They Speak Of The Political Contributions

I’ve been reading a number of conservative blogs that are championing the vision of the great victory trial lawyers saw in the health care bill. Personally, I’m still looking for the golden gift. I guess not having the courthouse shut down and seeing the Constitutional right to a remedy protected may be what they are talking about. I do agree that those are good things. But, they really don’t seem like issues most people would disagree with.

There is also all the talk about the trial lawyers controlling the Democratic party. I think if we did, you would see a lot more justice for people. But, again I see the positive things that we do for people who have been injured through no fault of their own.

The key for most of these blogs is the obscene amount of money that trial lawyers give. Now, the ones who are at least trying to be fair do point out that some money is being given to Republicans. But it usually comes down to lumping every lawyer together and coming up with some big number lawyers from law firms have given, usually ignoring what Insurance companies, tobacco interests and the US Chamber have spent. But, those are just national elections.

I wonder what they think of the numbers that the New York Times came out with recently:

– last year the drug industry poured more than $20 million into political contributions in states around the country;

– Over the last six years, health care interests have spent $394 million on contributions in states around the country;

– The drug industry spent an additional $80 million on advertising to beat back a California ballot measure intended to push down drug prices.

– Of the Total

$132,943,232 the top givers were:

• PhRMA Pharmaceuticals $74,548,965
• California Hospital Association* Hospitals $17,092,006
• Pfizer Pharmaceuticals $15,936,813
• GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals $13,347,111
• Merck & Company Pharmaceuticals $12,018,337

This is just giving to iindividual states. I wonder how many consumer advocates are getting that money.