Lobbying Dollars
Despite the wave of lobbying scandals, the money keeps rolling in to try influence the legislative and executive branches.
Trying to influence?
PoliticalMoneyLine.com reports that federal lobbying totaled $1.2 billion in the last half of 2005, the first time such expenses have exceeded $200 million a month. For the full year, federal lobbying topped $2.36 billion, according to the Internet tracking service.
A citizen voter sure can't compete with that kind of influence.
The biggest contributors in the second half: Health care, at $183.3 million; communications and technology companies at $158.8 million, and finance and insurance at $155.7 million. PoliticalMoneyLines top 10 list for lobbying expenses: U.S. Chamber of Commerce, $10.5 million; General Electric Co., $10.4 million; AT&T Inc. and SBC, $10.4 million; U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform, $10.3 million; American Medical Association, $9.7 million; AARP, $8.5 million; Northrop Grumman Corp., $7.5 million; PhRMA, $7.2 million; American Hospital Association, $7.1 million, and Southern Co., $7 million.
Pretty much explains the political agenda in Washington and why the United States continues to be the only industrial - or I should say post industrial - nation in the world without a national health care program, also the stupid, punitive bankruptcy legislation voted for by Democratic Party boy wonder Barack Obama, the continued assault on the people's right to sue corporations that wrong, abuse or kill them and the ridiculous prices of telecommunications service of all kinds, etc.
You get what you pay for. Washington is bought.
Taxpayer Financed Elections NOW
Trying to influence?
PoliticalMoneyLine.com reports that federal lobbying totaled $1.2 billion in the last half of 2005, the first time such expenses have exceeded $200 million a month. For the full year, federal lobbying topped $2.36 billion, according to the Internet tracking service.
A citizen voter sure can't compete with that kind of influence.
The biggest contributors in the second half: Health care, at $183.3 million; communications and technology companies at $158.8 million, and finance and insurance at $155.7 million. PoliticalMoneyLines top 10 list for lobbying expenses: U.S. Chamber of Commerce, $10.5 million; General Electric Co., $10.4 million; AT&T Inc. and SBC, $10.4 million; U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform, $10.3 million; American Medical Association, $9.7 million; AARP, $8.5 million; Northrop Grumman Corp., $7.5 million; PhRMA, $7.2 million; American Hospital Association, $7.1 million, and Southern Co., $7 million.
Pretty much explains the political agenda in Washington and why the United States continues to be the only industrial - or I should say post industrial - nation in the world without a national health care program, also the stupid, punitive bankruptcy legislation voted for by Democratic Party boy wonder Barack Obama, the continued assault on the people's right to sue corporations that wrong, abuse or kill them and the ridiculous prices of telecommunications service of all kinds, etc.
You get what you pay for. Washington is bought.
Taxpayer Financed Elections NOW
posted by TheFuriousGourmet | 5:59 AM
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