Source:
San Francisco ChronicleSpecial interest groups with a stake in the outcome of health care reform are funneling millions of dollars into political campaign coffers as Congress returns from recess next week after a month of contentious town hall meetings.
Insurance companies, doctors, hospitals and pharmaceutical firms are among contributors that have donated more than $15.3 million so far this year to House and Senate lawmakers, as well as to potential challengers, according to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics of data reported to the Federal Election Commission.
"If this issue becomes more politicized, it will have a greater impact than we are currently seeing," said Sheila Krumholz, executive director for the watchdog group in Washington that tracks money in the political system. For the first time since 1992, Democrats have been the largest recipients of health care special interest contributions. Most of the money - $13.7 million - is going to Democratic and Republican incumbents. "Democrats are doing well," Krumholz said. "They are in the majority."
Nationally, the amount of campaign contributions from health care interests, so far, is only a fraction of the "hundreds of millions that will be spent on the midterm elections," said Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. "Of course it will have some impact," Sabato said, but he added that the money would be neutralized by public opinion. "Most Americans have a strong view on health care," he added. "If there is a direct conflict between money and votes, the smart politicians will go with the voters."
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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/01/MNP419H34T.DTL
Is there anyone left in Congress whose vote isn't for sale?
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