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Lobbyists wrote Congressional speeches for health care ... - 11/14/2009 3:22:39 PM   
Musicmystery


Posts: 30259
Joined: 3/14/2005
Status: offline 		"WASHINGTON — In the official record of the historic House debate on overhauling health care, the speeches of many lawmakers echo with similarities. Often, that was no accident.

"Statements by more than a dozen lawmakers were ghostwritten, in whole or in part, by Washington lobbyists working for Genentech, one of the world’s largest biotechnology companies.

"E-mail messages obtained by The New York Times show that the lobbyists drafted one statement for Democrats and another for Republicans.

"The lobbyists, employed by Genentech and by two Washington law firms, were remarkably successful in getting the statements printed in the Congressional Record under the names of different members of Congress.

"Genentech, a subsidiary of the Swiss drug giant Roche, estimates that 42 House members picked up some of its talking points — 22 Republicans and 20 Democrats, an unusual bipartisan coup for lobbyists."

Link to complete story:
In House Record, Many Spoke With One Voice: Lobbyists’
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RE: Lobbyists wrote Congressional speeches for health c... - 11/14/2009 3:26:59 PM   
dcnovice


Posts: 37282
Joined: 8/2/2006
Status: offline 		Sad thing is, this doesn't really surprise me.

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No matter how cynical you become,
it's never enough to keep up.

JANE WAGNER, THE SEARCH FOR SIGNS OF
INTELLIGENT LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE

(in reply to Musicmystery)
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RE: Lobbyists wrote Congressional speeches for health c... - 11/14/2009 3:41:25 PM   
Lorr47


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Joined: 3/13/2007
Status: offline 		Wendall Potter, the born again health care executive, exposed how they parrot the line.  Wendall played the speeches of all the high ranking republicans and the verbiage was virtually identical to the blurb the health care industry sent out to them.  They did not even have the courtesy to change the language or the vary the sequence.

(in reply to Musicmystery)
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RE: Lobbyists wrote Congressional speeches for health c... - 11/15/2009 11:33:56 AM   
Musicmystery


Posts: 30259
Joined: 3/14/2005
Status: offline 		And yet, many of the populace then parrot the industry's line as well.

It's both scary and ludicrous--as if people think the health care industry should run the government.

(in reply to Lorr47)
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RE: Lobbyists wrote Congressional speeches for health c... - 11/15/2009 12:29:40 PM   
popeye1250


Posts: 18104
Joined: 1/27/2006
From: New Hampshire
Status: offline 		This is why we need to outlaw lobbyists. They can sit at their kitchen tables and write a letter to congressmen and senators just like I and many other Americans do.
All of those congressmen are taking "payola" GRAFT from them! Or, the Republican or Democratic National Committees get a check in the mail after "their" legislation passes!
It's the same way for "foreign aid" and any number of things.
The "special interests" are forming our policies not the American People! Envelopes stuffed with cash, free vacations, gifts etc.
This is *CORRUPTION* plain and simple!

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"But Your Honor, this is not a Jury of my Peers, these people are all decent, honest, law-abiding citizens!"

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RE: Lobbyists wrote Congressional speeches for health c... - 11/15/2009 1:09:51 PM   
Musicmystery


Posts: 30259
Joined: 3/14/2005
Status: offline 		It's amazing to me that people don't realize business will use partisan bickering to their advantage.

You take the circumstances you find, work with them, and sell your agenda to the electorate.

Then convince them it was their idea and that it helps keep the wolf from the door.

(in reply to popeye1250)
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RE: Lobbyists wrote Congressional speeches for health c... - 11/15/2009 1:15:35 PM   
popeye1250


Posts: 18104
Joined: 1/27/2006
From: New Hampshire
Status: offline 		Music, I think a judge ruled a few years back that "money" consituted "free speech" in politics!
WTF was he thinking!?

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"But Your Honor, this is not a Jury of my Peers, these people are all decent, honest, law-abiding citizens!"

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RE: Lobbyists wrote Congressional speeches for health c... - 11/15/2009 1:19:06 PM   
Musicmystery


Posts: 30259
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Status: offline 		Much as I hate it....that's reality.

Advertising, in whatever form, restricted or not, is part of campaigning, and that will always favor the money.

(in reply to popeye1250)
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RE: Lobbyists wrote Congressional speeches for health c... - 11/15/2009 4:06:57 PM   
HardHum


Posts: 27
Joined: 11/13/2009
Status: offline 		I wish I was in Congress. Hookers and graft, baby. I want an aircraft carrier named after me too.

