3,300 registered lobbyists working on health care reform

3,300 registered lobbyists working on health care reform

There are now 3,300 registered lobbyists working on the current overhaul of the nation’s health care system, which means that the health care lobbyists outnumber members of Congress (including the Senate) by over six to one.
These lobbyists represent over 1,500 organizations (with three more organizations joining the fray each and every day). These organizations have spent $263 million on lobbying during the first six months of 2009, with drug makers leading the spending with $134 million alone. These totals don’t include money spent on other activities, such as the $53 million spent for TV commercials on health care, or the $20.5 million campaign contributions to federal candidates and political parties.
So, if you ever wonder why the politicians don’t listen to the majority of Americans who want single-payer health insurance, just remember that money talks.