Guess Who's Really Raking In The Health Care Contributions?

5199078As a wild week in Washington draws to a close, chew over these numbers as you head out for the weekend.

The Republicans have put up staunch opposition to President Obama's ideas for health care reform. However, it turns out the GOP does not fare as well as Democrats when it comes to soliciting campaign contributions from doctors and other people working in the health sector.

A check of contributions from political action committees and individuals who donated $200 or more during the 2007-2008 election cycle finds that Democrats raised a total of $40.9 million compared to $32.1 million that went to Republicans. The numbers were released earlier this spring by the Federal Election Commission.

The Center for Responsive Politics, which hosts the statistics defines health professionals as consisting primarily of doctors, though their ranks could also include nurses or other people working in a professional capacity in the health sector.

So it was that in 2007-08, the top 100 recipients in the House of Representatives included 54 Democrats and 36 Republicans.

Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) led the pack with $611,628, compared to No. 2 Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) at $505,068. The rest of the top ten included Tom Price, (R-GA) Phil Gingrey, (R-GA) Pete Stark, (D-CA) Charles Rangel, (D-NY) Mark Kirk, (R-IL) Mark Udall, (D-CO) John Dingell, (D-MI) and Gordon, Bart (D-TN).

(CBS)

Slicing the numbers another way, the 238 House Democrats at the time received $15.5 million in total contributions, while the 205 Republicans got $12.2 million.

The 47 Democrats at the time took in a combined $19.5 million while 49 Republicans raised just $10.9 million from health professionals. Then Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) raked in more than anyone else in Washington with $3.9 million.

For Health Services and HMOs, the split was nearly 2 to 1 in favor of Democrats. The Democratic advantage was more than 2.5 times as great when it came to contributions from hospitals and nursing homes.

For a longer view, tallying up the results since 1990 finds the Republicans leading the Democrats $189.6 million to $160.9 million. (CRP's statistics don't go back any further.)

Tell your friends on Facebook what you think:

[babooph]

My posts clearly described the dems being lobby bribed into selling out PRIOR to the election -it was a no brainer.

[payasyougo]

Government.

By the People, for the PACs.

[democracy1]

I'd like to see a similar comparison with insurance company contributions counted as well, since they're not mentioned here.

That would give a more realistic picture.

[Stevenapoli7]

Obama is a dark lord of the Sith. He is using the recession to sensationalize a "crisis" just like Darth Sidious took control over the senate to pass his evil agenda in a time of upheaval. He is moving this great country away from free markets, capitalism, and meritocracy to one of federal control, handouts, bailouts, takeovers. My advice: Don't over regulate and don't under-regulate.

[huegorgan]

Where'd the insurance money go? Who's the middle-man again?

[aburr]

Oh crud, I forgot a statement to show my sense of cultural inferiority to all things European, my mistake.

This is exactly what they do in France, do you want the whole world laughing at us?

My job here is now done.

[aburr]

Sir, with all due respect you must be mistaken. Just read what Democrats say about themselves- they are all wonderful selfless people chock full o' the milk of human kindness. They are far too selfless, caring, intelligent, and educated to ever stoop so low as to sell themselves to the highest bidder. Just ask them- you'll see!

You have shown yourself to be a hate-filled lunatic. I strongly suspect that you belong to the KKK and are probably a Nazi too. Clearly you lack the sophistication of the Democrats due to your radical and insane agenda, you must live in a trailer park in the middle of a swamp in Alabama where you plot the resurgence of the Confederacy and slavery while trying to pass the 3rd grade.

Hmm... lets see here... race-baiting, class snobbery, self satisfied pseudo intellectualism, regional prejudice, self agggrandizing rhetoric, and ridiculous overstatement without a shred of fact.

That about covers it, no further left wingers need respond.

[formrusmcsgt]

100 million total.

No wonder we can't get anything done.

[rightbehind]

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, Buy off those that are in control or buy off those that would like to be in control????????????No brainer. If healthcare reform passes without the public option there should be investigations on who and how much. Republicans could and should use it against the democcrats.