Why American policy sucks.

[blindpig]

Why American Policy SUCKS

By Jill Richardson

June 23, 2009 "La Vida Locavore" -- Out of curiosity I decided to see who was spending the most on lobbying in America. And Oh My Goodness - NO WONDER our policy sucks. No wonder it's nearly impossible to pass health care reform that provides all Americans with affordable care, a global warming bill that doesn't suck, and the Employee Free Choice Act. No wonder we're in these two stupid wars. I know everyone's aware of the problems lobbying poses to our country, but good lord, if people saw the sheer magnitude of it (and the comparatively paltry amounts spent in the people's interest) they would be outraged. So here goes. Here's the list of the top 100 (ranked by amount spent on lobbying in Q109). Enjoy.
I pulled up all of the reports for first quarter 2009 but over 20,000 items came up (and the report only shows the first 3000). OK, try again - all reports for over $1 million for first quarter 2009. This time a little over 100 came up (including AIG, who spent $1,250,000 on lobbying during that period).

So here's how to read this list: These are the amounts spent by the corporations listed. However, many (if not most) of these corporations ALSO contract out to private lobbying firms, so the amounts you see here MIGHT not be the total amount they spent on lobbying in Q109. For example, Monsanto spent $2,094,000 for its in house lobbying but then contracted out to Arent Fox LLP; Lesher, Russell & Barron, Inc. ($60,000); Ogilvy Government Relations ($60,000); Parven Pomper Strategies ($40,000); Sidley Austin LLP; TCH Group, LLC ($50,000); The Nickles Group, LLC ($63,000); The Washington Tax Group, LLC ($40,000); and Troutman Sanders Public Affairs Group ($30,000) - for a total of $2,437,000 in first quarter 2009.

Health Care, Health Insurance, & Pharma
3. Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America: $6,910,000
6. Pfizer, Inc: $6,140,000
12. American Medical Association: $4,240,000
18. American Hospital Association: $3,580,000
19. Eli Lilly and Company: $3,440,000
37. America's Health Insurance Plans, Inc: $2,030,000
39. CVS Caremark Inc: $2,005,000
47. Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association: $1,800,000
49. GlaxoSmithKline: $1,780,000
63. Merck & Co: $1,500,000
65. United Health Group, Inc: $1,500,000
69. Sanofi-Aventis U.S. Inc: $1,460,000
76. Novartis: $1,347,134
87. Abbott Laboratories: $1,260,000
89. Astrazeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP: $1,250,000
92. Medtronic, Inc: $1,238,000

Oil
2. Exxon Mobil: $9,320,000
4. Chevron U.S.A. Inc: $6,800,000
7. Conoco Phillips: $5,980,935
16. BP America, Inc: $3,610,000
20. Marathon Oil Corporation: $3,380,000
45. American Petroleum Institute: $1,810,000

Defense
5. Lockheed Martin Corporation: $6,380,000
11. General Electric Company: $4,540,000
28. Northrop Grumman Corporation: $2,570,000
30. Boeing Company: $2,410,00
51. Honeywell International: $1,760,000
73. Raytheon Company: $1,360,000

Telecoms
10. AT&T Services, Inc: $5,134,873
14. Verizon (excluding Verizon Wireless): $3,760,000
21. National Cable and Telecommunications Association: $3,370,000
23. Comcast Corporation: $2,760,000
68. Motorola, Inc: $1,470,000

Automotive
22. General Motors: $2,800,000
27. United Services Automobile Association: $2,590,244
52. Ford Motor Company: $1,750,000
84. Toyota Motor North America: $1,290,000
86. Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers: $1,264,400

Financial
32. Financial Services Roundtable: $2,260,000
33. Prudential Financial, Inc: $2,180,000
41. American Bankers Association: $1,890,000
61. Visa, Inc: $1,540,000
74. Investment Company Institute: $1,359,917
75. Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association: $1,350,000
82. J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A.: $1,310,000
90. Citigroup Management Corp: $1,250,000
90. Credit Union National Association: $1,250,000

Biotech
36. Monsanto: $2,094,000
40. Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO): $1,920,000
44. Bayer Corporation: $1,843,672

Railroads
24. Association of American Railroads: $2,759,545
54. Union Pacific Corporation: $1,717,108
71. BNSF Railway: $1,400,000

Life Insurance
42. American Council of Life Insurers: $1,867,075
44. New York Life Insurance Company: $1,840,000
64. State Farm Insurance: $1,500,000
93. The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company: $1,237,000

