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July 6, 2009
Another Reason Healthcare Reform Might Fail
If you work for Congress, you have an excellent job waiting for you at various healthcare lobbyist groups.
The healthcare lobby has hired hundreds of former Hill staffers. And look who's at the top of the list:
Nearly half of the insiders previously worked for the key committees and lawmakers, including Sens. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), debating whether to adopt a public insurance option opposed by major industry groups. At least 10 others have been members of Congress, such as former House majority leaders Richard K. Armey (R-Tex.) and Richard A. Gephardt (D-Mo.), both of whom represent a New Jersey pharmaceutical firm.
Baucus and Grassley, of course, control the Finance Committee -- tasked with formulating a version of the healthcare reform bill. While more than 100 of their former staffers work for the healthcare lobby.
And we're supposed to not be alarmed about this, Mr. President? That's rich.
Furthermore:
The hirings are part of a record-breaking influence campaign by the health-care industry, which is spending more than $1.4 million a day on lobbying in the current fight, according to disclosure records.
$1.4 million a day. And you know what they're spending it on? Making sure there isn't a public option, because without it we'll be required by law to buy private health insurance. And that means a massive pay day for the healthcare mafia.
Filed under: Chuck Grassley || Healthcare || Lobbyists || Max Baucus || Public Option
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Posted By Bob Cesca | July 6, 2009 10:05 AM
Comments
Yup. No surprises here.
The system feeds itself and is always looking for food to sustain.
Posted by: Terri ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.bobcesca.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at July 6, 2009 10:34 AM
I'm so sorry to say this.
Americans need to come to terms with the fact that your version of Democracy is so corrupt it hardly can be considered a democracy anymore (if it ever truly was).
Some very big changes will have to be made. I don't even know where to start. For example, it's unconscionable that politicians need MONEY to run for office. That makes them puppets for corporate interests, for God's sakes, did they expect otherwise when they decided that electoral advertisements were not to be free?
Gerrymandering has to end, it contributes to keeping the same people in Congress indefinitely.
Congressional districts need to be merged and be given 2 or 3 representatives for third party candidates to at least have a chance of being elected.
I could go on and on and on...
Posted by: GermanQR at July 6, 2009 11:57 AM
GERMANQR is correct!
The "changes" cannot come in tweaks, band-aids,
and in small increments....
The CORE of our system is corrupt to the bone.
It doesn't matter who the President is, in some respects, because the system is like a crazy
little machine that keeps churning.
You cannot tweak one area or another --- it's all too
entrenched and entwined.
We need to toss the whole thing out and start over.
It's incredible that we share a similar history to Canada. They landed in such a kinder, gentler, more reasoned place.
Posted by: Terri at July 6, 2009 12:26 PM
>>. For example, it's unconscionable that politicians need MONEY to run for office.
Right. I have a feeling we'd be a lot better off today if we had publicly financed elections.
Posted by: El Mystico at July 6, 2009 2:19 PM
Terri,
there's nothing wrong with our system that a little bit more money going to each party can't solve. The truth is, we're just not GIVING enough. They need more.
Will you help?
Posted by: Political Party Pooper at July 6, 2009 2:41 PM
PPP............hahahahhahahahahahahaaha!
PPP, you're funny!
Posted by: Terri at July 6, 2009 3:46 PM
The problem we face is that we are relying on the people that benefit from the corruption to fix the corruption. Like that will ever happen.
Posted by: SillyGit at July 6, 2009 11:52 PM
