Corporately Owned Congress Blocking The Way For Meaningful Reform
Bill Lindner
June 27, 2009
America's problems with Health care and Financial reform, as well as the many other issues that have plaqued this country for years, can be attributed to an ethically and morally corrupted Congress being bought off by large ethically and morally corrupted corporations -- large monopolistic corporations whose millions of customers pay exorbitant charges in more ways than one -- which has enabled the richness of a select few at the expense of a great many.
Health Care, Health Insurance, Pharmaceutical, Oil, Defense, Telecom, Automotive, Financial, Biotech, Railroads, Life Insurance and many other companies as well as large lobbying groups such as AIPAC have all 'contributed' multiple millions of dollars to members of Congress, offering more evidence of why the American people continue being forsaken while having to deal with illegal, unconstitutional 'laws.' We've paid a high enough price for Congressional corruption already.
As for President Obama's promise of putting an end to the lobbying on Capitol Hill, it too has turned out to be nothing more than another lie. The bribe money given to Congress does not include other perks such as the money spent by top Health Care companies on Congressional trips and other perks.
America's cascading crises, as noted by Robert Perry, can be traced to too little government, excessive tax cuts and a lack of sound regulation. The poltical theater, constantly pushed by main stream media, serves no other function than to distract everyone from the real problems we face because of political corruption. To see why nothing continues being done for American citizens by their corrupted Congress, one only needs to follow the money trail.
The argument -- in the case of health reform -- that government programs are not as efficient as the private sector are one of the usual attempts to deny the American people a public option on health insurance, an attempt that is made by those who have profited the most from bribery by health care companies. Some of those health care companies have openly admitted that they purposely cancel insurance and deny claims of gravely ill Americans, even going so far as to praise employees for terminating policies of customers with expensive illnesses. These same insurance companies claim that the only way they can make money is by denying claims for patients with expensive illnesses.
In addition to accepting all the 'contributions,' Congress just gave itself nearly $4 billion for expenses, which works out to $6.9 million for each of its 535 members, courtesy of Joe taxpayer. There's no need to wonder why most of America is so poor. The Federal government has been putting the screws to the people for decades, and getting away with it because most of America either doesn't know about it, or doesn't care. It needs to be stopped and fixed.
Almost Two-Thirds of Americans Want a Public Option on Health Insurance
Congress continues trying to deny American's a public health insurance option that would provide savings and health care for all as well as the economy, primarily due to the fact that Congress is and has been serving the Medical-Industrial complex.
Insurance middlemen and investigators who ferret out 'preexisting conditions' would no longer be needed, doctors would save on administrative costs, the cost of health benefits could be reduced and more money could be used to provide insurance for those who actually need it.
A New York Times/CBS poll revealed that 72 percent of the American people favor offering everyone a government administered health insurance plan such as Medicare that would compete with private health insurance plans.
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is one of many insurance industry defenders saying that 119 million Americans -- almost two-thirds of the population -- would take a public option on health insurance if given the chance, so therefore, a public option is not an option. The majority of Americans want out of the private insurance racket because of the industry's treatment of them and over-inflated costs. Grassley is saying that the insurance industry can't survive if Americans are given a choice for medical coverage.
Republicans and some Democrats are trying to lock two-thirds of the American public into the profit-making Medical-Industrial complex, and contemplating making nearly 50 million uninsured citizens buy medical insurance under the penalty of fines. Grassley, and other top members of the Senate Banking Committee have received all kinds of 'contributions' by the Medical-Industrial complex. One Senator received almost $3.4 million from drug companies, insurers, hospitals and other medical and health professionals from January 2003 through 2008. Some others have received a lot more.
Millions 'Contributed' to Congress by the Insurance Industry
Since the 1990 election cycle, Health insurance companies' PACs and employees and HMO's have reportedly given 25 members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation $3.3 million in campaign 'contributions'.
Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass) has collected $680,200, Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W. Va) has collected $141,000 and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) has collected $119,700. Blue Cross/Blue Shield has given Senate members $505,700 and AFLAC has given $337,250 since 1989.
