Corruption in action: Pharmaceutical industry buys government

On a different note.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/07/07/health.politics.reut/index.html

The pharmaceutical industry spent no less than 128 million dollars lobbying politicians last year, making them the nations number one corrupter.

Between 1998 and 2004 a total of 800 million dollar was lobbied out.

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Since 1998, the industry has given the most funds to President Bush -- $798,732, mostly from individuals. Former Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts received $305,203, all from individuals.

Former Rep. Billy Tauzin, the Louisiana Republican who now heads PhRMA, received $184,593 since 1998.

Among other politicians who received the most from drug makers were Republicans Rep. Michael Ferguson of New Jersey ($457,967), Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania ($376,549) and Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah ($351,424).

Top Democratic recipients included Michigan Rep. John Dingell ($214,500), former New Jersey Sen. Robert Torricelli ($214,253) and Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman ($203,850).
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And that, my friends, is how you maintain the most disastrous healthcare system in the industrialized world.

Big Pharma doesn't ram the money up their butts OR shove it down their throats--they take it knowing full well that it will be quid pro quo. How about campaign reform some time soon? Big Pharma could not do this if the pols were not whoring for the handouts (and the docs).