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Senate Finance Committee Public Option Vote and Campaign Contribution Ratios
September 30, 2009 - by Paul BlumenthalIn the continuing health care debate the public option remains as the key puzzle piece in the Democrats’ health care package. Today, the Senate Finance Committee is debating and voting on amendments to include a public option in their version of health care reform legislation. Both amendments to the bill were defeated in committee.
One of the biggest supporters of the public option is labor, a trusted ally of the Democrats. The public option has been opposed by many in the health sector. A comparison of voting behavior and campaign contributions may provide some more context to today’s committee votes.
The chart below shows Senate Finance Committee members, their contributions from the labor and health sectors from 2005-2010, the ratio of health contributions to labor contributions and their votes on the Rockefeller and Schumer public option amendments.
| Ratio of Health to Labor Contributions to the Senate Finance Committee (2005-2010) and Public Option Votes | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Party | Labor Contributions (2005-2010) | Health Contributions (2005-2010) | Ratio (Health:Labor) | Rockefeller Amendment | Schumer Amendment |
| Mike Crapo | R | $2,000 | $243,226 | 121.6:1 | N | N |
| Jon Kyl | R | $13,000 | $1,188,238 | 91.4:1 | N | N |
| Chuck Grassley | R | $11,500 | $651,627 | 56.7:1 | N | N |
| Jim Bunning | R | $2,500 | $112,650 | 45.1:1 | N | N |
| John Cornyn | R | $27,250 | $1,226,469 | 44.6:1 | N | N |
| John Ensign | R | $12,000 | $521,575 | 43.5:1 | N | N |
| Orrin Hatch | R | $31,100 | $1,020,334 | 32.8:1 | N | N |
| Pat Roberts | R | $12,000 | $343,849 | 28.7:1 | N | N |
| Blanche Lincoln | D | $36,100 | $641,004 | 17.8:1 | N | N |
| Mike Enzi | R | $26,500 | $423,749 | 16.0:1 | N | N |
| Maria Cantwell | D | $22,500 | $353,342 | 15.7:1 | Y | Y |
| Ron Wyden | D | $39,000 | $370,175 | 9.5:1 | Y | Y |
| Max Baucus | D | $207,925 | $1,763,799 | 8.5:1 | N | N |
| Olympia Snowe | R | $103,750 | $367,549 | 3.5:1 | N | N |
| Kent Conrad | D | $253,750 | $652,178 | 2.6:1 | N | N |
| Debbie Stabenow | D | $284,125 | $737,243 | 2.6:1 | Y | Y |
| Bill Nelson | D | $241,890 | $613,594 | 2.5:1 | N | Y |
| Jay Rockefeller | D | $240,800 | $605,400 | 2.5:1 | Y | Y |
| Chuck Schumer | D | $140,500 | $298,650 | 2.1:1 | Y | Y |
| John Kerry | D | $103,248 | $188,558 | 1.8:1 | Y | Y |
| Jeff Bingaman | D | $229,500 | $366,414 | 1.6:1 | Y | Y |
| Tom Carper | D | $180,010 | $287,406 | 1.6:1 | N | Y |
| Robert Menendez | D | $400,100 | $603,343 | 1.5:1 | Y | Y |
This data could tell us one of two things: (1) Democrats are far more likely to get money from Labor for ideological reasons; (2) The ratio of health to labor contributions effects the way senators will vote on the public option. It could also be both of these.
For senators voting on the Rockefeller amendment, 58% of those with a 10:1 or under ratio of health to labor contributions voted for the amendment. When that ratio is brought down to 3:1 and under, 67% of senators voted for the amendment.
On the Schumer amendment, 75% of those with a 10:1 or under ratio of health to labor contributions voted for the amendment. When that ratio is brought down to 3:1 and under, 89% of senators voted for the amendment.
There is perfect consistency for No votes for both amendments and in both ranges of 10:1 and over and 3:1 and over. Those senators with a 10:1 or over ratio of health to labor contributions voted against both amendments 91% of the time. Senators with a 3:1 or over ratio of health to labor contributions voted against both amendments 86% of the time.
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Comments
It also tells us that not a single member of the Finance Committee receives more campaign contributions from labor than the health sector.
Are you Democrats also in the pockets of the Insurance companies? I’m sure many of the Republicans members are. Voters sent you folks to Washington, putting the Democrats back in power to change such things as the health care system. Many of you campaigned on that issued so why are you now supporting the Insurance companies?
Put the Public option back in the Health Insurance Reform Bill and tell the Republicans and the Insurance companies to go to were the sun doesn’t shine.
If we put everyone in congress on a structured health plan like medicare, we would see some action. The government is the worst at providing health care as I keep seing the benefit drop, my costs rise and providers keep dropping us as patients (because the feds routinely deny payment for services and they pay 32 cents on the dollar for resonable fees). How good can an insurance plan be when you have to buy a second one to cover the “gaps”?
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This is a very nice report. I had a discussion once with my friend, John Studzinski. I believe that we should bring a bigger contribution to the health system. Either Republicans or Democrats have prioritized other areas. For me, this is the most important.