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Panicked Healthcare Lobbyists Descend On Massachusetts To Save The 60th Democratic Vote For Reform
The Business Insider ^ | January 9, 2010 | Joe Weisenthal

Posted on 01/09/2010 9:08:52 PM PST by MikeNJ

We've been following the special election in Massachusetts, where the GOP hopes to pull a surprise upset in the race to fill Ted Kennedy's seat.

If they do pull it off, healthcare reform is instantly in trouble, as the Democrats drop below 60.

But money is coming to the rescue of Democrat Martha Coakley -- healthcare industry lobbyist money, specifically.

Tim Carney identifies several of her top fundraisers. Take a look at who they represent:

* Thomas Boggs, Patton Boggs: Bristol-Myers Squibb * Chuck Brain, Capitol Hill Strategies: Amgen, BIO, Merck, PhRMA * Susan Brophy, Glover Park Group: Blue Cross, Pfizer * Steven Champlin, Duberstein Group: AHIP, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis * Licy Do Canto, Raben Group: Amgen * Gerald Cassidy, Cassidy & Associates: U. Mass Memorial Health Care * David Castagnetti, Mehlman, Vogel, Castagnetti: Abbot Labs, AHIP, Astra-Zenaca, General Electric, Humana, Merck, PhRMA. * Steven Elmendorf, Elmendorf Strategies: Medicines Company, PhRMA, United Health * Shannon Finley, Capitol Counsel: Amgen, Astra-Zeneca, Blue Cross, GE, PhRMA, Sanofi-Aventis. * Heather Podesta, Heather Podesta & Partners: Cigna, Eli Lilly, HealthSouth * Tony Podesta, Podesta Group: Amgen, GE, Merck, Novartis. * Robert Raben, Raben Group: Amgen, GE.

(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Massachusetts
KEYWORDS: 2010; bhohealthcare; brown; coakley; elections; fearfuldems; lobbyists; ma2010; phrma; podesta; scottbrown
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Can the symbiotic relationship of Big Business (in this case the pharmaceutical and insurance industries) and the party of Big Government, corporate welfare, and crony capitalism be any more clear?
1 posted on 01/09/2010 9:08:54 PM PST by MikeNJ
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To: MikeNJ

Jeez, what a fiasco.

Maybe we need to have some “lobbyists” of our own show up, say at “Sheets” Byrds house. It could be called “insurance”, if you get my drift.


2 posted on 01/09/2010 9:11:43 PM PST by bigbob
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To: MikeNJ
Big Business isn't necessarily conservative. Lots of people have big money riding on the fate of Obamacare.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find only things evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelogus

3 posted on 01/09/2010 9:11:55 PM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: MikeNJ

If nothing else, it’s great to see the commie ‘RATS coming out from under their rocks in FULL PANIC mode. These bass turds know that if commiecare isn’t passed, they will all be in “the poorhouse” with the rest of us.


4 posted on 01/09/2010 9:16:00 PM PST by FlingWingFlyer (Remember in November! Throw all of the bums out!)
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To: MikeNJ
What is the Massachusetts opinion of Romneycare? Is there a potential for blow-back against Coakley?
5 posted on 01/09/2010 9:19:18 PM PST by gov_bean_ counter (Sarah Palin - For such a time as this)
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To: gov_bean_ counter

I’m getting images of Al Franken in my head...DEMS will cheat!


6 posted on 01/09/2010 9:27:23 PM PST by Blue Turtle
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To: MikeNJ

The Kos kids must be going ballistic at this news. Big business is obviously the main beneficiaries of this bill.


7 posted on 01/09/2010 9:30:50 PM PST by ilgipper
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To: MikeNJ

After all the years Republicans spent defending drug company profits against Dim threats, those same companies sold them out and abandoned them without so much as a thank you. It’s well past time for conservatives and Republicans to learn that business is opportunistic and strictly out for its bottom line. They are not conservatives and never have been.

But will some Republicans still do the Chamber of Commerce’s and business in general’s bidding and work for amnesty and cheap labor for business, and a near certain end to GOP majorities if amnesty passes? Some probably will.


