Baucus Reels In Big Healthcare Donations
Many of the donations have come to Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., during at-times extravagant fundraising events, such as a $2,500-donation fly fishing event in Big Sky, Mont., and a $10,000-per-plate dinner at a San Francisco mansion, held while liberals angered by "giveaways" to the healthcare industry marched outside, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.
Since he began steering congressional efforts to achieve healthcare industry reforms, Baucus' contributors have included Schering-Plough, New York Life Insurance, Amgen, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and such individual executives such as Merck chief executive Richard Clark, most of whom strongly oppose a establishing a public insurance option, the Post said.
Baucus declined to comment to the newspaper, but spokesman Tyler Matsdorf said Baucus "is only driven by one thing: what is right for Montana and the country."
The contributions amount to "a huge down payment" by companies expecting friendly treatment, Jerry Flanagan of the advocacy group Consumer Watchdog told the Post.
"That is the cold reality of big-money politics," he said.
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Read the label on Senators and Congresspersons
Everytime a Senator or Congressperson makes a statement on TV or the web related to the formation or content of any bill, I would like to see a onscreen hot button of some kind that would take us to websites that have listed their donors and campaign supporters. Just like food products, we citizens should have easy access to their "label"--that is, what corporate interests are ingredients in this senators or congresspersons portfolio.
Maybe this information is already available, but I am unaware of it. Right now I am looking for this kind of information, which is why I am now giving "Consumer Watchdog" a try.
Jacque lavoi
July 26, 2009 10:30 AM | jacque lavoi |