LOBBYING - Capital Rivals: U.S. Chamber of Commerce vs. SEIU

[Rita]

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Seems like the amount of money spent on lobbying and political campaigns could put a bit of a dent in our country's debt. ..:angry:

http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2010/12/capital-rivals-us-chamber-vs-seiu.html

After recent high-profile clashes on issues such as health care reform and the Employee Free Choice Act (popularly known as the card check bill, which would alter union organizing rules), it comes as little surprise that both sides recently spent unprecedented amounts of money on political lobbying and campaign donations.

Add to this the new category of unlimited independent expenditures by corporations, unions and advocacy groups -- which was authorized by the Supreme Court's Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling in January -- and the millions in outside spending by both behemoths piled up quickly.

Top Lobbying industries 2011:

Pharmaceuticals/Health Products
$63,582,689
Electric Utilities
$40,093,405
Insurance
$40,056,461
Oil & Gas
$39,562,199
TV/Movies/Music
$33,851,696
Misc Manufacturing & Distributing
$32,268,025
Computers/Internet
$30,099,454
Business Associations
$25,434,732
Securities & Investment
$25,090,306
Hospitals/Nursing Homes
$23,213,773
Education
$22,601,029
Air Transport
$20,513,262
Civil Servants/Public Officials
$19,835,133
Health Services/HMOs
$18,643,248
Health Professionals
$17,675,194
Defense Aerospace
$16,834,651
Automotive
$15,606,369
Commercial Banks
$15,266,914
Telephone Utilities
$15,004,257
Misc Issues
$14,656,346
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Top lobbying spenders 2011:

US Chamber of Commerce
$17,050,000
General Electric
$9,080,000
AT&T Inc
$6,840,000
ConocoPhillips
$6,228,663
United Technologies
$5,980,000
Comcast Corp
$5,710,000
Blue Cross/Blue Shield
$5,651,077
AARP
$5,000,000
Verizon Communications
$4,755,000
National Cable & Telecommunications Assn
$4,570,000
Pharmaceutical Rsrch & Mfrs of America
$4,570,000
American Hospital Assn
$4,520,266
American Medical Assn
$4,370,000
Boeing Co
$4,050,000
Southern Co
$4,030,000
Royal Dutch Shell
$3,930,000
FedEx Corp
$3,897,398
Pfizer Inc
$3,840,000
National Assn of Broadcasters
$3,790,000
Edison Electric Institute
$3,700,000


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[scooterbug44]

Which is why I came up with my plan to balance the budget with a 10% (national level), 7.5% (state level ), and 5% (local level) tax on every political campaign contribution, including PACs.

No new taxes on any individual citizen or anyone's income, just on politricks as usual.

As your list shows, it would add up fast and I think everyone would be willing to vote for it ............ if it made it to a ballot.

 

[futurebeachbum]

Which is why I came up with my plan to balance the budget with a 10% (national level), 7.5% (state level ), and 5% (local level) tax on every political campaign contribution, including PACs.

No new taxes on any individual citizen or anyone's income, just on politricks as usual.

As your list shows, it would add up fast and I think everyone would be willing to vote for it ............ if it made it to a ballot.

I expect such a move might be the one thing that all lobbying organizations would lobby against.

It would be interesting to see how much money the lobbying forces would be willing to invest to kill that idea.

I have a hard time picturing our esteemed Senators and Congressfolk resisting the siren sound of that much cash simply because it was a really good idea or the right thing to do.

 

[30ashopper]

Sounds like spending from both sides of the political isle is about even overall. So while they might be buying politicians, neither side is buying control.

Also I take heart in noting this money percolates down into the economy. It's probably not spent in the most incisive way but it does get spent. Major sources are big businesses and big union groups with a receiving end spread out pretty broadly across the country.

 

[scooterbug44]

It isn't that they are buying one political party control, it is that they are dictating our laws, actions, and the overall course our country is taking.

Do you really think big pharmaceutical is shelling our 63 million so that the government will trim health care spending?

 

[30ashopper]

It isn't that they are buying one political party control, it is that they are dictating our laws, actions, and the overall course our country is taking.

Do you really think big pharmaceutical is shelling our 63 million so that the government will trim health care spending?

It sounds like you are blaming the pharmaceutical industry. I blame the politicians who are on the take.

 

[scooterbug44]

I blame 'em all - the whores, the madams, the johns, and the cops on the take who look the other way.

If it was truly the best course for our country, they wouldn't need to spend so much to lobby.

 

[Rita]

It isn't that they are buying one political party control, it is that they are dictating our laws, actions, and the overall course our country is taking.

Do you really think big pharmaceutical is shelling our 63 million so that the government will trim health care spending?

Here is an in-the-face example.

Gov Kasich wooing the Tea Party in Ohio... America for sale! The Koch Bros could only hide behind their astroturf groups for so long. They have frantically been trying to scrub the internet of this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5tcodKD7KU&feature=player_embedded

"...in all of these efforts the strong support of Americans for Prosperity has made a really big difference. ...it's so important that Ohio's fighters for freedom, the grassroots leaders of Americans for Prosperity, continue to lend their support to the effort to get Ohio back on track."

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