Former Capitol Hill Staff Hired by Healthcare Companies to Lobby Congress
July 7, 2009 by Healthcare-NOW!
Filed under Single-Payer News
The Washington Post produced a graphic on how the Congressional committees working on health reform legislation are being lobbied by people who use to work for them.
According to the graphic, “nearly half of the former Capitol Hill aides hired by major health-care companies to lobby Congress during the first quarter of 2009 previously worked for one of the key committees drafting health-care reform legislation.”
Turns out, Max Baucus and Chuck Grassley are now being lobbied by their former chief of staff and former health policy advisers.
Click image to enlarge.
What else is new? The methodology for killing substantive reform is from the playbook of Clinton’s change-lite efforts in 1993-94 documented by the Center for Public Integrity in 1994 and revisited by Common Cause and published last month.
Former Congressional and WH staff and aides hired by lobby firms should be banned from lobbying in either houses. They are insiders with political pull. The playing field in America is so off balance just as the WTO is to American workers. Lobbying and campaign finance need reform. Will any Senator step up to the plate and sponsor a reform bill for lobbying? You would have the majority of thepopulation in your behalf and make a reputation for yourself that would assure your own re election! Senate has been bought and paid for by lobbying firms and need to be voted out of office. Their careers need to end as politicians!
No Wonder I call the WHite House All the Time and email …No Wonder …I am even told to go to the Dept of un-Human services ..And I argue I do not Qualify ! I have been to 2 states Deptments Of Human Services and I am told I DO NOT QUALIFY ! And they tell me to write the President and I have many many times ! They are filling my calls and letters and emails in File 13 ! Today the 202-456-1414 That I call and Press One and One to leave a message ..and ya talk to someone? Well that Line is BUSY BUSY BUSY ! Been calling since they Woke up @ the WHite House ! I WANT TO TELL Mr.President I need help like Debbie at the Town Hall Meeting Last week on TV ! I need help like DEBBIE ….I was sprayed for 7 years with Malathion ! BUG KILLER ….I was Sprayed every day not once BUT Everyday ! 7 Planes from Texas came to West Tenn and sprayed for 7 years for Bo-Weevils for Cotton !!! Hello Mr President ? I did not live in West Tenn Alone …If you look at the Past Obits till today you can see in West Tenn Just How Many People UNDER 50 Have DIED !! Its Not all GENETIC !!!!! Both my grandmothers Lived to almost 100 !
SHAME, SHAME, SHAME
Every newspaper worth being read should copy the graphic done by the Washington Post. I cannot read the graphic on this website, but how about sending it to the newspapers in printable form.
Click on the image to enlarge it. It’s easy to read it that way. Sorry for not making that clear.