Diminish the Lobbyists’ Influence

In 2008, there were nearly 15,000 registered lobbyist in the United States, equal to 28 lobbyist for each of our 535 Congressmen.  (By “Congressmen” here, I am referring to both Senators and Representatives.)  That same year, these lobbyists reported spending over $3.2 billion, which is equivalent to spending more than $6 million per Congressman.  Though not all of that spending was lavished on the Congressmen, these totals do provide a reliable measure of the extent to which various special and foreign interests are purchasing political influence.  This explains why we now have a government that is of, by, and for the Special Interests.

Senator Baucus and Elizabeth Fowler 

As an example of how much influence lobbyist have, consider Elizabeth Fowler, former Vice President of Public Policy at WellPoint.  Her job - in other words, overseeing WellPoint’s lobbying and other government-influencing activities.   Wellpoint is, of course, the largest health insurer in the country.  

In 2008, she left her job to go to work for Senator Baucus, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee as his Chief Health Counsel.   This is what Senator Baucus had to say about her.  “I want to single out one person,” he said. “Liz Fowler is my chief health counsel. Liz Fowler has put my health care team together. … She put together the White Paper last November 2008, [the] 87-page document which became the basis, the foundation, the blueprint from which almost all health care measures in all bills on both sides of the aisle came. She is an amazing person. She is a lawyer; she is a Ph.D. She is just so decent. She is always smiling, she is always working, always available to help any Senator, any staff. I just thank Liz from the bottom of my heart.”

Not only was Senator Baucus happy, happy, happy, so was the entire health industry.   Liz Fowler gave the health care industry exactly what they wanted - higher profits and no competition from alternative  non-profit coverage that could lower costs and premiums.  Instead, Obamacare  protected the interest of the health care industry, especially insurers and the pharmaceutical companies. 

After the bill passed the House and Senate, Liz Fowler was brought over to the White House to oversee the new law’s implementation.  She served first at the Department of Health and Human Services and then became Special Assistant to the President for Healthcare and Economical Policy.  Last December 2012, Liz Fowler left the White House and took a job with Johnson & Johnson in their Government Affairs and Policy Group.  

So, who’s the big winner?  Big pharma and big health care providers.  The loser?  Isn’t it obvious?  It’s us, the American people.