Showing posts with label lobbyists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lobbyists. Show all posts
Monday, June 28, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Big Win For Big Pharma
In this Associated Press article by Alan Fran he outlines how the big pharmaceutical giants lobbyists made sure that the healthcare reform bill was a WIN for them.
WASHINGTON — Chalk one up for the pharmaceutical lobby. The U.S. drug industry fended off price curbs and other hefty restrictions in President Barack Obama's health care law even as it prepares for plenty of new business when an estimated 32 million uninsured Americans gain health coverage.
To be sure, the law also levies taxes and imposes other costs on pharmaceutical companies, leaving its final impact on the industry's bottom line uncertain. A recent analysis by Goldman Sachs, the Wall Street firm, suggests the overhaul could mean "a manageable hit" of tens of billions of dollars over the coming decade while bolstering the value of drug-company stocks. Others expect profits, not losses, of the same magnitude.
Either way, pharmaceutical lobbyists won new federal policies they coveted and set a trajectory for long-term industry growth. Privately, several of them say their biggest triumph was heading off Democrats led by Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., who wanted even more money from their industry to finance the health care system's expansion.
"Pharma came out of this better than anyone else," said Ramsey Baghdadi, a Washington health policy analyst who projects a $30 billion, 10-year net gain for the industry. "I don't see how they could have done much better."
Chalk up another one for Kanjorski and Carney's vote for Big Pharma. Washington wasn't worried about taking care of the middle class. It was and will continue to worry about the political dollars dolled out by lobbyists.
As an addendum there is a commercial being aired by "Americans For Stable Quality Care" supporting Paul Kanjorski. Who is a member of that organization? Big Pharma- we represent millions of doctors, nurses, technicians, manufacturers, hospitals, drug companies and health care consumers across the U.S. Never known a loser in a political issue to pay for commercials for a politician.
WASHINGTON — Chalk one up for the pharmaceutical lobby. The U.S. drug industry fended off price curbs and other hefty restrictions in President Barack Obama's health care law even as it prepares for plenty of new business when an estimated 32 million uninsured Americans gain health coverage.
To be sure, the law also levies taxes and imposes other costs on pharmaceutical companies, leaving its final impact on the industry's bottom line uncertain. A recent analysis by Goldman Sachs, the Wall Street firm, suggests the overhaul could mean "a manageable hit" of tens of billions of dollars over the coming decade while bolstering the value of drug-company stocks. Others expect profits, not losses, of the same magnitude.
Either way, pharmaceutical lobbyists won new federal policies they coveted and set a trajectory for long-term industry growth. Privately, several of them say their biggest triumph was heading off Democrats led by Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., who wanted even more money from their industry to finance the health care system's expansion.
"Pharma came out of this better than anyone else," said Ramsey Baghdadi, a Washington health policy analyst who projects a $30 billion, 10-year net gain for the industry. "I don't see how they could have done much better."
Chalk up another one for Kanjorski and Carney's vote for Big Pharma. Washington wasn't worried about taking care of the middle class. It was and will continue to worry about the political dollars dolled out by lobbyists.
As an addendum there is a commercial being aired by "Americans For Stable Quality Care" supporting Paul Kanjorski. Who is a member of that organization? Big Pharma- we represent millions of doctors, nurses, technicians, manufacturers, hospitals, drug companies and health care consumers across the U.S. Never known a loser in a political issue to pay for commercials for a politician.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
With Access Comes Influence
Obama's First State Dinner: High Rolling Top Donors, Bundlers Among Elites Invited
"Obama's First State Dinner: High Rolling Top Donors, Bundlers Among Elites Invited"While millions of Americans sit in homeless shelters unemployed, liberals sit around the Thanksgiving table in the White House stuffing their fat faces at taxpayer expense, discussing the next TRILLION dollar "stimulus" package and how they will carve that up amongst themselves.
penniless_taxpayer Nov-26
"Obama's First State Dinner: High Rolling Top Donors, Bundlers Among Elites Invited"While millions of Americans sit in homeless shelters unemployed, liberals sit around the Thanksgiving table in the White House stuffing their fat faces at taxpayer expense, discussing the next TRILLION dollar "stimulus" package and how they will carve that up amongst themselves.
penniless_taxpayer Nov-26
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Murtha Goes After Earmarks When Effort To Investigate Is Thwarted
President Obama, is really the change you said you were going to bring to Washington?
On March 11, 2009 Obama signed the $410 Billion Congressional earmark spending bill in hiding. From the Star Tribune out of Minneapolis- President Obama said on Wednesday that he will sign an "imperfect" spending bill packed with special projects in order to keep government running, but he vowed that it will be the last one and proposed ways to curb lawmakers from abusing the process in the future.
Evidently nobody told John Murtha. According to CBSnews.com Murtha wants another $134 million in earmarks for his district. He posted the requests on his website.
From CBSnews.com: Four of the earmark requests from Murtha’s office are for current or former clients of a lobbying firm, the PMA Group, that is currently under federal investigation for connection to possible "straw" donations to Murtha and other Democratic members of the House.
PMA Group clients include: Advanced Acoustic Concepts ($5 million request), Argon ST ($8 million request), MTS Technologies, Inc. ($5 million request) and Planning Systems Inc. ($2.3 million request).
