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Ear to the Ground

The $380 Million Gorilla

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Posted on Oct 1, 2009
Flickr.com / HSeverson

Activists arguing for universal health care, or even a public option, are drowned out by the health insurance industry, which employs six lobbyists for every member of Congress.

With six lobbyists for every congressperson and $380 million spent on lobbying in recent months, the health care industry has pulled out all the stops in battling against any reform to the nation’s health insurance system, no matter how watered down it might be.

The Guardian:

America’s healthcare industry has spent hundreds of millions of dollars to block the introduction of public medical insurance and stall other reforms promised by Barack Obama. The campaign against the president has been waged in part through substantial donations to key politicians.

Supporters of radical reform of healthcare say legislation emerging from the US Senate reflects the financial power of vested interests ? principally insurance companies, pharmaceutical firms and hospitals ? that have worked to stop far-reaching changes threatening their profits.

The industry and interest groups have spent $380m (£238m) in recent months influencing healthcare legislation through lobbying, advertising and in direct political contributions to members of Congress. The largest contribution, totalling close to $1.5m, has gone to the chairman of the senate committee drafting the new law.

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Blackspeare's avatar

By Blackspeare, October 2, 2009 at 8:21 am Link to this comment

The problem is with the US Constitution, which provides for unfettered access to Congress by the people so they could address their grievances directly to their representatives.  The founding fathers never realized (or did they) that this process would be corrupted by money.

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By Jean Gerard, October 1, 2009 at 12:21 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Taking chances is an American disease.  Gambling makes money stealing from people who have nothing but a dream of beating a stacked deck.  Great fun!  Wall Street?  Takes money from outsiders and gives it to insiders.  Great fun!  Fighting wars?  Attacking those whose odds are weaker than yours. Called “self-defense"or “nation building.” Insurance?  A system that guarantees that those who need it the most, won’t get it because they can’t pay for it.  Government?  A system where two parties bet on which one will get “elected” the next time.  Media?  People who have access to communication systems owned by rich ideologues and advertisers who risk destroying democracy for private profits.  Big deal! Ordinary people?  Pawns in the Greatest Show on Earth who all Want to be a Millionaire.  The end.

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By stcfarms, October 1, 2009 at 12:03 pm Link to this comment

They would be mistaken to believe that there is nothing that we can do. The
Declaration of Independence offers one solution. Another way to defeat the
bastards is to abandon fiat money, spend what you have to become self
sufficient and never accept it for your labor again. The little known fact about
fiat money is that the the people that have it when the real crash comes will be
stuck with it. Let the criminals have the money, when the crash comes I would
enjoy watching them try to eat, drink or fuck it…

By bogi666, October 1 at 2:38 pm #

politicians don’t even bother to be discreet indicating that even though they
engage in legalized criminal conduct then arrogantly telling the taxpaying
public “screw you Americans, we have legalized bribery, graft and corruption
and reap the benefits and their is nothing you can do about it”

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By bogi666, October 1, 2009 at 11:38 am Link to this comment

stcfarms, your right. The obvious arrogance of Congressional legalized criminal activity is demeaning and it seems as if the politicians treat American taxpayers with disdain, hubris insulting the American public with graft and corruption so obvious and the politicians don’t even bother to be discreet indicating that even though they engage in legalized criminal conduct then arrogantly telling the taxpaying public “screw you Americans, we have legalized bribery, graft and corruption and reap the benefits and their is nothing you can do about it”.Both political parties do the same thing. If Americans are not willing to stand up for themselves “by any means possible”, to quote Malcolm X, it will not only continue but get worse. We have been forged into a society of FEARFUL NARCISSISTIC CONSUMERIST GLUTTONS easily manipulated by the likes of the obviously mentally ill[bipolar] Glenn Beck a 10th rate psycho. This type of behavior is well studied by the politicians so that they can create imagined fears because they know the American public will not hold them accountable because “I’m not responsible god told me to do it[G.W. Bush’s Iraq invasion] and/or Satan made me do it but I’m not responsible for my conduct”. which is in accordance with the pretend christians false doctrines.

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By stcfarms, October 1, 2009 at 10:51 am Link to this comment

It is hard to imagine that anyone believes that ‘campaign contributions’ are
anything but bribes. All lobbyists are guilty of bribery and all politicians are
guilty of accepting bribes. The bribes do not just come from corporations, the
bribes are also well represented by unions, charities, religions et cetera.

If Americans do not have the balls to hang every group that gives or takes
bribes then they should not complain when they are screwed. It is my
contention that if you want justice from the government you must outbid all of
the other criminals. I say other criminals because once you start down this
road you will become one of them.

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