Gang of Sickos: Six US Senators Sell Out Constituents for $11 Million from Health Industry

[Joanne98]

A bipartisan group of six "moderate" US senators, dubbed the "Gang of Six" by news agencies, issued a demand July 17 for a slowdown on Democratic health care reform. These senators - including three conservative Democrats, one conservative Independent who caucuses with Democrats, and two moderate Republicans - asked for a slowdown on health care reform not because their constituents wished it so: recent polls show that a clear majority of Americans want health care reform now including a public health care option such as that proposed by President Obama and progressives in Congress. No, these senators asked for a slowdown on health care reform because the for-profit health, insurance, and pharmaceutical industries have bid them to do so in the hope that reform can be stopped, and because these same industries have generously provided them with career campaign contributions totalling more than $11 million.

These six senators - whom I'll call the "Gang of Sickos" in honor of Michael Moore's film on America's health care crisis similarly titled - are Democrats Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, and Ron Wyden of Oregon; Independent Joe Lieberman of Connecticut; and Republicans Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine (Paul Krugman calls them "the six deadly hypocrites"). Their career total and average daily contributions from the health, insurance, and pharmaceutical industries are summarized by Paul Blumenthal at the Huffington Post based on figures from the Center for Responsive Politics (CRP).

Sicko #1: Democrat Ben Nelson of Nebraska, the ringleader of the group, has raised more than $2.2 million in campaign contributions from the health, insurance, and pharmaceutical industries over the course of his career according to Blumenthal, averaging more than $700 per day since taking office in January 2001. Public Campaign Action Fund (PCAF) gives a slightly lower career total of just over $2.0 million for Nelson, and provides extensive detail on his ties to the health, insurance, and pharmaceutical industries. Before entering politics, as PCAF notes, Nelson spent his career as an insurance executive, as an insurance company lawyer and, early in his career, as Nebraska's state insurance regulator. As PCAF also notes, a number of Nelson's former Senate staffers have moved on into lucrative careers as health, insurance, and pharmaceutical industry lobbyists. Comments may be addressed to Senator Nelson via his Senate contact page (Nebraska residents only) or by direct e-mail at: [e-mail] (CRP: Ben Nelson).


Sicko #2: Democrat Mary Landrieu of Louisiana has raised more than $1.6 million in campaign contributions from the health, insurance, and pharmaceutical industries over the course of her career, averaging more than $300 per day since taking office in January 1997. PCAF provides extensive detail on Landrieu's ties to the health, insurance, and pharmaceutical industries. Like Nelson's former staffers, several of Landrieu's have also gone on to work as health, insurance, and pharmaceutical industry lobbyists. Landrieu's opposition to the public option was attacked in a TV ad from MoveOn aired in her home state. Landrieu is also listed as one of the twenty most corrupt members of Congress by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. Comments may be addressed to Senator Landrieu via her Senate contact page (Louisiana residents only) or by direct e-mail at: [e-mail] (CRP: Mary Landrieu).

Sicko #3: Democrat Ron Wyden of Oregon has raised more than $1.4 million in campaign contributions from the health, insurance, and pharmaceutical industries over the course of his career, averaging almost $300 per day since taking office in February 1996. Comments may be addressed to Senator Wyden via his Senate contact page (Oregon residents only) or by direct e-mail at: [e-mail] (CRP: Ron Wyden).

Sicko #4: Independent Joe Lieberman of Connecticut has raised almost $3.6 million in campaign contributions from the health, insurance, and pharmaceutical industries over the course of his career, averaging more than $500 per day since taking office in January 1989. This former Democrat has been the bane of progressives since his signing onto the Bush war program and his opposition to Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election. Comments may be addressed to Senator Lieberman via his Senate contact page (Connecticut residents only) or by direct e-mail at: [e-mail] (CRP: Joe Lieberman).

Sicko #5: Republican Olympia Snowe of Maine has raised more than $1.1 million in campaign contributions from the health, insurance, and pharmaceutical industries over the course of her career, averaging more than $200 per day since taking office in January 1995. Unlike the "Democrats" listed above, Senator Snowe and her junior Republican colleague from Maine, Susan Collins, can perhaps be partially excused for their actions based on the fact that they are Republicans, and are only doing what all Republicans do: Deny the needs of the poor, working, and middle classes in favor of the wealthy, while pretending in Bush-Palin fashion to be the champions of "Real Americans." Nonetheless, comments may be addressed to Senator Snowe via her Senate contact page (Maine residents only) or by direct e-mail at: [e-mail] (CRP: Olympia Snowe).

