Part of the Problem: Sen. Max Baucus

Montana Senator Max Baucus, head of the Senate Finance Committee, has rightfully been called "one of corporate America's favorite Democrats." It's no surprise, then, that he's all lobbied up.

Since 1996, one-fifth of U.S. Sen. Max Baucus' highest-paid staff members have left their jobs to become lobbyists, usually for industries regulated by the powerful committee that Baucus heads, a Missoulian State Bureau analysis shows.

Take Jeff Forbes, for example. In 2003, Forbes was Baucus' lead staffer on the Senate Finance Committee working extensively on the Medicare prescription drug bill. Baucus, then the top-ranking Democrat on the panel, was one of the bill's central architects.

In late November, just five days before the Senate took the final, key vote on the bill, Forbes quit. Six weeks later, he was registered to lobby for two drug companies and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the lobby representing the nation's biggest prescription drug companies.

Those same companies got a multimillion-dollar windfall in the Medicare drug program, critics of the program contend, because the law forbids the government from negotiating with drug manufacturers for cheaper prices.

The Nation reported in 2007 that Baucus once asked 50 lobbyists to raise $100,000 each for his upcoming re-election campaign. If Barack Obama becomes the standard-bearer of his party, he's going to have to decide if, in his quest to cleanse the system in Washington, he wants to demand change from powerful members of his own party.

Comments

I would like to respond to Sen.Max Baucus as to how I view his political"power".This issue pretains to the continued deadly exposure to Tremolite asbestos in Libby Mt.In 1999,we all learned the truth as to why we are all sick and dying.Thousands were told the truth that they have been knowingly poisoned for over 40 years.Since 1999,this deadly exposure to entire generations of families should of ended then.But it did not and since 1999,over 200 innocent healthy people/families have moved to Libby being told Libby is a safe place to live and raise a family.This is a deadly lie.Max Baucus and ALL the rest of Govt.have turn their backs,AGAIN,on the health and safety to human beings from something we all know now kills you.Why would human life not be a concern when thousands learned on that day in 1999,why they are dead and dying,from not being told the truth.Max is the champion of the people of Libby because he IS the only one speeking for those of us,which IS HIS responsibility.But his job also is to stop the deadly exposure that he knows is killing people.I have to ask why?I tell all who will listen to stay away from Libby Mt as Libby is not safe to anything that breathes.What is Max doing/saying?Max is also inviting people/families to come on down as Libby is fine.Those lies are killing people and he knows this.I have to wonder who's side Max Baucus is on.I think he is on both sides or why ain't he telling all to stay away from Libby.9 years now and nothing has changed and the lies continue and so does the killings of innocent human beings.This is criminal and humanly wrong.So, where is Max Baucus?Not saveing people,that's for sure.

Part of the Problem: Sen. Max Baucus

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