Finally, a detailed list of contributions by health industry companies' PACs, employees, family

Senators from the list:

McCain, John (R) $900,930
McConnell, Mitch (R) $513,772
Baucus, Max (D) $453,649
Specter, Arlen (D) $225,528
Dodd, Chris (D) $187,758
Udall, Mark (D) $155,175
Warner, Mark (D) $131,100
Roberts, Pat (R) $130,620
Landrieu, Mary L (D) $102,800
Murray, Patty (D) $92,300
Grassley, Chuck (R) $78,450
Collins, Susan M (R) $69,216
Reed, Jack (D) $51,650
Chambliss, Saxby (R) $48,050
Pryor, Mark (D) $45,350
Burr, Richard (R) $40,798
Bennet, Michael F (D) $39,200
Hatch, Orrin G (R) $35,800
Reid, Harry (D) $33,089
Harkin, Tom (D) $30,150
Stabenow, Debbie (D) $29,750
Dorgan, Byron L (D) $27,086
Udall, Tom (D) $24,950
Lautenberg, Frank R (D) $23,350
Shaheen, Jeanne (D) $19,600
Graham, Lindsey (R) $19,350
Kerry, John (D) $19,150
Franken, Al (D) $15,900
Lincoln, Blanche (D) $15,250
Rockefeller, Jay (D) $15,000
Klobuchar, Amy (D) $13,800
Boxer, Barbara (D) $12,793
Sessions, Jeff (R) $12,000
Gillibrand, Kirsten (D) $11,150


Compare Baucus to other Democratic Senators:

Max Baucus
Total number of Lobbyists in the Major* "Bundles": 109
Total contributed by those Lobbyists: $200,899
Total contributed by the Lobbyists and their Clients: $453,649

John Kerry
Total number of Lobbyists in the Major* "Bundles": 10
Total contributed by those Lobbyists: $17,150
Total contributed by the Lobbyists and their Clients: $19,150

Jay Rockefeller
Total number of Lobbyists in the Major* "Bundles": 17
Total contributed by those Lobbyists: $14,500
Total contributed by the Lobbyists and their Clients: $15,000

Deborah Ann Stabenow
Total number of Lobbyists in the Major* "Bundles": 10
Total contributed by those Lobbyists: $11,750
Total contributed by the Lobbyists and their Clients: $29,750

Al Franken
Total number of Lobbyists in the Major* "Bundles": 11
Total contributed by those Lobbyists: $15,150
Total contributed by the Lobbyists and their Clients: $15,900

Byron L Dorgan
Total number of Lobbyists in the Major* "Bundles": 14
Total contributed by those Lobbyists: $16,836
Total contributed by the Lobbyists and their Clients: $27,086




Edited to fix format

be in charge of this process?! :grr:

He has no jurisdiction once the bill gets to the floor.

considering his lack of support for Dem principles, and his relationship with the insurance industry. He should be treated like a back bencher.

Now, they could have stripped him of his chairmanship, but that's another issue.

gets first choice at the chairmanship. So in that case Baucus is entitled to it no matter how corrupt or how incompetent he might be. I'm not a hundred percent sure of this, so maybe someone else might weigh in. My problem is why did Harry Reid give this to the Finance Committee first? According to some political pundits, they should have been last. The Health, etc. committees should have determined first what was needed and finally the Finance Committee is supposed to determine how to pay for it. So there is some BS going on with Harry Reid as far as I'm concerned as well. The whole process was corrupted from the get go.

People are putting more weight on the Finance Committee bill when it really doesn't have more weight. The committee has jurisdiction on how to pay for reform. The HELP bill is the dominant bill on reform.

selective outrage would put this on the front page.

Q: Oh, thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. I work for one of the large corporations here. But I talk to a lot of people about health care. My question is, so many people go bankrupt using their credit cards to pay for health care. Why have they taken single-payer off the plate? (Applause.) And why is Senator Baucus on the Finance Committee discussing health care when he has received so much money from the pharmaceutical companies? Isn’t it a conflict of interest? (Applause.)

You can read the response here.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8407835

Thank you so much for the info! :hi:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=6672383&mesg_id=6672383

All those on the list need to wear(including Kerry who I love and I know will do the right thing on his vote) a big mark on their backs with the $ amount given to them.

That should be done whenever they step before the Mike to present a positive or a negative about a major issue.

This is the tip of the iceberg I am sure -- the under the table money is also there. The money given to their friends and relatives must be enormous.

My father was a physician in the 50's/60's/70's and he would get beautiful sets of golf clubs and fabulous art supplies for his hobby. We would have lovely vacations paid for by the Pharmacy Reps.

That was then ~ I don't remember him saying they were pressuring him to use their products. I worked in his office and I don't remember ladies in tight skirts and a fancy leather case on wheels filled with their products.

So it's been happening forever but now it is way over the top.

PS/ John Mc Cain should be John Mc Shame On YOU!

between a few people contributing the maximum to a politician and an entire industry, its PACs, lobbyists and their family members focusing the bulk of their contributions on an elected official.

One of the problems with some of the lists is that they lump everyone, including people who just work for a company, into the numbers, which distorts the results.

The other thing you mentioned, under the table money, is illegal, and it's the very thing that bluedog Mike Ross is contending with.

Mr. Potter is a "whistle blower" for the Health Insurance Industry.

He was so believable. It was awesome to see someone that totally understands what is happening TELL IT!

He was wonderful.

Everyone must see the Video clip.

video (scroll down).

you would be able to see for any issue or earmark, the votes and relevant information for each legislator. Bradly spoke of this at a book signing here in NJ. This was years after he was in office and he was supporting a group that was lobbying for this. I have not heard that it exists, but it would be interesting - and it would be great if CSPAN put up the information.

While it is good to be aware of this, careful processing would need to be done. In the name of consistency and honesty, I have to point out that including McCain is unfair as he was the Republican nominee. His numbers are higher because of that. In 2004, when Kerry was accused by Dean of getting too much money from lobbyists, he did something unprecedented - that was not matched (even though watchdog groups wanted it) by McCain, Clinton or Obama. He released a list of all the meetings he has since 1989 - 15 years at that point! - and said he could defend them all. (Kerry was the frontrunner then (February 2004) and he did not challenge Dean to produce his list from when he was Governor.)

You also need to think who lobbyists are. They are people who do meet with the Senators and try to convince them on policy issues. I would assume that most of the money they donate is to influence votes, but I assume that there are also donations to people they are impressed with and want to keep in government. The real solution is to get money out of politics altogether.

Txs!

There is sure a lot of big money someplace with Helath Care.

are the ones getting piddle.

the one's being enriched go on the GET-THE-FUCK-RID-OF-THAT-PIECE-OF-SHIT list.

Montana, we're watching you.....