News-Journal Unmasks Carper as Corporate Shill
About bleeping time, and good for them.
Given the choice of protecting senior citizens or his Big Pharma corporate cash cows, Carper chose the bundles of campaign cash. His ‘spokesperson’ tries to explain it:
AstraZeneca, the global drug maker with U.S. headquarters in Fairfax, was the top contributor to Carper’s leadership political action committee, First State PAC, between the 2005 and 2010 fundraising cycles, with $30,000 in donations, according to opensecrets.org. During the same period, the company ranked second among contributors to his campaign and leadership PAC combined.
Carper spokeswoman Bette Phelan noted the company employs roughly 5,500 people at its Delaware facilities.
No word on whether Phelan noted the number of Delawareans without health insurance, or if Phelan noted the number of Delawareans who would benefit by this funding.
As far as I’m concerned, that’s not the story. Carper’s lengthy and undistinguished career as a corporate whore is well-documented here and elsewhere. I believe that the story is that the News-Journal, still the last best hope for holding people accountable, has FINALLY taken note of that fact.
Big thumbs-up to Nicole Gaudiano of the Journal’s Washington Bureau and, yes, to the editors who chose not to bury this story.
More, please!
Tags: Big Pharma, Carper, News Journal
Okay, there was a time when the “Delaware Way – Quid Pro Quo” might have worked. But as we’ve seen, at the Newark Chrysler Plant, at the Boxwood GM Plant, at MBNA where they took the money and ran leaving their employees to the mercies of Bank of America, those days are over. Screwing the citizens to attract jobs doesn’t work. These days all you get are a few rich CEO’s and a lot of unemployed Delawareans.
Senator Carper doesn’t look like he’s planning to run again. But if he is, he would be well advised to count heads — how many CEO’s can vote for him versus how many unemployed Delawareans can vote against him. The CEO’s have cadillac health insurance but most of Delaware doesn’t and too many have no insurance at all. The public option is a winning vote. Anything else looks very risky to me.
Note that it is no longer known as a cadillac health insurance, but rather lexus health insurance.
We have received 3 telephone calls in three days from a group referring to themselves as the Pharmacological Association. The question “are you on medicare”? If yes, are you concerned about the doughnut hole? Would you call Senator Tom Carper and “thank him” for voting to close the doughnut hole! I blasted their ass. Obviously Carper is feeling the heat and concerned about the next election. Its time the democratic party in Delaware begin the search for a real democrat who votes for the people of Delaware, not Corporations who incorporate in Delaware.
Who’s surprised? A Quick Show Of Hands! What, nobody?
Tom Carpers bipolar, when he’s not selling out to the banks he takes a break and sells out to Big Pharma.I put on my Elvis suit and sing: He ain’t nothin’ but a DINO! Sellin’ out all the time!
I can’t bring myself to vote for Republican but I will not vote for Carper either.
And at election time you will tell me how great he is and much better than fill in the blank who will be a rubber stamp vote for the 2012 Republican Presidential candidate.
AN OPEN LETTER TO SENATOR CARPER
Senator Carper, please tell us why CEOs of insurance companies are paid $23 million a year? These same CEOs have had control of health insurance for over 100 years and reform is long past due. They are robbing America blind and you have failed to put in the necessary checks and balances like the public option. In fact you have taken over a million and a half from the health sector. http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2009/06/-name-office-party-health.html (scroll down to Senator Carper’s generous helpings)
People will be dying this winter because they don’t have health insurance from the swine flue like the 22 year old college grad in Congressman John Boehner’s district Kimberly Young. She pasted this Wednesday. This poor soul had her whole life ahead of her but was lacking health insurance when she needed it most. Over 46 million Americans are without health insurance Senator Carper. Will you support “THE PUBLIC OPTION AND BREAK ANY FILIBUSTER”? 65% of America including Republicans want the public option according to the latest polls.
Will you stand with the people when they need reform? We ask you to support Senators Schumer and Rockefeller’s public option amendment and break any filibuster the obstructionist may bring forth.
Sincerely,
Albert S. Jackson
Newark, Delaware
302-293-2039
Stanjax3@yahoo.com
RD: Since your idea of a good candidate is Christine, your input isn’t needed.