Politics
Out of context: Reply #8553
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- ukit0
The real innovation we've seen this year, though, isn't having lobbyists write the legislation and cut out the parts they don't like.
The true genius is thanks to a guy named Dick Armey.
Dick Armey was the Republic House Majority Leader. Like a lot of these guys after he retired from politics he cashed in by working with a well-paid law/ lobbying group, DLA Piper. It makes sense, right? You graduate straight from lobbyists telling you how to write the legislation to becoming a lobbyist yourself.
DLA Piper represents, among other things, large portions of the health care and insurance business. Hmm...
In 2004 when Armey became Chairman of something called Freedom Works. Freedom Works is the group responsible for organizing, at a high level, the "tea party" rallies.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a6a34f…
"On Friday Mr Armey announced his resignation from DLA Piper, the Washington-based lobbying firm that he has advised since stepping down from Congress in 2002. Both DLA Piper, which has big healthcare clients including Bristol Myers Squibb, the pharmaceutical company that opposes elements of Mr Obama’s health reforms, and Mr Armey said he had decided to quit in order to spare the firm any further embarrassment by association with Freedom Works.
“We are sorry to see Dick Armey leave,” said DLA Piper in a statement. “But we appreciate his taking the initiative to clear up confusion concerning Freedom Works, [which is] a separate and distinct entity from DLA Piper.”"
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/04…
"Dick Armey, who is ranked as one of DC’s top “hired guns,” is a corporate lobbyist with a history of directing FreedomWorks to support the goals of his lobbying clients. For example:
– Armey’s FreedomWorks is actively organizing against health care reform. Indeed, Armey’s lobbying firm represents pharmaceutical companies, such as Bristol-Myers Squibb, that oppose comparative effectiveness research in the health reform plan because such a program may cut into revenue for branded drugs.
– Armey’s lobbying firm represents the trade group for the life insurance industry. Indeed, FreedomWorks mobilizes its members for deregulated life insurance reform.
– Currently, FreedomWorks is focusing their energy activism on supporting the status quo reliance on fossil fuels. In addition to working for various domestic oil companies with a vested interest in opposing change, Armey’s lobbying firm represents Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the UAE, on energy related issues such as maintaining the U.S.-UAE relationship where “U.S companies have played major roles in the development of UAE energy resources, which represent about 10 percent of global oil reserves.”
– In 2006, Armey’s lobbying firm represented the Senado de Republica (Mexican Senate) on “enhancing U.S.-Mexico relations,” and specifically on immigration policy. Curiously, during the same period, Armey’s Freedom Works stood out as one of the few right wing organizations to boldly support comprehensive immigration reform."
That last part is interesting - unlike their base, these guys support immigration reform. Because it's not ideology, it's the $ they care about.