists” kill yourself,
right now.
no, kill yourself.
kill yourself.
you are the enemy of everything good in the world.
the world will rejoice in your death.
you are the cancer of capitalism
that killed it.
fuck you all.
I kind of agree with you on this one. Without ALL the workers in the health insurance industry, none of this would be happening.
They kill decent Americans who are mostly act in good faith with these parasites.
Even worse, OUR premiums are used to fight US. That $1.4 million/day comes out of OUR pockets.
This situation is INSANE.
I keep Asking about this to all. If corporations can’t vote, hold elected office or be arrested why are they permited within the halls of congress?
Because they ARE the government!!! Why else is Single-Payer “off that fucking table”?!
Relax everyone…Bushbama will take care of the lobbyist issues…NOT!
Dear Americans, A lobbyist is……..
… a person who represents an American or foreign corporation, industry, person or business, or special interest. A lobbyist is employed to speak with your leaders and lawmakers, and educate them about the industry he represents.
He will try and persuade, even brainwash your leaders to vote to preserve and enhance his job, his employer, his industry or interest.
The lobbyist is a biased messenger, sent to influence and educate elected officials for the benefit and advantage of his employer’s growth, perspective, opinion and/or profits.
Your elected leaders are not educated in every subject, and originate from all walks of life with varying degrees of experience and education.
Your leaders might accept campaign donations from the industries, interests, and corporations these lobbyists might be representing.
Although your leaders might have taken money from the lobbyists’ employers, and might feel inclined to craft laws to accommodate contributors’ needs and wishes,……….. there is no written obligation.
American elected officials can choose to vote instead, for what they consider best for the American population-at-large, and vote their conscience and responsibility to the voting people instead of to special interests.
(Educate the public, so they will elect the cure.)
How much does the war industry spend?
Health Care reform is being held up by a group of 63 Democratic Representatives calling themselves the “New Democratic Coalition” Far from being “New” these are the old Southern style, Boss Hawg, Jesus lovin’, cross burning, Black man lynching, Poll access limiting, election rigging, Piece of shit democrats that have been with us from the days of the civil war. Google them and send a message of appreciation to their Representative in your state. Representatives get elected every 2 years, so be sure to remember them in the polls next year. Their chair person is from California, Rep Ellen Toushmer. Google “The New Democratic coalition”, and tell Ellen just how much you appreciate her efforts! Don’t forget to ask these people since Government health care is so bad for the nation, why haven’t they given up theirs?
Absoluteley fckn disgusting.
Absoluteley Right-on “nocreditnoproblem”, 10 points.
HH