On January 21, 2009, on the first day of his administration Barack Obama did something no other President has ever done. He set stricter lobbying rules for his administrative staff than any other President. Some of the rules included banning aides from trying to influence the administration when they leave his staff. The rules also ban lobbyists from giving gifts of any size to any member of his administration. The new rules also stipulate that anyone who leaves his administration cannot try to influence former friends and colleagues for at least two years. He set a great example to follow even while he ran for President in not excepting special interest money. What's painfully obvious as the health care debate drags on is that many Democrats in Congress did not get the memo. Most reports said that more than half of American voters favored a health insurance option. It would give insurance companies competition to provide better service. So why's it not in the current bill ? I'll give you a real good clue, special interest. This sure would be as good a time as any for Barack Obama to start rolling out the Centralized Ethics and Lobbying Information for Voters he promised.
Another way to fight the problem is if Democrats start losing races when they listen to lobbyists more than their constituents. Senator Russ Feingold(D) from Wisconsin might find that out the hard way if he doesn't push harder for the public option. He argues that the Obama administration did not help out enough, I have news for you Russ, You have been spending too much time on Iraq and Israel.
So how much has been spent on health care reform lobbying ? The health care sector has spent close to $400 million in nine months so far and it's far from over. David Leventhal at the Center for Responsive Politics said over 2 billion has been spent totally on lobbying efforts this year. We're on pace to shatter last years records. What are they buying with it ? They are buying access to Congress to influence legislation. The unspoken rule on Capitol Hill is if you have not paid for access through lobbyist, you do not get any quality time with any of the key politicians shaping health care.
A recent analysis of public records by Northwestern University's Medill News Service and the Tribune Newspapers Washington Bureau and the Center for Responsive Politics found a virtual cottage industry between Capitol Hill staffers and lobbying jobs for companies with a stake in health care legislation.
They found at the minimum 166 former aides from nine congressional leaders offices involved in shaping health overhaul legislation -- at least 13 former lawmakers -- registered to represent as lobbyists 338 health care clients since the beginning of just last year. The health care clients they work for spent $635 million on lobbying over the past two years based on the findings.
The biggest players in this scheme that puts big businesses interests ahead of voters were at least 14 former aides to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and at least 13 former aides to Montana Democratic Sen. Max Baucus, chairman of the Finance Committee and a key overseer of the health care overhaul.
Most of the these insider lobbyist make more than Congressman. I guess we know where Steny Hoyer will be working once he retires or gets voted out.
The health care debate over the last few months is the perfect example of why we need better lobbying laws. For example say you are a taxpayer who wants to find out something specific like what client a health care lobbyist who lobbies Joe Lieberman or Max Baucus represents. You would not be able to. because Federal law does not require the clients name be made public.
Until Congress passes legislation on itself for more transparency in its dealings with the lobbying industry then all Americans irrespective of political philosophy or class will lose out every time. The solution is easy, vote them out !.
One other thing, the timing of this couldn't be better, and the Chicago Tribune helped investigate. Do you think ?, I better leave that alone for now.
Comments
And Obama said he would not sign any bills with pork in them.
Obama said he would have no lobbyists in his WH.
Obama said he would put bills on the internet for 5 days.
Obama said he would put the health care debate on CSPAN.
Rep Joe Wilson said Obama LIES.
He is right and Obama is a pathological liar!
This is not just here in this paper, there are 5 other newspapers with similar articles with the same information for their region with the same result: we have had health care ”insurance“ reform taken away from us forever! There has been no reform, except that those who could not get health insurance before now ”have“ to buy insurance from the same companies who refused them before that these people will never be able to use because of high deductibles and limitations that they will now, still, have to declare bankruptcy just like before. Oh, wait! The bankruptcy law was ”reformed“ as well, not allowing people to declare bankruptcy anymore if they have health insurance to cover ”most“ costs! Hmmm . . . ever hear of a Catch-22? The lobbyists over the years have just created one. Write your congresspersons and tell them NOT to vote for this or any bill at this point and to wait out an honest ”public option.“
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