Since 1989, current members of Congress have received $39.5 million from the Health insurance industry. Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn) -- the head of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee -- has been the highest benefactor, receiving $767,800. Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) has received $737,260. President Barack Obama received $1.3 million from the Health insurance industy during the 2008 election cycle, and $1.4 million if you include his Senate fundraising. Blue Cross/Blue Shield has 'contributed' over $7 million and AFLAC has 'contributed' around $5.7 million.
Auto, home, business and life insurance companies have reportedly contributed over $35.7 million to members during the last two election cycles. Sen. John McCain (R-Az) received $2,287,345, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn) received $1,102,056 and Rep. Paul Kanjorski -- head of the House Financial Services Subcommittee -- received $491,545.
Rep. Melissa Bean (D-Ill) received $358,603 and Rep. Ed Royce (D-Ca) who received $297,574 are co-sponsoring legislation that would allow large insurers to opt out of state regulation in favor of a federal regulator. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass) -- head of the House Financial Services Committee -- received $342,796 and Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala), Franks' Vice chairman, has received $312,550 from insurance industry sources.
A list of the top ten Senate and House recipients of insurance 'contributions' is available in the article from The Insurance Journal. A report (PDF) is available from Consumer Watchdog that lists total contributions to each member of Congress. The Consumer Watchdog report also identifies members of the House Committee responsible for insurance matters.
Large Corporations and Lobbyists Own Congress
Many of the corporations mentioned above appear to be trying to outdo themselves. A nicely compiled list of the top 100 companies, ranked by the amount they spent lobbying Congress in the first quarter of 2009, can be found in this report from Information Clearing House. Not included in the top 100 is American International Group (AIG), one of the largest perpetrators of fraud against the American public that is partially responsible for the economic meltdown, who spent $1.25 million lobbying Congress in the first quarter of 2009.
The amounts listed below by industry do not include totals spent by some corporations such as Monsanto, who, in addition to the $2,094,000 spent in its in-house lobbying during first quarter 2009, spent an additional $2,437,000 by contracting with other outside groups to lobby Congress during the same quarter.
Dollars -- millions of dollars -- spent lobbying Congress by the top 100 large corporations in the first quarter of 2009 by industry: Health Care, Health Insurance and Pharmaceutical companies spent $41,480,134.00, Oil companies spent $30,900,935.00, Defense companies spent $19,020,000.00, Telecoms spent $16,494,873.00, Automotive companies (including GM who was forced into bankruptcy by the U.S. government) spent $9,694,644.00, Financial Services companies spent $14,389,917.00, Biotech companies spent $5,857,672.00, Railroads spent $5,876,653.00, Life Insurance companies spent $6,444,075.00 and other assorted companies spent $92,784,168.00.
That comes to $242,943,071.00 -- almost a quarter of a billion dollars -- given to Congress members in the first quarter of 2009 by lobbyists. That's money they receive on top of their salaries. Large companies and lobbyists have owned Congress for years, which is why the American public has had little to no representation from their Congress critters. If you're not mad about having a bought and paid for Congress, you should be.
Remember the FISA Amendment Act of 2008 that illegally and retroactively granted immunity to the Telecoms who helped Bush illegally spy on every American? If you look at all the 'contributions' given to Congress last year by said Telecoms, you'll see why. Again, follow the money trail.
These same companies that continue buying Congress continue screwing the American public, especially in the Financial Industry. After the fraudulent "bailout" engineered by the Bush administration last September was forced on the American people by their bought and paid for Congress, banks that received the money are again paying bonuses to their top people -- but this time it'll be record bonuses. As for financial reform, forget it. It's been a well known fact, and admitted by a top Senate Democrat, that bankers have owned the U.S. Congress for years. The deception and fraud continue running rampant, and it needs to stop.
