Industry Cash Flowed To Drafters of Reform:Baucus Is a Leading Recipient

[cal04]

Key Senator Baucus Is a Leading Recipient
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/20/AR2009072003363.html?hpid=topnews

As liberal protesters marched outside, Sen. Max Baucus sat down inside a San Francisco mansion for a dinner of chicken cordon bleu and a discussion of landmark health-care legislation under consideration by his Senate Finance Committee.

At the table on May 26 were about 20 donors willing to fork over $10,000 or more to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, including executives of major insurance companies, hospitals and other health-care firms.

"Most people there had an agenda; they wanted the ear of a senator, and they got it," said Aaron Roland, a San Francisco health-care activist who paid half price to attend the gathering. "Money gets you in the door. The only thing the other side can do is march around and protest outside."

As his committee has taken center stage in the battle over health-care reform, Chairman Baucus (D-Mont.) has emerged as a leading recipient of Senate campaign contributions from the hospitals, insurers and other medical interest groups hoping to shape the legislation to their advantage. Health-related companies and their employees gave Baucus's political committees nearly $1.5 million in 2007 and 2008, when he began holding hearings and making preparations for this year's reform debate.

[imdjh]

1. whores nt

[Selatius]

2. More and more I'm of the belief that there will be another violent revolution or civil war in the US

This cannot go on forever like this. Something will have to give at some point or another.

[GiveMeFreedom]

3. I agree,

I believe that corporate interest have taken control of the democratic process and now run our republic. Our founding fathers died to end this same type of control and created a nation, that was free from monopolies and elitism. The idea of a capitalist system was fine, but then corporations upped the ante, always profit driven, immortal, and growing in power. Not until we, as a people, take back our right to self governance, will we be able to right the injustice that corporations portend on the US population. Most of our elected officials ride the money train that is supplied by corporate donors, all the way to Washington, D.C. If and when a revolution happens, I hope I make the right choice, (T.J. said this) for the tree of liberty needs to be watered, from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants, e.g. corporate greedy mother fuckers and bank-sters, (T.J. did not say this, but I am sure he would if he could)