Stop Me Before I Vote Again

Here's a Big pharma Wash Post factoid:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/11/AR2007011102081.html?referrer=email

Drug companies spent more on lobbying than any other industry between 1998 and 2005 -- $900 million, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. They donated a total of $89.9 million in the same period to federal candidates and party committees, nearly three-quarters of it to Republicans.

Notice the 10 to 1 ratio -- I wonder if that holds economy-wide: ten times as much hucking the incumbent as choosing 'em. Are there implications in these numbers about how the black box works?

I think so. I think the real money gets laid out apres-election, on the well-tested premise that whichever party the winner plays for, "they all got nose rings, pard." Watch as the lobby effort tilts back toward Dembo Junction.

BTW, seems the big pharma boys already killed one popular ice-cream offering. From the same Washpost article:

Before taking control of the House last week, Democratic leaders briefly considered proposing a new government-run prescription drug program as a way to reduce seniors' drug costs....

But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and her allies chose a far less ambitious plan -- to require the government to negotiate for lower Medicare drug prices -- ....... They stepped back largely out of concern that the pharmaceutical industry would stall a complex change, denying them a quick victory.

The Pharma boys didn't even have to throw a punch. Now that's clout. People talk about the Israel lobby -- but hey, Zionics, eat yer heart out.