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RE: Lobbyists wrote Congressional speeches for health c... - 11/16/2009 8:41:32 AM   
Musicmystery


Posts: 30259
Joined: 3/14/2005
Status: offline 		Ya know, though, I find this telling.

If it's a partisan issue, posters get all fired up, for pages. Bipartisan? Not useful, so they shrug, when they should be outraged.



< Message edited by Musicmystery -- 11/16/2009 8:42:21 AM >

(in reply to HardHum)
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RE: Lobbyists wrote Congressional speeches for health c... - 11/16/2009 9:02:57 AM   
rulemylife


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Joined: 8/23/2004
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

Ya know, though, I find this telling.

If it's a partisan issue, posters get all fired up, for pages. Bipartisan? Not useful, so they shrug, when they should be outraged.




You are right about that, but the reason is people feel as if they can make a difference by supporting certain issues within their party.

I wholeheartedly agree that lobbying is probably the major problem in our government.

But people don't get fired up because it appears to be a futile issue.

First, you are going to have everyone screaming about First Amendment rights.

Second, in order to curb this, by term limits or whatever other solution you can think of, you are going to have to convince the very people who are benefiting from it to pass the legislation.

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RE: Lobbyists wrote Congressional speeches for health c... - 11/16/2009 9:07:11 AM   
Musicmystery


Posts: 30259
Joined: 3/14/2005
Status: offline 		Seems with all the yelling about health care reform debate, people might be a tad ticked when it's not really a debate.

The futile part is the partisan bickering. All things Dem are bad. All things Rep are bad. All Reps not hard-line Conservatives are bad.

And while they bicker, business proceeds as usual.

(in reply to rulemylife)
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RE: Lobbyists wrote Congressional speeches for health c... - 11/16/2009 9:20:03 AM   
rulemylife


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quote:

ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

Seems with all the yelling about health care reform debate, people might be a tad ticked when it's not really a debate.

The futile part is the partisan bickering. All things Dem are bad. All things Rep are bad. All Reps not hard-line Conservatives are bad.

And while they bicker, business proceeds as usual.


Yeah, I'm ticked, but this has been going on in Washington for a very long time.

And when it tries to be reigned in, as with McCain-Feingold, you then have those same companies and organizations mounting a massive disinformation campaign as they are doing with health care now.

Sorry, I'm having a cynical day today.

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RE: Lobbyists wrote Congressional speeches for health c... - 11/16/2009 6:41:46 PM   
Musicmystery


Posts: 30259
Joined: 3/14/2005
Status: offline 		But so has partisan bickering.

Seems people like the bickering, and don't care so much about the influence.

It's a mystery.

(in reply to rulemylife)
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RE: Lobbyists wrote Congressional speeches for health c... - 11/16/2009 9:32:34 PM   
subfever


Posts: 2895
Joined: 5/22/2004
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

Ya know, though, I find this telling.

If it's a partisan issue, posters get all fired up, for pages. Bipartisan? Not useful, so they shrug, when they should be outraged.





Yes, I've pointed out the futility of the right vs left paradigm several times on these boards. I've come to the conclusion that most people either don't want or expect solutions. They bicker primarily for entertainment value, showmanship, one-upmanship, ego boosting, etc.

A study of this board and others like it clearly demonstrates why it's so easy for those at the top of the food chain to remain on top.

In short... don't expect any real change in the manner of which government and business operates. Collectively, we're not smart enough yet. For the forseeable future, we'll continue to be easily manipulated through our emotions.

< Message edited by subfever -- 11/16/2009 9:33:31 PM >

(in reply to Musicmystery)
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RE: Lobbyists wrote Congressional speeches for health c... - 11/17/2009 12:28:20 AM   
rulemylife


Posts: 14614
Joined: 8/23/2004
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

But so has partisan bickering.

Seems people like the bickering, and don't care so much about the influence.

It's a mystery.


No, I don't agree.

Partisanship may be distasteful to some but it is the primary thing keeping each party somewhat honest.





< Message edited by rulemylife -- 11/17/2009 12:29:53 AM >

(in reply to Musicmystery)
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RE: Lobbyists wrote Congressional speeches for health c... - 11/17/2009 12:37:25 AM   
popeye1250


Posts: 18104
Joined: 1/27/2006
From: New Hampshire
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

But so has partisan bickering.

Seems people like the bickering, and don't care so much about the influence.

It's a mystery.



It is.

_____________________________

"But Your Honor, this is not a Jury of my Peers, these people are all decent, honest, law-abiding citizens!"

(in reply to Musicmystery)
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