Most powerful lobby in the US?
- Thread starter Pekelo
- Start date
Well considering that most of the arms sales these days are funneled to Israel (war is the most profitable activity known to mankind) since that is where the current war is, it's close. But the overriding cause is the bleeding dry of American by a certain foreign entity...guess what one 
LOL, everybody knows AARP has all the money. It's the most well-funded lobby group by far.
Look up the story on CatHealth. It passed either the senate or the house by an overhwelming vote, just asking the geezers to pony up an extra fin a month to pay for all-encompasing insurance. AARP worked the congress over, and they all ran back and unpassed the bill.
If the NRA had a lobby like that, gun class would be a required part of public education.
LOL, I see Isreal is being picked as the most powerful lobby. If that were true, we would have planes and ships helping out in Lebanon.
And if Big Oil had Uncle Sam in his hip pocket like AARP, there would never have even been a debate about ANWAR drilling, it would have just happened.
Look up the story on CatHealth. It passed either the senate or the house by an overhwelming vote, just asking the geezers to pony up an extra fin a month to pay for all-encompasing insurance. AARP worked the congress over, and they all ran back and unpassed the bill.
If the NRA had a lobby like that, gun class would be a required part of public education.
LOL, I see Isreal is being picked as the most powerful lobby. If that were true, we would have planes and ships helping out in Lebanon.
And if Big Oil had Uncle Sam in his hip pocket like AARP, there would never have even been a debate about ANWAR drilling, it would have just happened.
Here is a great site to answer this question and much much more:
OpenSecrets.org
OpenSecrets.org: Lobbying Database
personal plug:
Send a message to the bastards in Washington.
Register 'Independent' !
OpenSecrets.org
OpenSecrets.org: Lobbying Database
personal plug:
Send a message to the bastards in Washington.
Register 'Independent' !
Quote from TGregg:
LOL, everybody knows AARP has all the money. It's the most well-funded lobby group by far.
Not according to hard data: (facts are stubborn things)
Your AARP doesn't even make the top 10, but Tobacco and Military contractors and big pharma do...
Top Spenders, 1998-2005
Client
Total
US Chamber of Commerce $243,564,680
American Medical Assn $136,415,500
Pharmaceutical Rsrch & Mfrs of America $133,096,515
American Hospital Assn $117,776,891
General Electric $116,130,000
Edison Electric Institute $89,142,628
Business Roundtable $84,600,000
National Assn of Realtors $80,750,000
Northrop Grumman $78,952,509
Philip Morris $75,500,000
Blue Cross/Blue Shield $74,880,855
AARP $73,700,000
Freddie Mac $73,020,000
Lockheed Martin $70,229,965
Boeing Co $68,738,310
SBC Communications $67,953,327
Verizon Communications $62,946,522
General Motors $62,333,483
Fannie Mae $60,797,000
American Farm Bureau Federation $58,072,669
WHERE ARE THE FIGURES FROM?
Lobbyists have to file semi-annual reports with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House identifying their clients, the lobbyists working for each client, and the amount of income they receive. Companies have to report their overall lobbying expenditures and the names of any lobbyists employed as part of an in-house lobbying effort. Data are periodically updated to reflect late filings and amendments.
LOL, I see Isreal is being picked as the most powerful lobby. If that were true, we would have planes and ships helping out in Lebanon.
We are in Iraq, aren't we? And guess for whom Saddam was dangerous? Not the US....
And if Big Oil had Uncle Sam in his hip pocket like AARP, there would never have even been a debate about ANWAR drilling, it would have just happened.
Yeah, like the Prez is from that industry, I think that counts for something. Or the VP makes secret energy meetings with that lobby/industry. Have I mentioned we are in Iraq?
LOL, everybody knows AARP has all the money. It's the most well-funded lobby group by far.
Not according to hard data: (facts are stubborn things)
Your AARP doesn't even make the top 10, but Tobacco and Military contractors and big pharma do...
Top Spenders, 1998-2005
Client
Total
US Chamber of Commerce $243,564,680
American Medical Assn $136,415,500
Pharmaceutical Rsrch & Mfrs of America $133,096,515
American Hospital Assn $117,776,891
General Electric $116,130,000
Edison Electric Institute $89,142,628
Business Roundtable $84,600,000
National Assn of Realtors $80,750,000
Northrop Grumman $78,952,509
Philip Morris $75,500,000
Blue Cross/Blue Shield $74,880,855
AARP $73,700,000
Freddie Mac $73,020,000
Lockheed Martin $70,229,965
Boeing Co $68,738,310
SBC Communications $67,953,327
Verizon Communications $62,946,522
General Motors $62,333,483
Fannie Mae $60,797,000
American Farm Bureau Federation $58,072,669
WHERE ARE THE FIGURES FROM?
Lobbyists have to file semi-annual reports with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House identifying their clients, the lobbyists working for each client, and the amount of income they receive. Companies have to report their overall lobbying expenditures and the names of any lobbyists employed as part of an in-house lobbying effort. Data are periodically updated to reflect late filings and amendments.
LOL, I see Isreal is being picked as the most powerful lobby. If that were true, we would have planes and ships helping out in Lebanon.
We are in Iraq, aren't we? And guess for whom Saddam was dangerous? Not the US....
And if Big Oil had Uncle Sam in his hip pocket like AARP, there would never have even been a debate about ANWAR drilling, it would have just happened.
