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Friday, January 21, 2011

Who really sent the Republicans?

My initial plan was to list all the new Republican members of Congress and who their biggest contributors were.  But after taking a look at the new members of Congress at OpenSecrets.Org, I’d have to recreate the entire website here.  It is apparent that the Republicans took quite a few seats in Congress this year by the overwhelming number of new Republicans.  However, was the Republican takeover of the House a function of the people’s wants or the wants of the Health Insurance Industry? 

We all know the candidate with the most money usually – not always – wins.  So out of all the issues and policies that were passed in the past 2 years of the Obama Administration how come it was Health Care Reform that the new Republican House wanted to repeal?  Is there a connection to the fact that Insurance Companies, Health Professionals, Pharmaceutical Companies, HMO’s and Financial Institutions were the top contributors to the Republican Party?  More specifically, top contributors to the new first term Republicans? 

Take a look at just a few of the new Republican Congress Members.  I only went through the B’s because frankly there’s too many.

Sandy Adams, R-FL, House
-Health Professionals $47,700

Justin Amash, R-MI, House
-Health Professionals $45,500

Kelly Ayotte, R-NH, Senate
-Securities & Investments $398,086
-Insurance $184,305

Charles Bass, R-NH, House
-Securities & Investments $46,650
-Insurance $38,400

Daniel Benishek, R-MI, House
-Health Professionals $95,550

Diane Lynn Black, R-TN, House
-Health Professionals $78,102
-Hospitals/Nursing Homes $25,600

Mo Brooks, R-AL, House
-Health Professionals $55,200

Larry Bucshon, R-IN, House
-Health Professionals $138,157
-Insurance $28,348

Ann Marie Buerkle, R-NY, House
-Securities & Investments $41,133

Believe me there are many more.  Better yet, don’t believe me and check for yourself.  I included Securities & Investments because Insurance companies tend to be the largest share holders of mutual funds.  So the Securities & Investments industry has a vested interest in seeing private insurance succeed.

Not every Republican got money directly from a Health related industry – though it would have been a heck of a lot easier had I listed them in retrospect.  But all Republicans received money from one of their PACS.  The two largest contributors were the Continuing a Majority Party Action Committee and the Every Republican is Crucial PAC.

Here is listed out the amount given to House and Senate Republicans.  Interesting how the amount given to the Senate is much less then what was given to the House.  Maybe that’s why the Senate is still in the hands of the Democrats?  The list also shows the top industry contributors to each PAC.

Continuing a Majority Party Action Committee :
Gave $547,250 to the House Republicans and $13,000 to Senate Republicans in 2010.
Top contributions by Industry.
Insurance
$100,000

Health Professionals
$92,500

Pharmaceuticals/Health Products
$86,500

Lobbyists
$58,750

Health Services/HMOs
$53,000

Securities & Investment
$48,500


Every Republican is Crucial PAC:
Gave $1, 210,842 to the House Republicans and $30,000 to Senate Republicans in 2010.
Top contributions by Industry.
Securities & Investment
$160,650
Real Estate
$137,000
Insurance
$131,465
Lobbyists
$119,000
Pharmaceuticals/Health Products
$112,350
Tobacco
$94,750
Commercial Banks
$75,750
Health Services/HMOs
$71,700
Health Professionals
$71,554


So I have to wonder did the American People really speak at the last election.  Or did Corporate America through Insurance and Health Care Companies speak?  One thing is quite apparent.  The Republicans have lived up to their word.  They were sent to Washington to repeal the Health Care law and they spent little time getting down to business.  The question now is who sent them?

If you are really interested here is the top 100 contributors to the Continuing a Majority Party Action Committee.

