I posted this in a comment last night received some email suggesting that I put it up in a diary so here goes my first diary entry:
I don't follow this stuff as closely as most of you so excuse me if I'm rehashing old news but...
Patton Boggs is one of the biggest lobbyist firms in DC. Here's a little something they did during the Bill Clinton years that I found at ReferenceForBusiness.com :
The 1990s saw another Democrat, Bill Clinton, take the presidency but, while the White House may have been in the hands of the Democrats, control of the Congress was swinging to the Republicans. Thus, Patton Boggs made a concerted effort to bring in more Republican-connected attorneys to bolster its lobbying business. Democratic ties not withstanding, Patton Boggs played a major role in thwarting Clinton's effort to implement healthcare reforms, a defeat that crippled his presidency and led to the Democrats losing the House to Republicans in 1994. ....Despite overwhelming public support for the proposals, all of the reforms were successfully bottled up in committee and no bills were ever passed. According to a 1995 Washington Monthly article, "Not only did [Patton Boggs's] victory confirm their reputation, but the total defeat of all health reform also means that the issue will come around again, and with it, another rush of clients paying top prices to have Patton Boggs on their side. Healthcare reform took good care of Patton Boggs. The firm's total revenue shot up 25 percent in two years, from $49 million to $61 million.
Here's what I find pretty amazing- Patton Boggs is one of Hillary Clinton's biggest donors. She's promising a healthcare revolution when one of her biggest supporter is THE company responsible for thwarting HER efforts years ago?
Patton Boggs clients include some the very companies that have, and likely will continue to lobby against reform; Bristol Myers, Hoffman LaRoche, Long Term Pharmacy Alliance...
Sorry for the long comment and extra sorry if I'm rehashing old news but this just seems incredibly outrageous to me.