Yeah, like the Prez is from that industry, I think that counts for something. Or the VP makes secret energy meetings with that lobby/industry. Have I mentioned we are in Iraq?
Not according to the facts, stubborn bastids that they are.
AARP is #2 on spending in 2005:
The Chamber is #1, but AARP is right behind them. No sign of big oil or Isreal.
<IMG SRC=http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1173184>
But what I meant to say was they are the biggest lobby in terms of raw members.
35,000,000 geezers pony up to be part of the AARP. Thirty Five Million. And geezers vote, they got nothing else to do. They vote more than misery-laden teenagers. They vote more than soccer moms. They vote more than Angry White Men. Nobody has a higher percentage of voters than white-hairs in polyester shorts and black socks.
There's no lobby that makes a congressman wet his pants with fear like the AARP.
And we send over a billion dollars in aid to Egypt every year. Hard to believe that Isreal would allow that, being the most powerful lobby and all.
AARP is #2 on spending in 2005:
The Chamber is #1, but AARP is right behind them. No sign of big oil or Isreal.
<IMG SRC=http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1173184>
But what I meant to say was they are the biggest lobby in terms of raw members.
35,000,000 geezers pony up to be part of the AARP. Thirty Five Million. And geezers vote, they got nothing else to do. They vote more than misery-laden teenagers. They vote more than soccer moms. They vote more than Angry White Men. Nobody has a higher percentage of voters than white-hairs in polyester shorts and black socks.
There's no lobby that makes a congressman wet his pants with fear like the AARP.
And we send over a billion dollars in aid to Egypt every year. Hard to believe that Isreal would allow that, being the most powerful lobby and all.
We both used the same website, but you used 1 year's data, I used a 7 years period. Go figure which one is more valid.
(Let's suppose you are looking for trading talent. You take the guy with 1 good year, or the other one with a 7 years consecutive decent returns?)
But I agree, money is not everything. Religious right has the same power over Washington like AARP, although they might not contribute as much money as other lobby groups.
I left out at least 3 important groups from the poll (AARP, Religious right, Healthcare industry) and there can be a few more, less important groups (car industry, insurance industry).
Nevertheless as the poll shows, ETers think that the 2 most powerful ones are the Israeli and the oil industry lobby. Actually those were my guesses too.
P.S.: For extra fun put the year 2004 in and you can see AARP didn't even make the top 20!
They probably just FORGOT to lobby...
I guess in the next year they had to pay extra to bring themselves to par at least...
P.P.S; Before you check, AARP didn't make the top 20 in the years of '98,'99,2000-2002, 2004. But thanks for using selected data, you were an excellent example how not to use statistics...
(Let's suppose you are looking for trading talent. You take the guy with 1 good year, or the other one with a 7 years consecutive decent returns?)
But I agree, money is not everything. Religious right has the same power over Washington like AARP, although they might not contribute as much money as other lobby groups.
I left out at least 3 important groups from the poll (AARP, Religious right, Healthcare industry) and there can be a few more, less important groups (car industry, insurance industry).
Nevertheless as the poll shows, ETers think that the 2 most powerful ones are the Israeli and the oil industry lobby. Actually those were my guesses too.
P.S.: For extra fun put the year 2004 in and you can see AARP didn't even make the top 20!
They probably just FORGOT to lobby...
I guess in the next year they had to pay extra to bring themselves to par at least...
P.P.S; Before you check, AARP didn't make the top 20 in the years of '98,'99,2000-2002, 2004. But thanks for using selected data, you were an excellent example how not to use statistics...
The lobby money is hard money, measurable.
What the oil companies and Israel does to lobby is different.
Political favors and promises down the road are much more valuable than cash up front.
Israel's power also comes from wealthy Jewish donations and other campaign finance methods, favorable press, etc., and the fear of that money being pulled or going to other candidates.
Reagan and Clinton were not a whores to the oil companies or the Arabs, while Bush is, and the price of oil and profits to oil business reflects that during their tenure.
What the oil companies and Israel does to lobby is different.
Political favors and promises down the road are much more valuable than cash up front.
Israel's power also comes from wealthy Jewish donations and other campaign finance methods, favorable press, etc., and the fear of that money being pulled or going to other candidates.
Reagan and Clinton were not a whores to the oil companies or the Arabs, while Bush is, and the price of oil and profits to oil business reflects that during their tenure.
Quote from Pekelo:
We both used the same website, but you used 1 year's data, I used a 7 years period. Go figure which one is more valid.
(Let's suppose you are looking for trading talent. You take the guy with 1 good year, or the other one with a 7 years consecutive decent returns?)
But I agree, money is not everything. Religious right has the same power over Washington like AARP, although they might not contribute as much money as other lobby groups.
I left out at least 3 important groups from the poll (AARP, Religious right, Healthcare industry) and there can be a few more, less important groups (car industry, insurance industry).
Nevertheless as the poll shows, ETers think that the 2 most powerful ones are the Israeli and the oil industry lobby. Actually those were my guesses too.
P.S.: For extra fun put the year 2004 in and you can see AARP didn't even make the top 20!
P.P.S; Before you check, AARP didn't make the top 20 in the years of '98,'99,2000-2002, 2004. But thanks for using selected data, you were an excellent example how not to use statistics...
They probably just FORGOT to lobby...
I guess in the next year they had to pay extra to bring themselves to par at least...