Sicko #6: Republican Susan Collins of Maine has raised almost $1.6 million in campaign contributions from the health, insurance, and pharmaceutical industries over the course of her career, averaging more than $300 per day since taking office in January 1997. Comments may be addressed to Senator Collins via her Senate contact page (Maine residents only) or by direct e-mail at: [e-mail] (CRP: Susan Collins).

Based on the average daily contributions given here, Paul Blumenthal estimates that in a 70-day delay in health care reform such as that proposed by the "Gang of Six," these six senators stand to gain a further total of more than $170,000 in contributions from the health, insurance, and pharmaceutical industries, or an average of more than $28,000 ($400 per day) for each senator. While they and their families remain fully insured throughout this period, many of their less-fortunate constituents including children will remain uninsured and at risk, some will grow ill and be unable to receive care, and some will die unnecessarily. But that's not your problem, is it, Senator Sicko?

Continued>>>
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Gang-of-Sickos-Six-US-Sen-by-Mark-C-Eades-090719-152.html

[kid a]

1. this is SICK! K&R

[orbitalman]

25. Sick, sick, sick n/t

[yourout]

2. Maybe we can attack this from a different angle....start an online pledge to donate to the Dems on..

the list if they sign on to a plan with a strong public option.

And threaten to never support them if they dont.

[MessiahRp]

It's pathetic (and isn't it illegal?) that we actually have to physically bribe Senators

to do the right thing.

Frankly I'd rather run vicious ads that frame this as these Senators taking shady bribes and choosing CEOs over you. Put in harsh buzz words and make it appear as if they're laughing when children die because they don't have healthcare.

At this point fuck them. Their cronies run similar slanderous ads all the time. This one is actually true.

:split screen shows Joe Lieberman laughing and on other side picture of little girl overlaid on video of a funeral: "As your children die, Joe's laughing all the way to the bank."

Rp

[harmonicon]

51. it's funny 'cause it's true

[defendandprotect]

37. Good idea!!

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

3. Great post! K&R!

[bjobotts]

50. Yes! Thanks for posting...taking the time to include contact info. Thanks!

[dipsydoodle]

4. I'm sure that all of us from time to time

get shit emails from Republican friends. This is a good article to fire back at them in its entirety.

[dgibby]

5. Thanks, Joanne

I sent this to Ed. He's been sticking on the health care issue like white on rice, so I'm sure he'll find this interesting.

[leftstreet]

6. K&R

[Wednesdays]

7. K&R

:kick:

[southern_belle]

8. k & r

[samsingh]

9. they should lose their gold plated health care until ALL

Americans enjoy what they get at taxpayers expense.

[humbled_opinion]

29. That is exactly right.

The people should demand that members of our government be stripped of all health care availability at taxpayer expense. No cushy health care for life benefits. Make them all put up or shut up.

[defendandprotect]

36. I hear there's a website which describes all of their benefits . . .

medical coverage we pay for --

and you're right . . . if we don't have medical care, they shouldn't!!

Haven't had time to look for the website --

[Joanne98]

10. I think they should have their committee chairships taken away from them.

Throw them off and stick them at the bottom of the sub-committees where they can't do any damage.

[wroberts189]

11. +46

[northernlights]

12. Time to DU these 6

Every time I get an email from Snowe and Collins, I give them the same reply:

No triggers. No delays. No Games. Public Option / Single Payer NOW or NO DEAL.

If everybody would email all of them, every day, could we clog up their email?

[geckosfeet]

16. Thanks for the idea. Just fired of six emails with your reply as the subject line and message.

Maybe if they got a few million emails saying the same thing it would sink in.

[Old Codger]

13. I tried

I tried to use that address for Wyden, this was the response


<[e-mail]>:
156.33.195.224 does not like recipient.
Remote host said: 550 5.1.1 <[e-mail]>... User unknown
Giving up on 156.33.195.224.

[valerief]

14. More Christian Mafia. I guess they don't have to be officially Republican to be one of THEM. nt

[Occam Bandage]

15. Psst. Lieberman's a Jew. nt

[valerief]

18. So wasn't Jesus. Jesus Plus Nothing. nt

[AlbertCat]

22. Psst. Lieberman's a Jew. nt

Wrong.

He's a FUNDIE Jew. Fundies are bad news in any religion.

Any situation really. Fundie business. Fundie politics. Fundie sports..... even Fundie progressive.


Logic, skepticism, knowledge, flexibility.... all needed for sound decisions.

