Manion's "Rx" May Have Harmful Side Effects

I read through this post from Above Average Jane about the most recent debate between PA-08 Dem U.S. House Rep Patrick Murphy, his challenger Repug Tom Manion, and pretend candidate Tom Lingenfelter, and the following excerpt caught my attention…

Q: Lobbyists spend over $2M a year to influence Congress. What does that get them. How much is at expense of taxpayers.

PM: In my office they aren’t getting their money’s worth. I listen to everyone, lobbyists, constituents, R, D, everyone. Number of lobbyists doubled under Bush. I am transparent, let you know who I meet with. I vote my conscience even at political costs.

TM: Again, the problem is not just the Bush administration, the problem is congress and the administration. We need to look to have a time line whether they work on the hill and then go into a lobbying role. There’s some oversight there and we need to continue looking at the problem. Find a way so they don’t influence the situation. Look at Chris Dodd and the money he is getting through those organizations. Even if there is no intent there it is a bad atmosphere. Good examples in the bailout. Need course correction.

Oh brother…

To begin, here’s a story on the supposed financial wrongdoing of Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chris Dodd, in which we learn the following…

According to Conde Nast Portfolio, which broke the story, Dodd refinanced his Washington townhouse with a loan of $506,000 and refinanced his East Haddam home for $275,042. Dodd's East Haddam home has a spectacular view of the Connecticut River, and he held a press conference overlooking the water there when he returned home from Iowa after his unsuccessful presidential bid. Some of the state's top Democratic politicians, including much of the Congressional delegation, gathered with Dodd in East Haddam to celebrate his homecoming.

The Conde Nast article stated that Dodd's 30-year loans were both designed to be at 4.875 percent, but the East Haddam loan was reduced to 4.5 percent and the Washington loan was dropped to 4.25 percent. Over the life of the loans, that saved the Dodds about $58,000 on their Washington home and $17,000 on the East Haddam home, according to the article. Countrywide also waived three-eighths of a point on one loan and one quarter of a point on the other.

Dodd released a statement Friday, saying, "As a United States Senator, I would never ask or expect to be treated differently than anyone else refinancing their home. This suggestion is outrageous and contrary to my entire career in public service. When my wife and I refinanced our loans in 2003, we did not seek or expect any favorable treatment. Just like millions of Americans, we shopped around and received competitive rates.''

By the way, I should let you know that we did a "refi" on “Le Manse Mr. And Mrs. Doomsy” around 2003 also and managed to bag a rate of about 5.25 percent or so (sure, Dodd did better, but slightly better, not outrageously better). And when you’re talking about the life of a 20 or 30-year mortgage, a savings of $58,000 for what is probably a nice home (and what’s wrong with that?) is about right (and don’t waste my time with the $17K figure).

Now, let’s focus on what Manion said here in Jane's post…

We need to look to have a time line whether they work on the hill and then go into a lobbying role. There’s some oversight there and we need to continue looking at the problem.

So Manion considers lobbying to be a “problem,” I gather?

I actually agree with that, but here’s the thing; as a pharmaceutical executive with Johnson and Johnson, he should know that his company “spent $5,600,000 on lobbying in 2006. Of this total, $2,150,000 went to outside lobbying firms.”

The Source Watch post on J&J also tells us that “Johnson & Johnson's political action committee (PAC) gave $542,000 to federal candidates in the 05/06 election cycle - 39% to Democrats and 61% to Republicans.”

And here’s another thing (also noted by Source Watch)…

Johnson & Johnson refused to advertise on the progressive Air America Radio. In October 2006, around 90 companies, including Johnson & Johnson, told ABC Radio Networks that they did not want their ads to play on radio stations that carried Air America Radio.

So Manion and J&J want only the “corporate voice” to be heard above all others, my fellow prisoners.

There is no illegality (as far as I know) noted in any of what Source Watch tells us. But I’m pointing this out because I’m more than a little fed up at this point with Manion’s claim that he’s a political “outsider,” when he has close ties to a member of Big Pharma that is a truly influential “player” on Capitol Hill.

Conversely, Patrick tells us that lobbyists “aren’t getting their money’s worth” under him, and with the exception of his votes on FISA and the attempt by D.C. to regulate the deadly trafficking of guns, I believe him (none of these people are going to be perfect; we have to look at “the preponderance of evidence” as they say).

And given that, I don’t believe Manion is “good for what ails us,” whereas Patrick is the “prescription,” if you will, for the representation we deserve (and to help out, click here).