Rank
Contributor
Total
Indivs
PACs
1
Blue Cross/Blue Shield – self explanatory
$16,000
$0
$16,000
2
Altria Group - the No. 1 tobacco company in the world
$15,000
$5,000
$10,000
2
DaVita Inc -  is a leading provider of kidney care in the United States, delivering dialysis services and education to patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease.
$15,000
$5,000
$10,000
4
Dykema Gossett – Law firm specializing in Insurance, Pharmaceutical and Medical Industries.
$10,250
$250
$10,000
5
Abbott Laboratories – Global Health Care and Medical Research
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
Aetna Inc – self explanatory
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
AFLAC Inc – self explanatory
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
America's Health Insurance Plans – self explanatory
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
American College of Cardiology
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
American Seniors Housing Assn – self explanatory
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
Amgen Inc - Delivers important, cost effective therapeutics based on cellular and molecular biology
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
Eli Lilly & Co - one of the nation’s leading pharmaceutical companies.
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
Investment Co Institute - News and tutorials covering mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETF), closed-end funds (CEF) and unit investment trusts (UIT).
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
Medco Health Solutions - self explanatory
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
Merck & Co - self explanatory
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
National Multi Housing Council
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
Natl Assn Real Estate Investment Trusts
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
Pechanga Band of Mission Indians
$10,000
$10,000
$0
5
$10,000
$0
$10,000
5
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe
$10,000
$10,000
$0
5
$10,000
$0
$10,000
36
American College of Radiology- self explanatory
$9,000
$0
$9,000
37
$8,000
$0
$8,000
37
$8,000
$0
$8,000
37
$8,000
$0
$8,000
40
$7,500
$0
$7,500
40
$7,500
$0
$7,500
40
Fierce, Isakowitz & Blalock – A government relations consulting firm – clients include Health Care providers, Insurance companies, medical supply companies
$7,500
$7,500
$0
40
$7,500
$0
$7,500
40
Metlife Inc - self explanatory
$7,500
$0
$7,500
40
$7,500
$0
$7,500
40
Pfizer Inc - is one of the biggest players in what is widely considered the most influential industry in Washington: pharmaceutical manufacturers
$7,500
$0
$7,500
40
$7,500
$0
$7,500
48
DTE Energy
$7,000
$0
$7,000
49
American Express
$6,000
$0
$6,000
49
Deloitte & Touche – Consulting group dealing with accounting
$6,000
$0
$6,000
49
Federal Policy Group – Consulting group dealing with taxes and financial legislation
$6,000
$6,000
$0
52
$5,500
$0
$5,500
53
American Assn of Orthopaedic Surgeons - self explanatory
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
American Assn of Preferred Providers Org - self explanatory
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
American College of Emergency Physicians - self explanatory
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
American Dental Assn - self explanatory
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
American Hospital Assn- self explanatory
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
American Physical Therapy Assn - self explanatory
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
BASF Corp
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
Cardinal Health - Offers drug development services for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
Centra Inc – multiple listing for a health care company or a consulting company.  No direct findings for Centra Inc.
$5,000
$5,000
$0
53
College of American Pathologists - self explanatory
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
CVS/Caremark Corp – Health Care Company
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
Fidelity Investments – financial services
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
Goldman Sachs – financial services
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
Home Depot
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
1.       Invacare Corp - is the world's leading manufacturer of wheelchairs, bariatric equipment, disability scooters, respiratory products and other homecare products.
$5,000
$4,000
$1,000
53
JPMorgan Chase & Co – financial services
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
McCrery for Congress
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
Miller & Chevalier - Miller & Chevalier’s Employee Benefits and Employment Tax practice offers a full range of consulting, planning, and controversy services to clients facing the challenges of increased audit and regulatory scrutiny in the benefits area. In
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
National Community Pharmacists Assn - self explanatory
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
National Venture Capital Assn - The National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), comprised of more than 400 member firms, is the premier trade association that represents the U.S. venture capital industry – Members Like Citigroup, JP Morgan, Kaiser Permanente
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
New York Life Insurance - self explanatory
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
1.      Novartis Corp- Has core businesses in healthcare, agribusiness and consumer health.
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
Renal Leadership Council
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
Rumsey Indian Rancheria
$5,000
$5,000
$0
53
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
UBS Americas - Financial Services
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
US Oncology - self explanatory
$5,000
$0
$5,000
53
Waste Management Inc
$5,000
$0
$5,000
85
BGR Group- is the premier bipartisan government relations, strategic communications, and investment banking firm. Clients include Pfizer, Eli Lilly, and other Health Care providers
$4,500
$4,500
$0
85
Capitol Health Group - self explanatory
$4,500
$4,500
$0
85
$4,500
$0
$4,500
85
Pacific Life Insurance - self explanatory
$4,500
$0
$4,500
85
Williams & Jensen- one of the nation's leading, independently owned government affairs law firms. Clients include Pfizer,
$4,500
$4,500
$0
90
Capitol Tax Partners – consulting firm
$4,000
$4,000
$0
90
Cassidy & Assoc
$4,000
$4,000
$0
90
Dow Chemical
$4,000
$0
$4,000
90
Hearing Industries Assn – association for hearing aid manufacturers.
$4,000
$0
$4,000
90
John Hancock Life Insurance Co - self explanatory
$4,000
$0
$4,000
90
Kidney Care Partners - self explanatory
$4,000
$0
$4,000
90
RailAmerica Inc
$4,000
$0
$4,000
90
Zurich Insurance - self explanatory
$4,000
$0
$4,000
98
Applied Materials Inc
$3,500
$0
$3,500
98
$3,500
$0
$3,500
98
Cigar Assn of America
$3,500
$0
$3,500
98
Delta Airlines
$3,500
$0
$3,500
98
ESOP Assn
$3,500
$0
$3,500
98
Mehlman Vogel Castagnetti Inc – Lobbyist Group
$3,500
$3,500
$0
98
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans – financial services
$3,500
$0
$3,500
98
$3,500
$0
$3,500


Material retrieved from Open Secrets.ORG on 21 January 2011. http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgave.php?cmte=C00350462&cycle=2010&recs=100

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