Another good place for more information on monies used by large corporations to bribe Congress is the Open Secrets website. Until the people realize that the large corporations they buy from are using their money to bribe Washington, little if anything is going to change. It's time to replace corrupted Congress members with people who will actually do what they're supposed to do -- be the voice of the people they allegedly serve. Until the people of this country dispose of the trash we've had in Congress for decades, change and reform are just empty, meaningless words.
Health Care, Health Insurance, Pharmaceutical, Oil, Defense, Telecom, Automotive, Financial, Biotech, Railroads, Life Insurance and many other companies as well as large lobbying groups such as AIPAC have all 'contributed' multiple millions of dollars to members of Congress, offering more evidence of why the American people continue being forsaken while having to deal with illegal, unconstitutional 'laws.' We've paid a high enough price for Congressional corruption already.
As for President Obama's promise of putting an end to the lobbying on Capitol Hill, it too has turned out to be nothing more than another lie. The bribe money given to Congress does not include other perks such as the money spent by top Health Care companies on Congressional trips and other perks.
America's cascading crises, as noted by Robert Perry, can be traced to too little government, excessive tax cuts and a lack of sound regulation. The poltical theater, constantly pushed by main stream media, serves no other function than to distract everyone from the real problems we face because of political corruption. To see why nothing continues being done for American citizens by their corrupted Congress, one only needs to follow the money trail.
The argument -- in the case of health reform -- that government programs are not as efficient as the private sector are one of the usual attempts to deny the American people a public option on health insurance, an attempt that is made by those who have profited the most from bribery by health care companies. Some of those health care companies have openly admitted that they purposely cancel insurance and deny claims of gravely ill Americans, even going so far as to praise employees for terminating policies of customers with expensive illnesses. These same insurance companies claim that the only way they can make money is by denying claims for patients with expensive illnesses.
In addition to accepting all the 'contributions,' Congress just gave itself nearly $4 billion for expenses, which works out to $6.9 million for each of its 535 members, courtesy of Joe taxpayer. There's no need to wonder why most of America is so poor. The Federal government has been putting the screws to the people for decades, and getting away with it because most of America either doesn't know about it, or doesn't care. It needs to be stopped and fixed.
Almost Two-Thirds of Americans Want a Public Option on Health Insurance
Congress continues trying to deny American's a public health insurance option that would provide savings and health care for all as well as the economy, primarily due to the fact that Congress is and has been serving the Medical-Industrial complex.
Insurance middlemen and investigators who ferret out 'preexisting conditions' would no longer be needed, doctors would save on administrative costs, the cost of health benefits could be reduced and more money could be used to provide insurance for those who actually need it.
A New York Times/CBS poll revealed that 72 percent of the American people favor offering everyone a government administered health insurance plan such as Medicare that would compete with private health insurance plans.
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is one of many insurance industry defenders saying that 119 million Americans -- almost two-thirds of the population -- would take a public option on health insurance if given the chance, so therefore, a public option is not an option. The majority of Americans want out of the private insurance racket because of the industry's treatment of them and over-inflated costs. Grassley is saying that the insurance industry can't survive if Americans are given a choice for medical coverage.
Republicans and some Democrats are trying to lock two-thirds of the American public into the profit-making Medical-Industrial complex, and contemplating making nearly 50 million uninsured citizens buy medical insurance under the penalty of fines. Grassley, and other top members of the Senate Banking Committee have received all kinds of 'contributions' by the Medical-Industrial complex. One Senator received almost $3.4 million from drug companies, insurers, hospitals and other medical and health professionals from January 2003 through 2008. Some others have received a lot more.
Millions 'Contributed' to Congress by the Insurance Industry
Since the 1990 election cycle, Health insurance companies' PACs and employees and HMO's have reportedly given 25 members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation $3.3 million in campaign 'contributions'.
Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass) has collected $680,200, Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W. Va) has collected $141,000 and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) has collected $119,700. Blue Cross/Blue Shield has given Senate members $505,700 and AFLAC has given $337,250 since 1989.
