CNN - Ads Opposing Health Reform Out-Number Those Supporting Reform 2-1

[TomCADem]

President Obama gave a great speech on Wednesday. However, the fight is far from over.

http://money.cnn.com/2009/09/08/news/economy/health_care_lobbying/?postversion=2009090813

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WASHINGTON (CNNMoney.com) -- The fight over health care overhaul is on track to be the most expensive issue ever to hit the hallways of Congress.

The bill for lobbyists, television ads and political donations has topped $375 million -- or enough to pay the entire insurance tab for about 30,000 families a year.

The big spenders range from drug companies, hospitals and doctor groups to organizations that advocate for unions, immigrants and retirees.

The largest chunk has gone to direct lobbying of lawmakers and other policymakers. In the first half of 2009, the health care industry spent nearly $280 million on lobbyists, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Another $75 million was spent on television advertising airtime by health care interests, mostly politically left-leaning groups and health industries. And another $23 million has flowed from the health care sector into the campaign war chests of 2010 candidates for federal office, on the heels of some $95 million raised during the 2008 cycle.

"The health sector is on track in 2009 to spend more on lobbying than it has on any other year in U.S. history -- and by a lot," said Dave Levinthal of the Center for Responsive Politics, which analyzes and collects lobbying and campaign spending figures.

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In August alone, $20 million was spent on 34,000 ads, with foes of congressional reform proposals outspending proponents. Earlier in the year ads supporting reform outnumbered those opposing by a margin of 2-to-1.

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[seafan]

1. CNN just cannot stop lying to the public.

Health care lobbying: Political power machine, September 9, 2009

.....

Another way to influence the debate is through election campaign contributions. Although it is early in the 2010 election cycle, the health care sector has contributed $23 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

One of the biggest beneficiaries has been conservative Blue Dog Democrats.

Many Blue Dogs are on the fence about controversial health care issues, such as whether to create government-run insurance plans. Their votes are crucial to passing a final bill, so they also tend to attract more attention and campaign contributions than other Democrats and Republicans.

Health and accident insurers, HMOs and health services organizations increased their contributions to Blue Dogs from $106,200 in the first quarter of 2009 to $122,650 in the second, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

That is a 15% increase. By comparison, Democrats not in the Blue Dog group saw a 3% hike in contributions.

The lie in this CNN article is that the Blue Dogs are NOT *on the fence*; the Blue Dogs are ON THE TAKE.