Acerbic Politics

Still Crooked

Yep, the Republicans are still sneaky, crooked and voting against the best interests of American citizens, even as they were voted out of the House of Representatives. To wit, the following article from American Progress' Progress Report.

CONGRESS -- HASTERT PROVISION BENEFITING ILLINOIS HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY 'MYSTERIOUSLY' ADDED TO TAX BILL: Last week, the 109th Congress finished with "a mad rush to deal with untended business," including tax legislation that "became a magnet for contentious and expensive bills." In one of his final acts as Speaker, Dennis Hastert (R-IL) used the tax bill to create a "major change in Medicare policy avidly sought by a few health insurers, in particular a multinational company with headquarters in his home state, Illinois." The provision "showed up mysteriously after House and Senate negotiators had finished writing the bill ," and was "added by the House Rules Committee, just a few hours before the bill went to the House floor last week." Aon Corporation, whose headquarters are in Chicago, stands to benefit the most from the change in law. (Aon lobbyist Larry Oday admitted his company was "actively involved in consideration of this piece of legislation.") "It disturbs me that this major policy change -- one that treats some plans unfairly -- was included at the last minute by the House Rules Committee," Senate Finance Committee chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA) said of Hastert's move. Last December, Hastert helped to insert a provision in the Defense Appropriations bill that granted vaccine manufactures near-total immunity for injuries or deaths (even in cases of "gross negligence") caused by their drugs during a viral pandemic, such as an outbreak of the avian flu. The legislation was "worth billions of dollars " to a small group of drug makers.