Two requests totaling $3.7 million are for Pennsylvania State University, but the Murtha's office says they are not intended for the Electro Optic Center (EOC) in Freeport, Pa. which has received millions in defense contracts and has been the subject of recent scrutiny by the FBI.
Please refer to my previous post where Kanjo and Carney voted to table a motion to investigate (1) the source and timing of past campaign contributions to Members of the House related to the raided prominent defense-lobbying firm; and (2) earmark requests made by Members on behalf of the firm's clients.
While a number of entities with connections to Murtha are under federal law enforcement scrutiny, Murtha himself has not been named as the target of the investigation.
President Obama, what was that about proposing ways to prevent lawmakers from abusing the process. Kanjorski and ethics is like oil and water. And Carney should know better.
Oh, one other minor detail. Murtha missed a deadline to start disclosing his ties to political action committees(PACs) as required by law. From CQ Politics: Some senior congressional appropriators are among those with known connections to committees that did not register as leadership PACs, until after being asked about missing the deadline. They include: Reps. John P. Murtha , D-Pa.,
Do you recall when Murtha called his constituents "rednecks" and "racists" last fall?
CARNEY AND KANJORSKI VOTE TO TABLE MURTHA'S ETHICS INVESTIGATION
Here is a summary of House Resolution 312.
Requires the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, or a designated investigative subcommittee, to begin immediately an investigation and report to the House on the relationship between: (1) the source and timing of past campaign contributions to Members of the House related to the raided prominent defense-lobbying firm; and (2) earmark requests made by Members on behalf of the firm's clients.
Partial Text of House Resolution 312
Whereas The Hill reported that a prominent lobbying firm, founded by Mr. Paul Magliocchetti and the subject of a `federal investigation into potentially corrupt political contributions', has given $3.4 million in political donations to no less than 284 Members of Congress;
Whereas the New York Times noted that Mr. Magliocchetti `set up shop at the busy intersection between political fund-raising and taxpayer spending, directing tens of millions of dollars in contributions to lawmakers while steering hundreds of millions of dollars in earmark contracts back to his clients.';
Resolved, That--
(1) the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, or a subcommittee of the committee designated by the committee and its members appointed by the chairman and ranking member, shall immediately begin an investigation into the relationship between the source and timing of past campaign contributions to Members of the House related to the raided firm and earmark requests made by Members of the House on behalf of clients of the raided firm; and
(2) the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct shall submit a report of its findings to the House of Representatives within 2 months after the date of adoption of the resolution.
Lobbying as usual.
Requires the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, or a designated investigative subcommittee, to begin immediately an investigation and report to the House on the relationship between: (1) the source and timing of past campaign contributions to Members of the House related to the raided prominent defense-lobbying firm; and (2) earmark requests made by Members on behalf of the firm's clients.
Partial Text of House Resolution 312
Whereas The Hill reported that a prominent lobbying firm, founded by Mr. Paul Magliocchetti and the subject of a `federal investigation into potentially corrupt political contributions', has given $3.4 million in political donations to no less than 284 Members of Congress;
Whereas the New York Times noted that Mr. Magliocchetti `set up shop at the busy intersection between political fund-raising and taxpayer spending, directing tens of millions of dollars in contributions to lawmakers while steering hundreds of millions of dollars in earmark contracts back to his clients.';
Resolved, That--
(1) the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, or a subcommittee of the committee designated by the committee and its members appointed by the chairman and ranking member, shall immediately begin an investigation into the relationship between the source and timing of past campaign contributions to Members of the House related to the raided firm and earmark requests made by Members of the House on behalf of clients of the raided firm; and
(2) the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct shall submit a report of its findings to the House of Representatives within 2 months after the date of adoption of the resolution.
Lobbying as usual.
Friday, April 3, 2009
New York Times Gives Nancy Pelosi Some Sage Advice About Murtha
An edtiorial which appears in today's New York Times advises Nancy Pelosi to investigate Rep. John Murtha and his shenanigans with the PMA lobbyist group.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi should listen to the wise Democrats who are pushing for an ethics inquiry into the far-too-cozy relationship between lawmakers and the PMA Group of superlobbyists.
The Justice Department is investigating whether PMA used illegal straw donors to lard the campaign kitties of cooperative lawmakers. The firm — which shut itself down after being raided by federal agents — fed and fed richly off the defense appropriations subcommittee led by Representative John Murtha, the House baron of Pentagon spending.
Beyond the criminal investigation, the House needs to look into any violations of its own ethics rules. And the Democrats need to deliver on their party’s ethics promises — and more and more of them know it. As Representative Ron Kind told The Hill newspaper, “As long as this is not dealt with in the right manner, it’s just going to be a cloud hanging over us.”
Speaker Nancy Pelosi should listen to the wise Democrats who are pushing for an ethics inquiry into the far-too-cozy relationship between lawmakers and the PMA Group of superlobbyists.
The Justice Department is investigating whether PMA used illegal straw donors to lard the campaign kitties of cooperative lawmakers. The firm — which shut itself down after being raided by federal agents — fed and fed richly off the defense appropriations subcommittee led by Representative John Murtha, the House baron of Pentagon spending.
Beyond the criminal investigation, the House needs to look into any violations of its own ethics rules. And the Democrats need to deliver on their party’s ethics promises — and more and more of them know it. As Representative Ron Kind told The Hill newspaper, “As long as this is not dealt with in the right manner, it’s just going to be a cloud hanging over us.”
Monday, March 30, 2009
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