Lately, I have been wondering what a regular, average Joe can do to make an serious impact on the Health Care options being poured in cement this week as Ezra Klein so aptly states in his editorial today in the WashPo.
Some surfing around this morning has brought to light the fact that we already know what to do, and as a matter of fact, WHO to do. If we want a Health Care public option, we have to offer to the reluctant or immovable Senators and Representatives a deal they simply cannot refuse.
It seems rather cheap to buy your own representative or senator's position on health care for the chump change we are talking about here. A brief review of the charts below will show us how and why.
Consumerwatchdog.org, of which this diarist is not a member, published these astounding figures on May 9. I think they should be posted on every hospital door, every congressmen's door, every public building, every billboard along every freeway, and every blog and political site in America. Then, maybe, people will wake up to how this debate is being shaped, rather cheaply I might add, considering the gross and net income of the Health Disinsurance insustry and the Drugged Insustry in the past 10 years.
Here we go:
Top 10 Senate Recipients of Top 10 House Recipients of
Health Insurer Money Health Insurer Money
Senator Amount Representative Amount
McCain, John (R-AZ) $251,834 Cantor, Eric (R-VA) $113,850
McConnell, Mitch (R-KY)$200,200 Camp, Dave (R-MI) $112,923
Baucus, Max (D-MT) $183,750 Pomeroy, Earl (D-ND) $104,500
Lieberman, Joe (I-CT) $101,400 Boehner, John (R-OH) $101,200
Chambliss, Saxby (R-GA) $98,600 Deal, Nathan (R-GA) $100,000
Collins, Susan (R-ME) $96,500 Towns, Edolphus (D-NY) $87,750
Kyl, Jon (R-AZ) $90,450 Rogers, Mike (R-AL) $74,000
Warner, Mark (D-VA) $89,700 Blunt, Roy (R-MO) $72,800
Hatch, Orrin (R-UT) $85,903 Ryan, Paul (R-WI) $69,000
Nelson, Ben (D-NE) $83,300 Tanner, John (D-TN) $68,500
Top 10 Senate Recipients of Top 10 House Recipients of
Drug Co. Money Drug Co. Money
Senator Amount Representative Amount
McCain, John (R-AZ) $294,603 Barton, Joe(R-TX) $187,100
Baucus, Max (D-MT) $229,020 Dingell, John(D-MI) $180,300
McConnell, Mitch (R-KY) $225,200 Boehner, John(R-OH) $156,125
Lieberman, Joe (I-CT) $196,540 Frelinghuysen, Rod(D-NJ)$152,850
Hatch, Orrin (R-UT) $186,900 Clyburn, James(D-SC) $145,514
Spectre, Arlen (R-PA) $179,650 Buyer, Steve (R-IN) $141,350
Mendez, Robert (D-NJ) $147,243 Cantor, Eric (R-VA) $135,600
Enzi, Mike (R-WY) $134,500 Rogers, Mike (R-AL) $133,946
Kyl, Jon (R-AZ) $118,350 Blunt, Roy (R-MO) $133,500
Cornyn, John (R-TX) $115,900 Gerlach, Jim (R-PA) $131,660
It appears the deal they simply cannot refuse is, well, money. We can fix that. We can guarantee that they will receive contributions equal to or more matching the contributions from their ever so cheap industry lobbyists.
But probably better, we can guarantee that these fine examples of Representation are defeated no matter HOW much payola they get from their pocket buddies in the next election, starting now. If these illustrious few refuse to hand back the contributions they have now recieved this year, or if they refuse to go along with 68% of the American People's desire for a public option, then life will be much more difficult for them in the near future, politically speaking.
Its still a democracy, for now, and I suggest we start the letter writing and the nailing of the thesis on doors everywhere. There is no other information we really need.
The full spreadsheet of contributions can be found on the Consumerwatchdog.org site.
Have a nice day!