Write to Hillary & Obama and tell them to return this money

[Applan]

From Michael Moore's website: http://www.michaelmoore.com/sicko/sickos-for-sale/candidates/

Taking the Temperature of the Presidential Candidates

Contributions from the Health Industry - January 1st to March 31st, 2007
HMOs, pharmaceutical companies, physicians and other health professionals.

(First FEC cycle of 2007)Source: Center for Responsive Politics

Hillary Clinton $848,872
Mitt Romney $830,285
Barack Obama $566,638
John McCain $409,751
Rudy Giuliani $401,422
John Edwards $212,200
Bill Richardson $185,000
Christopher Dodd $84,900
Joseph Biden $57,775
Sam Brownback $38,050
Mike Huckabee $18,050
Ron Paul $11,000
Tommy Thompson $9,100
Jim Gilmore $7,500
Dennis Kucinich $7,050
Tom Tancredo $5,050
Duncan Hunter $4,250
Mike Gravel $500

They don't need this money. They already lead in fund raising. Tell them to send it back!

http://clinton.senate.gov/contact/webform.cfm
http://obama.senate.gov/contact/

[rubberducky]

1. Not , in a million years, will they return ANY of this money.

And who will they be beholden to??? Hint... not you and me. As long as our elections are bought and sold, you can forget "We the people".

[Applan]

4. Thanks for your positive reply!

It's attitudes like that which will ensure that our elections continue to be bought and sold. Let's just all sit on our arses and do nothing.

[rubberducky]

18. Sorry if I hurt your feelings, but that`s just the way it is.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Thanks for the links

I will always wonder how committed these candidates are to health care for all Americans.

[tammywammy]

3. Okay, I understand returning money from HMOs and pharma companies

But physicians and other health professionals? Why can't a doctor donate to a candidate? My best friend is a medical doctor and she donates. :shrug:

[frazzled]

5. Why just them?

Why not all the Democrats on the list? Why not, say, Edwards and Richardson? As a percentage of the money they raised in the first quarter, it is equal in every way to Clinton's and Obama's shares.

[Applan]

9. I agree

Any democrat, if claiming to represent the majority of the American people, has no right accepting money from big pharma and HMOs. I just chose Hillary and Obama because they are at the top of the list. Moore lists all candidates on his website though.

I agree with everybody who makes the point that individual doctors and providers should not be included in this total- I have no idea how it breaks down- calling Michael Moore: how much of these totals are big pharma and HMOs?

[Colobo]

6. Why would they return contributions from health professionals?

[TeamJordan23]

7. Agreed. Doctors and other health professionals should be free to donate. ny

[tammywammy]

8. That was my question too

:shrug:

[Applan]

10. I agree

I'll write to Moore and ask him if he can provide more details- I suspect though that the info may not be publicly available.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

13. That is only part of the figure. It also includes money from big pharma and insurance companies

As far as doctors are concerned, they are not exactly without a vested interest in this issue.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

11. HRC #1 and BO beats all Republicans except Romney

Is anyone surprised?

[tammywammy]

12. I'd like to see it broken down

That's the totals of HMOs, pharmaceutical companies, physicians and other health professionals.


What's from what group. HMOs, pharma companies = bad money. But doctors and other health professionals? I don't have a problem with them donating money. :shrug:

[draft_mario_cuomo]

15. Here you go

Note: These figures are for the first quarter only. HRC and BO almost certainly improved their performance vis-a-vis every other candidate (including Republicans) among these industries in the second quarter (we hear a lot about the $10 million Obama raised online. Where do you think the other $21 million came from? As far as HRC goes, we have heard not details as to number of donors or how much of her money was raised at the grassroots level yet). When the totals are updated I will post them like I did last quarter.

Doctors have a vested interest in preserving some aspects of the current system. The American Medical Association vigorously opposed the 1993 Clinton universal health care proposal. When you see "health care professionals" the lion's share of money is coming from doctors.

Pharmaceuticals/Health Products

Mitt Romney (R)


graph $154,760

Hillary Clinton (D)


graph $106,700

Barack Obama (D)


graph $52,950

John McCain (R)


graph $43,200

Rudolph W. Giuliani (R)


graph $37,650

Christopher J. Dodd (D)


graph $34,100

Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D)


graph $8,650

Sam Brownback (R)


graph $7,200

Tommy Thompson (R)


graph $6,100

Bill Richardson (D)


graph $4,600

John Edwards (D)


graph $4,400

Jim Gilmore (R)


graph $4,200

Thomas J. Vilsack (D)


graph $750


Insurance

Christopher J. Dodd (D)


graph $440,150

Mitt Romney (R)


graph $311,000

Hillary Clinton (D)


graph $235,650

Rudolph W. Giuliani (R)


graph $130,700

John McCain (R)


graph $122,500

Barack Obama (D)


graph $89,578

John Edwards (D)


graph $46,500

Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D)


graph $33,100

Bill Richardson (D)


graph $24,400

Thomas J. Vilsack (D)


graph $9,000

Mike Huckabee (R)


graph $5,800

Sam Brownback (R)


graph $2,150

Ron Paul (R)


graph $1,500

Duncan Hunter (R)


graph $1,500

Jim Gilmore (R)


graph $1,500

Tom Tancredo (R)


graph $250

Health Professionals

Hillary Clinton (D)


graph $491,696

Mitt Romney (R)


graph $477,025

Barack Obama (D)


graph $368,617

Rudolph W. Giuliani (R)


graph $298,872

John McCain (R)


graph $254,101

John Edwards (D)


graph $152,800

Bill Richardson (D)


graph $87,900

Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D)


graph $38,000

Sam Brownback (R)


graph $28,050

Christopher J. Dodd (D)


graph $21,650

Mike Huckabee (R)


graph $17,550

Thomas J. Vilsack (D)


graph $10,350

Ron Paul (R)


graph $10,200

Dennis J. Kucinich (D)


graph $7,050

Tom Tancredo (R)


graph $6,500

Jim Gilmore (R)


graph $3,800

Tommy Thompson (R)


graph $1,000

Mike Gravel (D)


graph $500

Duncan Hunter (R)


graph $500

[tammywammy]

16. Thanks

I had just found that on the opensecrets website.

Doctors donating money doesn't bother me. My best friend is a doctor. I know nurses.

[AndreaCG]

19. I'd like to see surveys comparing doctors' opinions on reforming health care

From 1994 to 2007. I bet a much bigger proportion will be advocating national health care reforms. Doctors feel the insurance pinch, particularly with having to fill out numerous forms and hering complaints that patient's coverage was denied.

[MGKrebs]

14. This is misguided.

If you believe that these groups donate to their favorite candidates because they believe that those candidates represent their interests the best, then there is nothing wrong with the donation or the acceptance of it, and returning the money isn't going to change your mind.

If you believe that the donations buy a quid pro quo then you are assuming a very nasty (and illegal) thing with little justification. Donations do not have to equal a return on investment. It is just as likely, if not more so, that those groups see a high likelihood of a Dem administration and want a seat at the table, and they appear to be hedging their bet by spreading the wealth. Of course they will try to influence things in their favor, every interest group from the Sierra Club to Chamber of Commerce does the same thing, but to assume that contributions = payoff is a serious allegation.

I remember a few years ago when when Cynthia McKinney was accused of having taken money from Middle Eastern groups which some felt had dubious interests. Many here in Georgia as well as here at DU defended her right to take money from anyone as long as she made no promises in return. I would take money from Karl Rove himself if he wanted to give it to me, but that doesn't mean I become one of his minions.

[jillan]

17. I think about this every time I hear her talk about reforming Healthcare.