Members of debt panel have ties to lobbyists

[alp227]

Source: The Washington Post

Like many federal contractors, General Electric has a lot riding on the work of a new congressional “supercommittee,” which will help decide whether to impose massive cuts in defense and health-care spending.

But the Connecticut-based conglomerate also has a potential advantage: A number of its lobbyists used to work for members of the committee, and will be able to lobby their former employers to limit the impact of any reductions in the weeks ahead.

GE is hardly alone: Nearly 100 registered lobbyists used to work for members of the supercommittee, now representing defense companies, health-care conglomerates, Wall Street banks and others with a vested interest in the panel’s outcome, according to a Washington Post analysis of disclosure data. Three Democrats and three Republicans on the panel also employ former industry lobbyists on their staffs.

The preponderance of lobbyists adds to the political controversy surrounding the supercommittee, which will begin its work in earnest this week as Congress returns to Washington. The panel has already come under fire from watchdog groups for planning its activities in secret and allowing members to continue fundraising while they negotiate a budget deal.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/many-members-of-debt-supercommittee-have-ties-to-lobbyists/2011/08/23/gIQANiLr4J_singlePage.html

[left on green only]

1. It's The American Way

But we don't need to worry because every one of those mo' fo's who were appointed to the supercommittee are the pillars of honesty in the foundation of our national government.:sarcasm:

[Larry Ogg]

18. In a dumb-downed culture where psychopath con-artist, financial arsonist, and corporate predators

are regarded as humanities best and brightest...
It stands to reason that these are the type of
white collar criminals you would want to clean
up the mess caused by their own pathological greed.

[hay rick]

2. PhRMA.

Last 4 paragraphs:

One of Washington’s most influential lobbying groups, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, employs lobbyists who previously worked for Murray, Baucus, Kerry and Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.). One top aide to Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) also used to represent PhRMA as a health-care industry lobbyist.

The drugmaker group says it will lobby against a Democratic proposal to require rebates for prescription drugs provided to low-income seniors through Medicare, a move estimated to save $112 billion over 10 years while also reducing costs to patients.

But PhRMA says the idea amounts to price-fixing and would hurt the Medicare prescription drug benefit, a program approved during the George W. Bush administration.

“It will certainly be a priority to educate policymakers about that issue as we get into the fall,” PhRMA spokesman Matt Bennett said. “We think policymakers need to understand how valuable the program is.”

"Educating" policymakers? Sounds like a little quid pro quo.

[No Elephants]

3. Guess whose interests the Super Committee is very unlikely to represent.

I forgot to send a lobbyist to make sure the Super Committee represents and preserves my interests. Did you remember to send yours? No? Well, then I guess the Super Committee will not be representing and preserving your interests or mine.

Yes, I know that's what our Representatives and Senators were supposed to do, especially since you and I are paying for that whole dog and pony show in D.C., from their salaries, fringe benefits and "fact-finding trips" to the maintenance staff that cleans the building. But, I also know that has become a quaint myth.

BTW, how many of the Super Commissioners did you elect? How many will you be able to vote out of office? So much for representative government.

As if big business even needs lobbyists to influence the DLC-New Democrat-Third Way brainchild commission.

Is it soup yet?

[ShockediSay]

5. +

[Nihil]

11. No need to "influence" it ...

> As if big business even needs lobbyists to influence the
> DLC-New Democrat-Third Way brainchild commission.

... this is simply a way to reward it ...

:shrug:

> Did you remember to send yours? No? Well, then I guess the Super Committee
> will not be representing and preserving your interests or mine.

I wonder how long it will take the general public to recognise this?

[SoapBox]

4. Rotten to the core...

...this country is a mess.

[ShockediSay]

6. And we talked long and loud about corruption in Iraq, Afghanistan & Pakistan n/t

[msongs]

7. how much legislation is written by lobbyists with no input from congresspersons? most? nt

[defendandprotect]

8. Surprise .... !!! ????

[Golden Raisin]

9. No surprise.

The so-called "Super Committee" is emblematic of the utter dysfunction, corruption, detatchment from the will of the electorate and failure of Constitutional democracy within the Beltway. It was a dark day for the USA when the "Super Committee" was born.

[citizen blues]

10. DUH!!!

If you're surprised by this one, then you haven't been paying attention. Let's face it, if you're surprised by this one, then you haven't even halfway been paying attention!

The one thing we have is numbers. It's going to take a lot of us at the grass roots level. It's going to be a long, hard fight. But it'll be worth it when we amend the constitution so our government works for "We the People" again.

"Corporations are not people, money is not free speech."
movetoamend.org

[durablend]

12. SHOCKING I TELL YOU!

NEVER-COULD-HAVE-PREDICTED!

[Javaman]

13. They wouldn't have been appointed to the panel if they didn't have lobbyist ties...

it's a prerequisite in our gamed political system.

this insures that the game is fixed before the rules are laid out.

nothing is fair, nothing is out in the open and all things that actually help the people are on the table for cutting.

our government: the best one money can buy. well, we know a dollar doesn't go far anymore.

[harun]

16. +1

[Hubert Flottz]

14. What politician in washington doesn't?

We're screwn for generations to come, if we can't find a better way and soon.

[harun]

15. Corruption is taking the U.S. down.

[CanonRay]

17. I'm shocked, shocked I tell you

the fix is in and we're fucked.