The Sad and Thoroughly Disgusting Story of How the Medicare Drug Bill was Passed

Right down to forming bogus "non-profits" who financed dirty campaigns which ousted congressmen who were against it, coincidentally giving the Senate to the Republicans and promoting Tom DeLay to house speaker.

Featuring: the fingerprints of lobbyists such as Abramoff.

Like this lady, Susan Hirschmann.

Washington Monthly: Poison Pill - Barbara T. Dreyfuss:

"It’s well known that in his crusade to pass the bill, DeLay drew on more than 800 pharmaceutical-industry lobbyists, millions of dollars in campaign contributions, and the efforts of numerous business and healthcare groups. But this grossly flawed legislation could never have passed without the help of the same players who were central to Abramoff’s lobbying operation: Tony Rudy and Ed Buckham. Using a nest of nonprofits flush with corporate cash, the discredited lobbyists played a vital, albeit hidden, role in whittling down congressional opposition to the bill for more than a year before the final vote. In particular, Alexander Strategy made use of three senior nonprofit groups—the United Seniors Association, the Seniors Coalition and 60 Plus—and a Christian evangelical group, America 21, which were all funded heavily by the pharmaceutical industry. This is the story of how this shadowy network helped saddle the American public with the Medicare drug bill—the biggest, most important piece of policy in which the dubious talents of Abramoff’s acolytes were brought to bear."