For Senator Max Baucus' political committees, $1.5 million in 2007 and 2008, to be exact, from "health related companies and their employees". This is 'bout the time Baucus started holding hearings to prepare for health care reform, according to the Washington Post.
As liberal protesters marched outside, Sen. Max Baucus sat down inside a San Francisco mansion for a dinner of chicken cordon bleu and a discussion of landmark health-care legislation under consideration by his Senate Finance Committee.
At the table on May 26 were about 20 donors willing to fork over $10,000 or more to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, including executives of major insurance companies, hospitals and other health-care firms.
"Most people there had an agenda; they wanted the ear of a senator, and they got it," said Aaron Roland, a San Francisco health-care activist who paid half price to attend the gathering. "Money gets you in the door. The only thing the other side can do is march around and protest outside."
According to the article, Baucus began refusing "contributions from health care political action committees after June 1st". But if you like fly fishing and golfing, as a lobbyist you could still attend one of Baucus' events in Big Sky, Montana, for $2500.
It's not just Baucus though. The Washington Post article continues to point out that democrats in Congress have received "60 percent of the $5.4 million donated by health care companies and their employees", during the "first three months of this year" (emphasis mine).
Interestingly enough, despite all of this cash, the lowly protesters who didn't get in the front door, who "march around outside and protest", because of their persistance, energy and dedication, have changed the fundamentals of this debate, a debate that was, way back in 2007 and 8, already loaded in one direction. I'm speaking of the importance of cyber-protests as well. Imagine what could be accomplished if, and when, this energy is focused on single payer?