Money Talks. And It Has Gordon Smith On Speed Dial.
They say that Money Talks.
Apparently it has Gordon Smith on speed dial and is telling him to charge seniors as much as possible for prescription drugs, oppose improving Medicare and limit prescription drug coverage in rural areas.
The Say Anything Senator has accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Pharmaceutical and Health Products Industry over the last several years. And they have gotten their money’s worth.
Industry: Pharmaceuticals/Health Products
Cash In: $254,009 [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 2/18/08]
Votes Out:
In each of these votes, Smith canceled the vote of Oregon's other U.S. Senator, Democrat Ron Wyden.
Smith Voted Against Improved Prescription Drug Coverage For Rural Areas.
Smith voted to kill an amendment to provide comprehensive drug coverage for rural areas by opposing a federal “fall back” provision to the Bush drug plan. The Bush plan relies heavily on participation by private insurers, but rural advocates pointed out there are often few or no available private plans in less populated areas, so they proposed a special government-run insurance plan for areas that were not served by at least two insurance companies to ensure competition and lower prices. Smith rejected this plan that would have protected rural Oregonians.
[Senate vote #238, 6/24/03]
Smith Opposed Efforts To Ensure Lower Drug Prices For Seniors.
Smith voted against an amendment to allow the federal government to negotiate volume discounts for seniors the way it does for military personnel and veterans.
[Senate vote #60, 3/17/05]
Smith Voted Against A Comprehensive Medicare Drug Plan.
Smith voted to kill the Democratic Medicare prescription drug plan. This plan cost $594 billion over eight years and would have provided prescription drug coverage to all senior citizens through Medicare, not private insurers. The beneficiary’s out-of-pocket costs would be limited to $4,000 a year.
[Senate vote #186, 7/23/02]
"Gordon Smith is letting special interest cash, not the health needs of Oregon seniors, dictate his votes. Our seniors shouldn't have to write a check to Smith for him to look out for them,” DPO Executive Director Trent Lutz said. “Gordon Smith accepts pharmaceutical company cash, and then on vote after vote allows rural seniors to be left medically stranded and does nothing to reduce the outrageous bite prescription drugs take out of seniors' budgets. Gordon Smith's priorities are the special interests, not the people's interest.”
Posted February 19, 2008 Health Care, Who Loves Gordon? 3 comments
Comments
It is amazing but part of the workings of the system that big money will eventually corrupt someone
Where did Gordon Smith earn 1.2 million dollars to buy these clubs? Do we pay senators this much? It is my belief that Gordon Smith has been a problem since he became a politician. If you write him with a question he does not even answer the query. Someone please explain how he made this much money. Please.
Steve,
I think Smith is a terrible Senator, but like most Senators, it's not his first job out of college. He earned his money from the family business, Smith Frozen Foods.
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