Since 1989, current members of Congress have received $39.5 million from the Health insurance industry. Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn) -- the head of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee -- has been the highest benefactor, receiving $767,800. Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) has received $737,260. President Barack Obama received $1.3 million from the Health insurance industy during the 2008 election cycle, and $1.4 million if you include his Senate fundraising. Blue Cross/Blue Shield has 'contributed' over $7 million and AFLAC has 'contributed' around $5.7 million.
Auto, home, business and life insurance companies have reportedly contributed over $35.7 million to members during the last two election cycles. Sen. John McCain (R-Az) received $2,287,345, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn) received $1,102,056 and Rep. Paul Kanjorski -- head of the House Financial Services Subcommittee -- received $491,545.
Rep. Melissa Bean (D-Ill) received $358,603 and Rep. Ed Royce (D-Ca) who received $297,574 are co-sponsoring legislation that would allow large insurers to opt out of state regulation in favor of a federal regulator. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass) -- head of the House Financial Services Committee -- received $342,796 and Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala), Franks' Vice chairman, has received $312,550 from insurance industry sources.
A list of the top ten Senate and House recipients of insurance 'contributions' is available in the article from The Insurance Journal. A report (PDF) is available from Consumer Watchdog that lists total contributions to each member of Congress. The Consumer Watchdog report also identifies members of the House Committee responsible for insurance matters.
Large Corporations and Lobbyists Own Congress
Many of the corporations mentioned above appear to be trying to outdo themselves. A nicely compiled list of the top 100 companies, ranked by the amount they spent lobbying Congress in the first quarter of 2009, can be found in this report from Information Clearing House. Not included in the top 100 is American International Group (AIG), one of the largest perpetrators of fraud against the American public that is partially responsible for the economic meltdown, who spent $1.25 million lobbying Congress in the first quarter of 2009.
The amounts listed below by industry do not include totals spent by some corporations such as Monsanto, who, in addition to the $2,094,000 spent in its in-house lobbying during first quarter 2009, spent an additional $2,437,000 by contracting with other outside groups to lobby Congress during the same quarter.
Dollars -- millions of dollars -- spent lobbying Congress by the top 100 large corporations in the first quarter of 2009 by industry: Health Care, Health Insurance and Pharmaceutical companies spent $41,480,134.00, Oil companies spent $30,900,935.00, Defense companies spent $19,020,000.00, Telecoms spent $16,494,873.00, Automotive companies (including GM who was forced into bankruptcy by the U.S. government) spent $9,694,644.00, Financial Services companies spent $14,389,917.00, Biotech companies spent $5,857,672.00, Railroads spent $5,876,653.00, Life Insurance companies spent $6,444,075.00 and other assorted companies spent $92,784,168.00.
That comes to $242,943,071.00 -- almost a quarter of a billion dollars -- given to Congress members in the first quarter of 2009 by lobbyists. That's money they receive on top of their salaries. Large companies and lobbyists have owned Congress for years, which is why the American public has had little to no representation from their Congress critters. If you're not mad about having a bought and paid for Congress, you should be.
Remember the FISA Amendment Act of 2008 that illegally and retroactively granted immunity to the Telecoms who helped Bush illegally spy on every American? If you look at all the 'contributions' given to Congress last year by said Telecoms, you'll see why. Again, follow the money trail.
These same companies that continue buying Congress continue screwing the American public, especially in the Financial Industry. After the fraudulent "bailout" engineered by the Bush administration last September was forced on the American people by their bought and paid for Congress, banks that received the money are again paying bonuses to their top people -- but this time it'll be record bonuses. As for financial reform, forget it. It's been a well known fact, and admitted by a top Senate Democrat, that bankers have owned the U.S. Congress for years. The deception and fraud continue running rampant, and it needs to stop.
Another good place for more information on monies used by large corporations to bribe Congress is the Open Secrets website. Until the people realize that the large corporations they buy from are using their money to bribe Washington, little if anything is going to change. It's time to replace corrupted Congress members with people who will actually do what they're supposed to do -- be the voice of the people they allegedly serve. Until the people of this country dispose of the trash we've had in Congress for decades, change and reform are just empty, meaningless words.
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