of course it has. lobbyists follow the money, and anyone that thought that giving the government three times as much money to hand out would CURTAIL the influence of washington lobbyists was being either naive or ignorant. or dishonest.
Finance committee vote opens healthcare lobbying floodgatesInterest groups have unleashed a torrent of spending and grassroots activity to influence the Senate healthcare debate.
The completion of committee work on landmark healthcare legislation has spurred a torrent of spending and activity by interest groups seeking to influence the upcoming Senate floor debate.
Labor unions, business organizations and conservative and liberal advocacy groups have timed advertising and grassroots campaigns to coincide with the Senate Finance Committee’s 14-9 vote that approved the bill.
MoveOn.org, America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the AFL-CIO and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) all have launched advertising assaults in recent days. These groups have all taken critical aim at the Finance Committee legislation in hopes of derailing provisions they oppose.
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has the task of merging the Finance legislation with a bill approved by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee before beginning the contentious floor debate at the end of the month. Reid is expected to convene meetings with Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.); Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), the lead sponsor of the HELP bill; White House officials; and others to produce the combined bill.
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