278 insider lobbyists worked on health care bill, spent $635 million (Chicago Trib)

[pissedoff01]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/chi-health-lobbyists_bddec20,0,4862599.story

How health lobbyists influenced reform bill
Former staffers of lawmakers from Harry Reid to Mitch McConnell push clients' agenda
By Andrew Zajac

... An analysis of public documents by Northwestern University's Medill News Service in partnership with the Tribune Newspapers Washington Bureau and the Center for Responsive Politics found a revolving door between Capitol Hill staffers and lobbying jobs for companies with a stake in health care legislation.

At least 166 former aides from the nine congressional leadership offices and five committees involved in shaping health overhaul legislation -- along with at least 13 former lawmakers -- registered to represent at least 338 health care clients since the beginning of last year, according to the analysis. Their health care clients spent $635 million on lobbying over the past two years, the study shows. The total of insider lobbyists jumps to 278 when non-health-care firms that reported lobbying on health issues are added in, the analysis found.

Part of the lobbying pressure on current members of Congress and staffers comes from the powerful lure of post-congressional job possibilities. "There's always a worry they may be thinking about their future employment opportunities when dealing with these issues, particularly with health care, because the stakes are so high and the breadth of the issues -- pharmacies, hospitals, doctors," said Emory University political scientist Alan Abramowitz. Lobbyists' earnings can dwarf congressional salaries, which currently top out at $174,000 annually for lawmakers and $156,000 for aides, though committee staff members can earn slightly more.

In the health care showdown, insider lobbying influence has magnified the clout of corporate interests and helped steer the debate away from a public insurance option, despite many polls indicating majority support from Americans, according to Rutgers University political scientist Ross Baker. "It imposes a kind of conservative bias on the discussion," said Baker, himself a former Senate staffer...

[DJ13]

1. We've been sold like cattle at an auction

[chill_wind]

2. Glad we got the lobbyists out of the new deal.

eom

[Uncle Joe]

3. Does anyone believe they got their money's worth or are those people just suckers

with too much cash on their hands?

I have one other question, why is bribery against the law for everyone else?:shrug:

[BrklynLiberal]

4. How much health care could $635 million have bought?

Outrageous hardly begins to describe this crap.


Spending all this money on lobbying and advertizing is why these insurance companies and drug companies have to gouge the patients!!!

[laughingliberal]

6. That's where it really hurts. They use the money they've taken from us to pass a bill making sure

they don't have to provide us with care. Sucks to be us.

[BrklynLiberal]

8. Well said.

[boston bean]

5. And now 30 million more americans will be forced to buy a product

that they won't be able to afford to use due to co pays and deductibles. and pay up to 8% of their income that will only be worth using if they're gonna die to these very same corporations.....

[laughingliberal]

7. which will insure (sic) they never run out of money to lobby against the American people

It's like a mob hit on America on a massive scale and it'll just keep perpetuating itself

[L0oniX]

9. $635 million that could have been spent on ...you know.

I guess they had all that extra money from denying claims.

[liberal N proud]

10. And everyone wonders why the insurance companies won.

The blame should not be with Obama or Senators. It is a corrupt system and until it is corrected, we the people do not stand a chance in hell.

[notesdev]

11. I've had about all the hope and change I can stand

[BR_Parkway]

12. I'm surprised we got the positive things in the bill that are in there with

that sort of onslaught

[supernova]

13. Is there any way we could shine a light on these people?

We could make them infamous. :P