[Occam Bandage]

23. Wrong? So orthodox Jews aren't actually Jews?

What a weird thing to say. I mean, "that's not the whole story," maybe, but "wrong?" First we're calling Lieberman a Christian Mafioso, and now we're saying that the claim that he's actually a Jew is wrong?

[lexanman]

31. I dont think him being a Jew has anything to do with it

He's simply a dick

[sellitman]

58. Thank you!

Why Religion has to enter this conversation about healthcare and my horrific Senator I'll never know?

[kenfrequed]

72. It isn't about his religion.

Lieberman really isn't that religious anyhow, though he has cozied with the religious right quite a bit to try to sow the fruits of the whole 'pro-israel-christian fundamentalsit' groupies. A really sad tactic as the Fundamentalist Christains merely see Jewish people as players in their little end-times drama production who are wiped out in the second act.

Lieberman was good at playing that angle and really good at being a seriously conservative democrat that was a victim of having been elected in 1988 during the whole Stolkholm Syndrome-Reagan Democrats period.

Really with the Repub-nik revolution over and failed the whole 'run to the right to chase the middle' tactic seems idiotic and therefore the Raison D'etre of the DLC seems to have disappeared. This (and being a Bush democrat) is why Lieberman had a succesful conventiona nd primary battle waged agaisnt him and there but the grace of Fox news Lieberman would be giving speeches for money, sitting on a board of directors, and writing a book about how Zell Miller was right, rather than gracing the august body of the senate.

[geckosfeet]

75. Lierman and Wydens were retuned. Seems the others got through.

[LaPera]

17. These 6 slimy fucks health insurance paid for by the government (our taxes) should be tossed off!

[dflprincess]

30. This 6 are only the most obviously corrupt

any member of Congress that supports any kind of a plan that protects the insurance companies is just as corrupt. And sadly, that is what most of them appear to want.

[ThoughtCriminal]

19. 70 day delay = Over 4,200 uneccesary deaths

The Urban Institute has estimated that 22,000 people die each year because they lack coverage. The uninsured live sicker and die younger than people with coverage.
http://www.usnews.com/articles/opinion/2009/01/27/federal-action-required-on-healthcare.html

That's over 60 Americans dying every day that real reform is delayed.

[inna]

20. could not recommend this enough.

what SICKOS, indeed!!

everybody should know their names.

:grr:


:mad:

[Jakes Progress]

21. What's not for sale?

And of course our airwaves have already been sold because we won't see this story anywhere.

[annabanana]

24. They would all let you die to enhance someone's bottom line.

Make no mistake about it. They consider the insurance & pharmaceutical industries to be their primary constituents. What you as a citizen of your state needs or wants is entirely immaterial.

[Better Believe It]

26. Universal healthcare with a strong public option can be passed by the Senate without these 6 a-holes

We need 50 votes plus a tie breaker by Vice-President Biden.

[maryf]

62. You mean...

the bill that would have folks mandated to buy insurance when they can't afford any payments? and be fined if they don't?? HR676 or Sander's bill are the only two bills worth considering... The only Public option is a pure Public health care system, with no profit based on people's health or lack of it!! http://www.healthcare-now.org

[fascisthunter]

27. DLC=the anchor holding the Democratic Party to the Right

all ya need is a few to spoil a majority.

[crim son]

28. Great. Our two Maine Senators,

making the wrong choices as usual.

[inna]

49. they're still the least awful republican senators out of the whole bunch....

... unless i'm missing something.

[crim son]

73. They do have a reputation for being moderate, certainly.

They really have very little choice. Maine is a poor, aging state and it would go against their own best interests to wholly adopt the inhuman "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps even if you don't have legs" rethug mentality, so they find themselves doing the right thing on occasion. I suppose I should consider myself lucky to have them. ?

[windbreeze]

32. WHY am I NOT surprised at any of those names?? n/t

[David Zephyr]

33. Enthusiastic K&R and thanks for posting this story.

Joanne98. Thanks!

[Egnever]

34. I am sooo sick of Joe Lieberman

How many times have you stabbed us in the back now Joe?

[Enthusiast]

47. No, no longer.

Joe stabs us in the front. No one is fool enough to turn their back on Joe Lieberman.

[defendandprotect]

35. I think anytime we're calling these "contributions" instead of BRIBES ....

we're doing these elected criminals a large favor --!!!

What happened to Wyden - he used to be a rather straight arrow, wasn't he?

We need a better solution to all of this than electing PRE-BRIBED candidates!!!

