$1.4 million dollars/day- Once again our "representatives" are selling us out to special interests

[Orwellian_Ghost]

The health care industry is spending $1.4 million dollars per day to lobby against reform ($126 million in just the first quarter). This is precisely why our “representatives” (Democrats and Republicans) aren’t seriously considering the only sensible way to provide high-quality health care in America—a tried and tested single-payer system.

Our “representatives” are diligently keeping single-payer “off the table” for one reason only: single-payer would easily win in any honest, open debate. Once again our "representatives" are selling us out to special interests.

[DrDan]

1. lets not leave the administration out - they have no interest in single-payer also

and have sold out to pharm

[polichick]

2. Single payer would win in an HONEST, OPEN debate...

So we can't have one. Most Congresspeople are despicable whores.

[adamuu]

3. Do you have a list of specific reps, and how much they each got?

I think each one deserves a letter

[Orwellian_Ghost]

7. Have any other members of Congress received money tied to the health insurance industry?

Have any other members of Congress received money tied to the health insurance industry? I’m glad you asked. Here are some illuminating figures from Open Secrets (see the link near the bottom of the Open Secrets page). Below are other members of the present Congress who have figures above $200,000. The champ of the list, by far, is from neither the Senate nor the House, but rather the executive branch—one Barack Obama, at $1,427,180.

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) $767,841
Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) $737,260
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) $697,351
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) $684,787
Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) $680,184
Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) $655,899
Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.) $611,554
Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) $522,546
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) $520,327
Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) $490,098
Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) $477,620
Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) $461,850
Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) $449,066
Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) $448,938
Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) $425,378
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) $422,149
Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) $382,880
Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) $366,828
Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) $361,750
Sen. Jon L. Kyl (R-Ariz.) $350,968
Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.) $350,873
Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) $339,330
Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) $320,071
Rep. Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.) $316,414
Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) $314,823
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) $309,500
Rep. John B. Larson (D-Conn.) $304,900
Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.) $285,900
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) $284,830
Rep. John Tanner (D-Tenn.) $250,750
Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) $248,175
Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) $247,686
Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) $247,437
Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) $243,595
Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) $237,750
Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) $236,725
Rep. John D. Dingell (D-Mich.) $233,950
Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) $232,220
Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Texas) $227,808
Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.) $224,050
Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga.) $222,196
Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) $219,854
Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) $216,250
Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.) $204,200
Rep. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) $203,450
Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) $203,050

The total for these 46 members of Congress is more than $17 million. That’s enough to take a few trips to visit the constituents.

This partial list of those who received industry contributions is not presented to suggest that any of the congressional members have been “bought” by the health insurance industry. But what flesh-and-bone human being would not at least be influenced by such largesse?

...

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20090817_pulling_the_plug_on_the_public_option/

[RoccoR5955]

9. Don't be too sure that all of them are against single payer.

I know that Chuck Schumer, Ed Towns, and Charlie Rangel will all vote for single payer/public option. They are in NY, and I know my elected officials in NY, and though they take money from the health care industry, a lot of it comes from the unions, and the unions are all for single payer/public option.

[Orwellian_Ghost]

12. Schumer?

I'd be shocked if he went anywhere near single-payer.

Do you have any comments or record of Schumer supporting single-payer? He's the ultimate pandering politician and is completely bought and sold by big business.

[adamuu]

15. Great link. Thanks. n/t

[jschurchin]

4. They DO NOT represent us.

They represent Corporate America, and they will always do their bidding. It is a fallacy to think, for a minute, that the men and women occupying seats in the house and senate will do what is best for "We the People".
They will do what is best for "We the Merck, B of A, Exxon, Wal Mart, etc., etc." The lobbyists on "K" Street will ensure that.

[Laelth]

5. k&r for the truth. n/t

:dem:

-Laelth

[blindpig]

6. k&r n/t

[flvegan]

8. *puts hands up to face* I'm shocked!!!

[ipaint]

10. It's even worse than that

Many of the lawmakers sitting on committees deciding our health care fate have personal investments in the for profit health care industry.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/12/AR2009061204075.html?sid=ST2009061204093

[blindpig]

11. There is no reason to believe anything they say. n/t

[TBF]

13. Members of Congress should only be allowed to have as much health

care as their poorest constituents (which would mean none). Only then would we see single-payer from that crew.

[BolivarianHero]

14. $1.4 million a day...

Just think of the PR they would get if that money were used to help random people with their health care bills.