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 | Indep Insurance Agents & Brokers/America – self explanatory | $10,000 | $0 | $10,000 |
5 | Investment Co Institute - News and tutorials covering mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETF), closed- | $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 | Natl Assn/Insurance & Financial Advisors - self explanatory | $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 | American Council of Life Insurers - self explanatory | $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 | Securities Industry & Financial Mkt Assn – Financial Industry | $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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