[defendandprotect]

38. We also have to end this corporate cancer on our government -- !!!

[City Lights]

39. K&R

:mad: :grr: :argh: :nuke:

[tomm2thumbs]

40. a plague on their houses!!!

[rivertext]

41. Oregonian, we don't deserve to have a senator in this list! Fight back!

I posted a thread about this earlier. Wyden ran as a progressive. He has betrayed us. I posted a thread about this earlier in the Activist HQ Forum

WYDEN, OR up for reelection in 2010 against Healthcare - ask DeFazio to run

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=106

How do we get a heavyweight democratic challenger like Congressman Peter DeFazio to run against Wyden in the primary?

emai DeFazio
http://www.house.gov/formdefazio/contact.html

[cascadiance]

64. Now some had asked if DeFazio should run for governor, and I said I'd prefer someone else...

... because I wanted him in congress where he could make a bigger difference for us.

But dammit, you're right. DeFazio to replace Wyden in the Senate would be someone I could get behind!

Maybe we should talk Wyden into running for Governor instead, kind of like I'd hoped Feinstein were to run for governor at some point when I lived in California where she could do less damage.

[midnight]

42. Maybe this six should not accept health care for themselves

and their families.

[Divine Discontent]

43. signed in just to KICK& REC & SAY if you visibly see any of these people tell them they've received

BLOOD MONEY in the hundreds of thousands or millions, depending on who you're talking to, and say every day little kids, old folks, working men & women DIE needlessly while they enjoy their gov't paid health care we pay for!!!!!!!!!!


Landrieu disappoints greatly on this one.... the others, not so shocking...




SHAME ON MARY LANDRIEU.................

SHAME ON MARY LANDRIEU.................

SHAME ON MARY LANDRIEU.................

SHAME ON MARY LANDRIEU.................

SHAME ON MARY LANDRIEU.................

SHAME ON MARY LANDRIEU.................

[inna]

48. why (single out Landrieu)? she's been consistently awful!

just curious, did i miss something about her that makes her current behavior out of character? :shrug:

[farmboxer]

44. They have Universal health care paid for by "We The People"

yet they claim that we do not deserve health care. We are paying for those criminal's health care!@

[democracy1st]

45. K & R

[countmyvote4real]

46. Vote them auf whenever it comes to it.

There is no redemption for these leeches. They hold an office only to serve their biggest contributors and thus stay in office. They do not serve their constituencies. They only preserve themselves by serving their financial masters.

Please note, I only respect their removal from office via democratically elected procedures. They will still be free to pursue a lucrative lobbyist career.

[liberal N proud]

52. TV ADs should be exposing these profiteers

[leveymg]

53. What happened to Ron Wyden? I used to think he was one of the white hats.

This can't just be for Pharma and insurance industry campaign money. If we don't get a national health Bill, he's going to get primaried.

[BREMPRO]

54. Here's a copy of the email i just sent to my Senators Snowe and Collins:

I am a Maine resident and would like to express my support for the health care initiatives put forth by the Obama Administration.

I have recently heard that you are asking to delay the progress of health care reform and that your ties to the industry are influencing your actions. Please reconsider for the sake of your constituents. All my friends here in Maine support the president's general plan. A recent rally in support of the president's plan for a public option brought out over 500 supporters, compared with opponents who could muster only a few dozen. I believe that reflects the general sentiment in the state. We need to take action now. The current system is broken, and fixing it with things like a public insurance option and the other measures will not only help average Americans by lowering costs, but take the burden off business in this recessesion that is discouraged from hiring workers because of the high cost of health care.

I believe we should have a system that covers all Americans, and lowers costs by a combination of a competitive public insurance option (making real competition for the insurance industry that has a monopoly and 30% administrative and profit overhead), and an examination of best practices. Studies have shown higher cost does not lead to better outcomes. We should also focus on preventive measures, better access can reduce costs by catching disease before it has progressed. With all Americans covered, there would be less use of the more expensive emergency room services as the first option for the uninsured. Even ending the corn subsidies, so high fructose corn syrup (linked to diabetes and obesity) so it is not used in our food supply. I think end of life care should be looked at too, giving individuals and families the option to end life prolonging care if the quality of life expectation is too low and burden on the family is too high.

We currently have a for profit system that makes no financial sense for Americans, only the industry that profits from it. I look at health care as a basic public service, like education, police, fire. They should not be for-profit and a basic right of citizenship. As I’m sure you are aware, we spend twice as much as most modern industrialized nations, and have in general worse outcomes (ranked 37th in the world). We can and should do better, and should act now. Please read this opinion article by a former Canadian citizen who now lives in the states:

Debunking the myths of the Canadian Health Care system: http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_12523427

Thank you for your consideration.