Other
1. Chamber of Commerce of the U.S.A.: $9,996,000
8. National Association of Realtors: $5,727,000
9. U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform: $5,480,000
13. AARP: $4,090,000
15. Southern Company: $3,650,000
17. Altria Client Services Inc: $3,580,000
25. Amgen, Inc: $2,750,000
26. National Association of Broadcasters: $2,600,000
29. Edison Electric Institute: $2,550,000
31. Fedex Corporation: $2,370,000
34. Textron, Inc.: $2,140,000
35. General Dynamics Corp: $2,101,945
38. International Business Machines (IBM): $2,030,000
43. United Technologies Corporation: $1,860,000
46. Recording Industry Association of America: $1,810,000
48. CTIA-The Wireless Association: $1,790,000
50. Time Warner Inc. $1,780,000
53. The Dow Chemical Company: $1,735,000
55. American Electric Power Company: $1,716,913
56. Microsoft Corporation: $1,650,000
57. Qualcomm, Incorporated: $1,620,000
58. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc: $1,600,000
59. L-3 Communications: $1,580,000
60. Exelon Business Services, LLC: $1,540,000
62. Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc: $1,530,000
66. Norfolk Southern Corporation: $1,485,026
67. Koch Companies Public Sector LLC: $1,480,000
70. American Airlines: $1,450,000
72. Oracle Corporation: $1,390,000
77. Air Transport Association of America, Inc.: $1,340,000
78. Disney Worldwide Services, Inc.: $1,330,000
79. Sepracor, Inc: $1,324,157
80. National Association of Home Builders: $1,320,000
81. UPS: $1,316,426
83. Siemens Corporation: $1,300,000
85. Duke Energy Corporation: $1,282,770
94. Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S., Inc: $1,230,000
95. Business Roundtable: $1,220,000
96. Wellpoint, Inc: $1,220,000
97. American Wind Energy Association: $1,212,504
98. F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: $1,206,427
99. National Rural Electric Cooperative Association: $1,200,000
99. CBS Corporation: $1,200,000


http://informationclearinghouse.info/article22891.htm

[blindpig]

1. kick, in case anyone needs a reminder. n/t

[Philosoraptor]

2. THANK YOU

[SammyWinstonJack]

3. K&R

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

4. Meet the REAL bosses. K&R

[dajoki]

5. Thanks blindpig...

Great research!! K&R

[Norrin Radd]

6. kr

[dorkulon]

7. Corruption is legal in this country.

It's the single issue that trumps all others. You can't even really blame the corporations, because the law is the villain--or the lawmakers.

[Hydra]

8. Our Gov't, bought and paid for

This is why capitalism and democracy don't mix- in capitalism, everything is for sale, including the state.

[PassingFair]

9. Scrolling for #1...the mother*ucking CHAMBER OF COMMERCE!

I can't stand that insidious organization.

My job used to require that we attend
Chamber "mixers" once a month to shark
around for customers, but I absolutely
refused.

I was afraid that I'd tell the business
owners exactly what I thought of their
organization, and what they were doing
with their money, whether they knew it
or not.

But I am surprised that they are NUMBER ONE!
(AND number NINE!)

:wow:

[SammyWinstonJack]

13. Not surprising that they were targeting ANY progressive candidates in the '08 elections,now is it?

[blindpig]

14. You got that right.

In fact, the US Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers were some of the major financial midwives of the libertarian movement, Nuff said.

[LynzM]

10. Thank you.

I will be sharing this. Ugh. :banghead:

[Orwellian_Ghost]

11. K&R

[glitch]

12. K & R easy top ten cheatsheet

9,996,000 1. Chamber of Commerce of the U.S.A.:
9,320,000 2. Exxon Mobil:
6,910,000 3. Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America:
6,800,000 4. Chevron U.S.A. Inc:
6,380,000 5. Lockheed Martin Corporation:
6,140,000 6. Pfizer, Inc:
5,980,935 7. Conoco Phillips:
5,727,000 8. National Association of Realtors:
5,480,000 9. U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform:
5,134,873 10. AT&T Services, Inc:

(pun intended)

[Romulox]

15. A bribe is not a bribe, when Congress gives itself permission to take it.

We're supposed to believe that this money does not influence policy, and that corporations have a "free speech" right to pay off politicians!

[blindpig]

16. Corporate interests drives US foreign policy.

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0715-06.htm

[Echo In Light]

17. This is the reality that those clinging to the illusory game of politics refuse to acknowledge

[fascisthunter]

18. there's your ruling class, right there

we don't have a democracy... it's fascism

[blindpig]

19. kick

[PassingFair]

20. Re-kick...n/t

[Greyhound]

21. K&R. Our system is simply legalized bribery, why is that so hard for people

to understand, and if they understand that, why do they refuse to demand that it change?

What we are still seeing today is exactly what many of us warned of back in the primaries, if we keep letting corporations pick corporate candidates to choose from, we will never see anything improve down here on the street. We will just keep getting an illusion of choice that moves the same agenda.
:kick: & R

[leftstreet]

22. Holy Crap

K&R

[waiting for hope]

23. K&R - all that money makes me think

of better things done with it - like rebuilding our infrastructure, providing better education, health care, public transportation, research into finding a cure for HIV/AIDS, Cancer, etc ....

Sickening.