8 posted on 01/09/2010 9:42:33 PM PST by Will88
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To: ilgipper

One wishes that they would finally start to see the reality of corporatism and crony capitalism that underpins the liberal powerstructure.


9 posted on 01/09/2010 9:56:51 PM PST by Oceander
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To: ilgipper

Big Business thrives under Big Government, which stifles competition. They can afford the expense of compliance with all the regulations and requirements, and they can afford the big-time lobbyists and the payoffs (legal bribes) to politicians called campaign contributions. They just pass the added expense on to the buyers of their products and services. The exorbitant prices of drugs and health insurance are an example. The ones who are hurt the most are the small and medium businesses who can’t afford to do the same. Big Government progressives/liberals/socialists may hate capitalism, but they love money and power even more. Big Business is happy to indulge them in return for special deals, more profits, and less competition.


10 posted on 01/09/2010 9:57:16 PM PST by MikeNJ
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To: MikeNJ

More of the Cash for Cloture Program...the homestyle version?


11 posted on 01/09/2010 10:07:00 PM PST by R0CK3T
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To: goldstategop

Yes, we are seeing more and more on both sides of the fence that do.

I bet if we went through Congress and this administration; we would see a lot of people investing.

May they take the tumble of their life. After all, that’s what they want for us.


12 posted on 01/09/2010 10:15:53 PM PST by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote; then find me a real conservative to vote for)
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To: goldstategop

It’s a land of corporate welfare.


13 posted on 01/09/2010 10:43:30 PM PST by GVnana ("Obama is incredibly naive and grossly egotistical." Sarkozy)
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To: bigbob

Surely you’re not suggesting what I think you’re suggesting — are you? I hope not. Perhaps you meant to use a /sarc tag.


14 posted on 01/09/2010 10:57:36 PM PST by Purrcival (Proud to share my birthday with President Reagan)
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To: goldstategop
Big Business isn't necessarily conservative. Lots of people have big money riding on the fate of Obamacare.

Often called the Left-Wing Billionaire Collectivist Pigs whose members include Ted Turner, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, George Soros, Maurice Strong and the Rockefellers.

15 posted on 01/09/2010 11:12:59 PM PST by Knitebane (Happily Microsoft free since 1999.)
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To: MikeNJ

Big Business is FAR more in the pockets of the Dems than the GOP.

The Democrats say they are the party of the common man, in reality they are the party of the rich fatcats.

Just look at who their talking heads are, and every one of em is a multi-millionaire, or a multi-billion dollar big business.

Or a retired politician now working for a lobbying firm in the industry that they once “regulated” in congress. Golly, wonder why the industries hired them after their “service”? Quid Pro Quo.... you betcha.


16 posted on 01/09/2010 11:47:39 PM PST by Danae (Don't think the Constitution matters? Try living in a country without one.)
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To: MikeNJ

GE is mentioned 4 times, The Podesta Soros hitsquad is mentioned 4 times. SEIU is hiding behind United Healthcare.

Someone is inventing support to pretend drug companies are backing Obamacare.


17 posted on 01/10/2010 12:26:22 AM PST by Zathras
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To: goldstategop
Big Business isn't necessarily conservative. Lots of people have big money riding on the fate of Obamacare.

About 15 yrs ago I got to meet shall I say a distant relative. Brilliant always trying to make business deals in the Medical/Technical area. Screaming Liberal yet brilliant.

They think differently.

Gov't is just another client and how they can game the system and make 7 to 8%. They don't make the connection that all this spending destroys the dollar and will make their grandkids slaves to these constructs they help create. One potential contract this person had on the line with uncle sugar had them gitty. One of the principles going for the contract was an American Indian Women in a wheel chair, the ultimate EEOC foot in the door. This is how they think....

18 posted on 01/10/2010 4:36:07 AM PST by taildragger (Palin/Mulally 2012)
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To: MikeNJ

19 posted on 01/10/2010 5:42:22 AM PST by Earthdweller (Harvard won the election again...so what's the problem.......?)
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To: MikeNJ

Brown should run a campaign commercial using this information.


20 posted on 01/10/2010 8:53:38 AM PST by KansasGirl
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