Healthcare Reform: Lobbyists Set to Spend Record Amounts for Influence

USAToday ran an article on its web site October 21 reporting that the drug and insurance industries have spent millions of dollar in the last three months in an effort to secure influence over the healthcare reform debate currently raging in Washington.

The story says, "The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America reported nearly $7 million in lobbying expenses from July through September. Overall, the group has spent nearly as much during the first nine months of 2009 as it did during the entire previous year. Individual drug companies also have sharply increased lobbying."

Just this year, the article reports, Pfizer has spent nearly $20 million on lobbying activities. That amount is almost double Pfizer's 2008 lobbying budget over the same period. And this is great: a spokeswoman for Pfizer, Kristen Neese, is quoted by the paper as saying that the millions of dollars in lobbying expenditures are indicative of Pfizer's commitment to "making our voice heard."

Well, if nothing else gets the attention of members of Congress, money certainly does. Our elected officials seem to have no trouble with the idea of being bought off by special interests-and that goes for both parties.

The story continues: "America's Health Insurance Plans, an association of insurance companies now battling with President Obama over the final shape of health care legislation, racked up $6.3 million in lobbying expenses this year - $1 million more than the same period in 2008, according to lobbying reports filed with Congress and data compiled by the non-partisan CQ MoneyLine."

The amount of money being spent on lobbying this year is set to break records, according to the non-profit Center for Responsive Politics. The Center's Dave Levinthal is quoted as saying, "In terms of lobbying, drug and insurance companies have the loudest voice, and they have the deepest pockets. It remains to be seen what the effect of this unprecedented lobbying will have."

Uh, care to take a guess? Money talks, or so the saying goes. Hey, now that I think of it, what happened to the pledge by the Obama administration to cut out the influence of lobbyists? I think that idea ran into reality - and meanwhile, business in Washington continues as it always has.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-10-21-healthlobby_N.htm