[rateyes]

55. Great letter, but unless you really don't care,

I would hide your name and place of residence on a very trolled upon site like DU. :hi:

[BREMPRO]

57. good idea!

[BREMPRO]

56. Collins mailbox FULL. Maine residents can sent a message through her website:

http://collins.senate.gov/public/continue.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorCollins.EmailIssue



Reply from Senator Collins email:

Delivery has failed to these recipients or distribution lists:

[e-mail]
The recipient's mailbox is full and can't accept messages now. Microsoft Exchange will not try to redeliver this message for you. Please try resending this message later, or contact the recipient directly.

[Christa]

59. K & R nt

[sellitman]

60. My letter to Lieberman

Dear Senator Lieberman,

From someone who has taken $3.6 million in campaign contributions from the health, insurance, and pharmaceutical industries over the course of your career, averaging more than $500 per day since taking office in January 1989 I find your calls for a slowdown on health care reform horrific.

Recent polls show that a clear majority of Americans want health care reform now including a public health care option such as that proposed by President Obama and the Progressives in Congress. I suggest if you do not want to work for the people who put you into office, but instead work for the Health, Insurance, and pharmaceutical industries, then you quit your job and do so privately.

(Name & Address)

[BREMPRO]

63. My Letter to him:

"Dear" Se-NOT-or Lie-bore-man
F*CK YOU!
Sincerely,
The Citizens of the United States.


that covers it.

[peacetalksforall]

61. To take money in exchange for the people's loss of health and the

worry, apprehension, and depression it causes is an act or traitorous terroism.

I am not surprised at all at Nelson, Landrieau, Leiberman. They are miserable humans.

I am surprised at Widen, Collins, Snowe.

There character can't be explained or forgototen. Which is the way I thought about Nelson and Landrieu and Leiberman for a long time.

[rasputin1952]

65. I worked hard for Ben Nelson to get re-elected, in all honesty, I knew

he was somewhat beholding to the insurance industry, but not to the extent that has been shown. Not long ago, I sent an e-mail to him about how I felt about his stance on health care reform, it was not a "pleasant" e-mail, it was sharp and to the point. People are dying of curable diseases while he is dancing around this issue in an attempt to keep insurance company profits at all time highs.

Nelson has done some pretty good things for NE, but his standing on health care reform is not one of them. He told us he would not run for a 3rd term, so why would he be so eager to accept more funds from the insurance industry? Something stinks here.

I urge any Nebraskans reading to send Nelson an e-mail or write/call his office. I'm going to call his office again this morning and relay my feelings about his stance on this exceptionally important issue. I can tell you, he does read these things, he needs to know that more people are for health care reform than against it. As it stands, the anti-reform people are making the noise, and that's who he's listening to...he needs to hear from the rest of us.

[harun]

66. Kucinich should introduce a bill in the House to take away the

government provided Health Care of these six. They should enjoy having more options in the free market anyway.

[freebrew]

67. Don't forget our friend..

John Kerry, the email I received listed him a receiving the most insurance company dollars of all. He has also attempted to hold up legislation for the people.

What's up with that???

[WatchWhatISay]

68. I think we should add Max Baucus to the list

The fact that he heads the senate committee makes me think that the public option is doomed from the start.

[mnhtnbb]

69. This gang of Sickos is just symptomatic of a larger problem--money has become a cancer

eating up the body of democracy in this country.

[pattmarty]

70. I know you're talking healthcare reform here, but the real....................

...................problem is campaign financing. AND, who would be the people to pass campaign finance reform? These six plus the rest of the Congress and Senate. We're fucked in this country, as there is only a SMALL handful of Congress people and Senators that are on the side of the "people", and most here know who they are. Change we can believe in, ha ha ha!!!!

[lumberjack_jeff]

71. Which one of these is not like the others?

Ron Wyden has offered an amendment which would compel employers to give vouchers to people who want out of their group insurance so they could purchase coverage (including the public option) from the insurance pool.

Wyden's motivation does not appear to be killing the bill, but to make it available to more people than the current bill does.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

74. There may be more in the Gang of Sickos

http://vote.wewantthepublicoption.com/p-dfa-fe2

Including some (at least one) that I thought was maybe left-ish.

:hi:

[JohnWxy]

76. important post. Tried to recommend but was too late.