Lobbyists Won Key Concessions In Budget Deal

The New York Times:

At a quarter till midnight last Friday, with a deal to avert a government shutdown barely an hour old, Senator Harry Reid phoned a fellow Democratic senator, Ron Wyden, at home and startled him with some bad news. "You lost free-choice vouchers," Mr. Wyden recalls Mr. Reid telling him.

Read the whole story: The New York Times

Comments

[Sisa]

07:14 AM on 04/14/2011

In state after state where republicans are in the majority and control the governorship the agenda is the same.... The super wealthy have bought them out through campaign contributions as muscle against the middle class in their agenda to make themselves lords over the christian industrialized serfdom which they have envisioned.  The 10%  of the people who control 60%+ of the wealth in this nation are laughing all the way to the bank.  They are amused at how easily through their use of the media ( which they own ) they have injected thier fear based agenda pushing lies upon the very people they are put to destroy... They have successfully found a scapegoat in the form of Unions; more specifically public unions, and have spared no effort to discredit and vilify them to turn the have less's against the have a little more's.  They applaud the fact that working class republicans have forgotten that without the unions none of the working advantages they enjoy would be possible.... From 8 hour days to 40 hour work weeks, from unemployment to workmens compensation, from overtime pay, holidays , paid vacation, sick leave, 401K's, occupational safety and health thru freedom from violence, sexual harassment, and discrimination and health care.... They have forgotten..... Somehow they have been been hypnotized into believing that we will all be provided for through the benevolence of the job creating super rich.     

[kamact]

12:22 AM on 04/14/2011

Another "industry" that creates value for a few at the expense of many

[Ron333wood]

08:57 PM on 04/13/2011

Lobbyist=bribery. There isn't any other way to slice it. It's legalized bribery and the people charged with regulating it are the very politicians that are profitting from it. We saw how well it worked to let the oil companies regulate their own safety protocols.

[fgbouman]

06:49 PM on 04/13/2011

I can't figure out whose ox got gored in this one. It looks like some insurance companies won and others lost. Some workers won and others lost. But as always, no matter who wins or loses, K Street wins.

[Bat Wrangler]

05:36 PM on 04/13/2011

When do lobbyists ever lose? They own the government.

[Lorianne]

04:52 PM on 04/13/2011

Financial Crisis Protest - New York, April 25, 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUpQ_EJMdGs&feature=player_embedded

[Anne Mccormick]

02:41 PM on 04/13/2011

well, score one for the big insurance companies. i have do doubt that they are busy congratulating themselves because once again their lackeys in the Republican party followed their wishes and not those of the American people. and why, because these free choice vouchers would have allowed the people to shop around for the best deal possible. the insurance companies would have to not only lower their prices to compete but also have to out door each other in offering increased perks; such as better drug plans, better hospital plans etc. etc. that would affect the financial bottom line of these companies. as we all know, nothing must threaten these companies ability to make huge profits off of forcing Americans to pay exhorbitant amounts of money for health care. Congratulations Republicans, you and your friends have sold us out again. but remember this, we can remove each and every one of you up for re-election in 2012.

[discgolfur]

03:09 PM on 04/13/2011

"as we all know, nothing must threaten these companies ability to make huge profits off of forcing Americans to pay exhorbitan­t amounts of money for health care."
If I recall, that is why single payer was never considered- unfair that a public option would be too cheap due to no profit incentive- and that crap flies in Washington!

[brt929]

02:09 PM on 04/13/2011

But even as Mr. Wyden was looking for ways on Tuesday to revive his voucher plan, the Business Roundtable was announcing a separate agreement with the Obama administration to sign on to a “Partnership for Patients Pledge” intended to show commitment to health care. “We applaud the administration,” said former Gov. John Engler of Michigan, president of the Business Roundtable, “for taking this proactive step to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders — all of us committed to, and invested in, America’s health care system — to measurably improve health care quality.” http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/13/us/politics/13lobby.html?_r=1 ***************************************** This article is extremely telling. Obama is even willing to gut his own "signature" legislation so he can "get along" with Re-thugs. He is willing to expand the already formidable Insurance Industry's control over health care and we will never be rid of their yoke. http://news.morningstar.com/all/business-wire/20110412006580/business-roundtable-signs-administrations-partnership-for-patients-pledge.aspx

[econ1]

01:59 PM on 04/13/2011

As government gets ever larger, the lobbying will be more and more important.

[WhatTheWhatThe]

01:55 PM on 04/13/2011

"Michael Steel, a spokesman for Speaker John A. Boehner, said “the program was eliminated because it costs jobs — and jobs are the American people’s top priority.”"
How would allowing people to opt out of an employer's health care main insurance program to pick their own using vouchers cost jobs? When one of these nimrods makes statements like this - why doesn't anyone ask for details?

[Pleroma]

02:07 PM on 04/13/2011

Why ask why?

[discgolfur]

03:11 PM on 04/13/2011

It wasn't directed to you. He just put forth a conclusion for the teacons so they don't have to think. Details and facts? You are such a progressive!

[rikster]

01:31 PM on 04/13/2011

anyone vote for a Lobbyist yet..? or do we vote for them by proxy..?

[Tom Payned]

01:25 PM on 04/13/2011

Lobbyists Won Key Concessions In Budget Deal

Humans inhale oxygen.

Neither title is news to anyone anymore.

[discgolfur]

01:32 PM on 04/13/2011

Only by the grace of our benevolent overlords do we get oxygen! (and their inability to figure out how to charge for it!)

[brt929]

01:53 PM on 04/13/2011

Shh! Be careful what you say!  If you remind Republicans that the middle-class breathes oxygen, they will figure out a way to tax it  and then subsidize the top 2%. 

[no exit]

01:08 PM on 04/13/2011

what a big surprise.

[RidgeDog]

01:01 PM on 04/13/2011

This is the way it works, folks...we vote these guys into office, and the big business lobbyists control how they vote. Screw those little voters back home. It would be great to put restrictions on lobbying - but then, the lobbyists would prevent that measure from passing, wouldn't they?

Time to throw 'em ALL out and start over again.

[fozzi58]

12:59 PM on 04/13/2011

"Nothing to see here people. MOVE ALONG"

[rikster]

01:32 PM on 04/13/2011

these are not the droids you are looking for...

[weekendpartier]

01:49 PM on 04/13/2011

these aren't the droids we're looking for...