Who is getting the most money from insurance companies, drug companies, and doctors?

[draft_mario_cuomo]

From www.opensecrets.org

This provides some context to the candidates' positions on health care.

Pharmaceuticals/Health Products

1) Mitt Romney (R) $156,660
2) Hillary Clinton (D) $106,200
3) Barack Obama (D) $51,950
4) Rudolph W. Giuliani (R) $34,350
5) Christopher J. Dodd (D) $34,100

Notables

6) John McCain (R) $34,000
11) John Edwards (D) $4,400

Insurance industry

1) Christopher J. Dodd (D) $405,550
2) Mitt Romney (R) $302,750
3) Hillary Clinton (D) $226,450
4) Rudolph W. Giuliani (R) $116,800
5) John McCain (R) $113,950

Notables

6) Barack Obama (D) $88,598
7) John Edwards (D) $46,500

Health Professionals

1) Hillary Clinton (D) $486,196
2) Mitt Romney (R) $472,275
3) Barack Obama (D) $357,417
4) Rudolph W. Giuliani (R) $298,122
5) John McCain (R) $254,101

Notables

6) John Edwards (D)$152,800

Total for the top-tier candidates

Romney (R) $931,685
Clinton II (D) $818,846
Obama (D) $497,965
Giuliani (R) $449,272
McCain (R) $402,051
Edwards (D) $203,700

HRC (DLC-NY) raising more money than Giuliani and McCain is not surprising, but at first glance it is surprising that Obama outraised these leading Republicans among these groups.

[Beaverhausen]

1. Very interesting numbers

thanks! :hi:

[draft_mario_cuomo]

3. No problem

We need to focus more on the substance of the candidates instead of their style and generic rhetoric. Who finances them tells us a lot about them. It seems it is no accident that HRC and Obama are not proposing universal health coverage...

[williesgirl]

2. We need public financing of campaigns NOW. Recommended

[AZBlue]

4. I don't care who takes their money. What I care about is what they will do about them.

And, nothing could be sweeter than any candidate taking money from them to only then turn around and stick it to them.

[loyalsister]

12. Politics at it's best

"If you can't drink their booze, take their money and then vote against them, you don't belong in this business." – Sam Rayburn

[depakid]

5. Any surprise that every one of them has a bogus health plan?

One expects that from Republicans... but seeing what the "top tier" Dem candidates are offering is just disgusting.

It's no surprise that people are beginning to think: Pox on both their houses.

[Jillian]

6. Notice that BIDEN is not on that list - so everyone please stop

arguing with me how he is in bed with all the corporations.

[Jillian]

9. And Hillary's #1 contributor is Citigroup - yes - a bank

Biden's #5 contributor is MBNA.

Can you tell I'm really ready for the bs to stop?:spank:

[Wilms]

10. Nice try.

http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/indus.asp?id=N00001669&cycle=2008

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR. (D)

Top Industries

1 Lawyers/Law Firms $879,479

2 Real Estate $237,884

3 Misc Business $227,751

4 Securities & Investment $151,550

5 Retired $130,851

6 Misc Finance $97,750

7 Business Services $74,250

8 Lobbyists $64,750

9 Commercial Banks $52,550

10 TV/Movies/Music $36,450

11 Health Professionals $35,300

12 Education $32,900

13 General Contractors $32,050

14 Insurance $30,000

15 Misc Manufacturing & Distributing $27,300

16 Civil Servants/Public Officials $26,700

16 Food & Beverage $26,700

18 Retail Sales $25,050

19 Printing & Publishing $23,650

20 Special Trade Contractors $18,950

:hi:

[Jillian]

11. Exactly my point -

So stop telling me that Biden is in bed with the banks.

Not compared to the others!

If you want to say he is in bed with lawyers - fine.

[Wilms]

14. "Not compared to the others!"

Again, nice try.

[NYCGirl]

7. It might be interesting to figure out the PERCENTAGE of money raised from

these entities of the entire amount of money raised.

Clinton (total amount raised = 36,054,568) = 2.27%
Obama (total amount raised = 25,797,721) = 1.93%
Edwards (total amount raised = 14,031,662) = 1.45%

[marlakay]

8. I thought they said they weren't taking money from

special interests?? Especially Obama said that.

[Vinca]

13. This is sickening - we'll never have decent healthcare. nt