Democratic Senators have put themselves between a rock and a hard place.
during this week’s congressional recess — left-leaning bloggers and grass-roots organizations such as MoveOn.org, Health Care for America Now and the Service Employees International Union have singled out Democratic Sens. Ben Nelson (Neb.), Mary Landrieu (La.), Ron Wyden (Ore.), Arlen Specter (Pa.) and Dianne Feinstein (Calif.) for the criticism more often reserved for opposition party members. [Washington Post]
“Will Mary Landrieu sell out Louisiana for $1.6 million?” questions one Internet ad. The ad suggests a link between contributions she has received from the medical industry and her reluctance to back the creation of a government-sponsored insurance option.
During 2008 Landrieu has reported contributions from the following sectors in 2008 [OpenSecrets.org]:
Finance, Insurance and Real Estate: $1,000,000
Health: $630,000
Lawyers & Lobbyists: $2,000,000
Nelson reported contributions in 2008 from the following sectors [OpenSecrets.org]:
Finance, Insurance and Real Estate: $2,000,000
Health: $843,000
Lawyers & Lobbyists: $807,000
Wyden reported contributions from the same sectors in 2008 [OpenSecrets.org]:
Finance, Insurance and Real Estate: $876,000
Health: $401,000
Lawyers & Lobbyists: $414,000
Specter reported contributions from the same sectors in 2008 [OpenSecrets.org]:
Finance, Insurance and Real Estate: $3,000,000
Health: $2,000,000
Lawyers & Lobbyists: $3,000,000
And Feinstein received contributions from those sectors in 2008 [OpenSecrets.org]:
Finance, Insurance and Real Estate: $1,000,000
Health: $386,000
Lawyers & Lobbyists: $892,000
Much of the sparring centers around whether to create a government-managed health insurance program that would compete with private insurers. Obama supports the concept, dubbed the “public option,” but he has been vague on details. Left-of-center activists want a powerful entity with the ability to set prices for doctors and hospitals.
“Democratic senators are taking millions of dollars from insurance and health-care interests and getting lobbied by those donors and coming out against a position that 76 percent of Americans agree on,” said Adam Green, interim chief executive of Change Congress.
Best Senate money can buy! Only problem is they’re owned by the corporate interests.
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