Gingrich think tank collected millions from health-care industry ($37 million & MANDATE)

Wapo ^ | 11/18/11 | Dan Eggen

[Fred]

A think tank founded by GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich collected at least $37 million over the past eight years from major health-care companies and industry groups, offering special access to the former House speaker and other perks, according to records and interviews.

The Center for Health Transformation, which opened in 2003, brought in dues of as much as $200,000 per year from insurers and other health-care firms, offering some of them “access to Newt Gingrich” and “direct Newt interaction,” according to promotional materials. The biggest funders, including firms such as AstraZeneca, Blue Cross Blue Shield and Novo Nordisk, were also eligible to receive discounts on “products and workshops” from other Gingrich groups.

The health center advocated, among other things, requiring that “anyone who earns more than $50,000 a year must purchase health insurance or post a bond,” a type of insurance mandate that has since become anathema to conservatives.

[org.whodat]

Take icky perry off the list and I agree, the are all better than the bought and paid for rinos.

[9YearLurker]

Sorry, pal, but I’m not the one being duped. There is a distinction between acting as a registered lobbyist and lobbying for ideas to influence a group of people.

The latter as relates to Congress and the public is clearly a lot of what Gingrich was paid millions and millions of dollars over the years to do.

No, it wasn’t illegal, as most of the way Washington works isn’t. But it is worthy of reporting and it does tie into how voters should consider him as a “conservative” presidential candidate. I.e., if he actively promoted essentially many of the ideas and key concepts and policies embodied in Obamacare, that is worth knowing if you are to assess his ability to campaign against Obamacare in a general election.

[Mr. Fabtastic]

Though it's early in the day, I'll give odds on you winning ‘ignorant comment of the day award’ by saying that Cain is simply out to sell books. Your sarcastic knocks against him (he's a ladies man) are right out of an Alinsky playbook. Look at his resume and life story. Compare how your life stacks up to his and then go into the bathroom, lock the door, and have a good cry. We get a great American man to put himself out there and try to actually do something to help this declining society and he gets cheap shots from ‘conservatives’ like you? Please. Oh, yeah...B.C sucks by the way. I hear they have a few high school teams on the schedule next year. And they're getting points. Have a great day.

[Gritty]

Every single one of our candidates is fatally flawed and either hopelessly crooked, a sex fiend, a gaffe machine, a crazy religious nut, or hopelesslessly right wing. We simply have nobody who could possibly be better for this country than Barack Obama.

I think we should just forget about 2012 and work on recruiting Jesus for 2016! /s/

[ecomcon]

Hell, he was on tv beating up Clinton 12 years on health care before Romney or Gingrich were advocating government health care. Yep. He’s the one without understanding.

---

BOOM. Well said.

[LomanBill]

A think tank is a private group which hires itself out to anyone who wants to pay for it’s advice.

Sort of like what a prostitute does?

 

It is incumbent upon the honorable craftsman to be aware

of whether or not his services are being used

as a means to accomplish evil ends -

and to act (or NOT) accordingly.

Veritas Honor!

[CAluvdubya]

Thanks for the info.

Hey, what are you doing up so early?

[Recovering_Democrat]

Folks, a lot of people thought a mandate was a good idea. Upon reflection, they realize it was and is not workable for a national plan. I think people can change their views without being John Kerry. Kerry sits on the perch of a central government, and constantly promoted policies that put federal requirements over states and citizens.

Newt was working in a think tank, trying to make reasonable proposals.

Conservatives ought to be able to make thoughtful differentiations between positions. We ARE smarter than liberals, after all.

[b9]

Mornin’!

Just troll trackin’.

What’re YOU doing up so early?

LOL

[Timber Rattler]

What you may not have noticed is that we do not debate the relative (de)merits of Democrats, but of Republicans. If you do not understand why, then you need a little more time on site.

I think you need to go back and read what the Boss has said about the site's mission:

One more time: FR's God-given Life & Liberty constitutional conservative activism agenda!!

[RockinRight]

Newt has some things in his past that I’m not comfortable with, but for the most part it was AFTER he was out of Congress.

However, his record as Speaker was better than most of the other candidates’ records in office, and, he did have a 4 year balanced budget, welfare reform, and more.

That record is why I’m giving him a look now.

The consulting fees “look bad” - but - do we know the details of what they advocated, and why?

I do want an explanation from Newt on the healthcare mandate thing. Even if he simply claims he “changed his mind” he should back that up.

However, when you consider the alternatives, he might be just the right man at the right time.

Cain - still my #1 but I’m not as committed. He’s an inspirational guy, very smart, a fabulous success story, and someone I’d love to have over for dinner to talk politics. However, as much as I love the guy, his response to the (fake) allegations makes me wonder how effective of a campaign and/or Presidency he’ll be able to run. As of today, he’d still get my primary vote, but that’s not as solid as it once was.

Santorum - socially conservative, fiscally good, has a blue-collar appeal that could be a net benefit, but the guy lost his last election by almost 20 pts, and he comes across as too “nice” of a guy, and when he tries to be more firm, it looks fake.

Perry - a good governor and overall decent man. He doesn’t come across well though. His plans for his campaign sound great, but, seem to come across as the last desperate effort to regain support. While I think he’d do well as President, I don’t think he can beat Obama, because he basically proves the left’s point that “Republicans are stupid”. He basically participates in the “politics of SELF-destruction.” I don’t think he *is* stupid, but he can’t conduct himself well enough to come across as intelligent.

Romney - no explanation needed.

Wrong Paul - Pulleeeze. He’d probably call up Ahmadinejad
and give him our nuke codes himself.

Bachmann - she’s quickly becoming what the Left says she is, and she’s doing it to herself. To think at one time I was going to vote for her.

Huntsman - Yeah...sure...the guy’s picture should be next to the word “douchebag” in the dictionary.

Newt may win this by default, and, if we hold his feet to the fire, I think he’ll do just fine as President. Also, since he is legitimately brilliant, he destroys the “Republicans are stupid” argument the Left always throws at the GOP candidate.

[MNJohnnie]

Find it odd how when the Newt ping-list keepers were spending 24-7 trash talking Cain, no one said a word to them about “destroying our own”.

Funny how this new “speak no evil” standard only seems to be applied when Newt is the one on the hot seat.

[MNJohnnie]

Find it odd how when the Newt ping-list keepers were spending 24-7 trash talking Cain, no one said a word to them about “destroying our own”.

Funny how this new “speak no evil” standard only seems to be applied when Newt is the one on the hot seat.

[MNJohnnie]

Find it odd how when the Newt ping-list keepers were spending 24-7 trash talking Cain, no one said a word to them about “destroying our own”.

Funny how this new “speak no evil” standard only seems to be applied when Newt is the one on the hot seat.

[MNJohnnie]

Funny how this new “speak no evil” standard only seems to be applied when Newt is the one on the hot seat.

The stench of hypocrisy wafting off your posts is quite potent.

[b9]

Spam a lot?

[MNJohnnie]

Find it odd how when the Newt ping-list keepers were spending 24-7 trash talking Cain, no one said a word to them about “destroying our own”.

Funny how this new “speak no evil” standard only seems to be applied when Newt is the one on the hot seat.

[MNJohnnie]

Find it odd how when the Newt ping-list keepers were spending 24-7 trash talking Cain, no one said a word to them about “destroying our own”.

Funny how this new “speak no evil” standard only seems to be applied when Newt is the one on the hot seat.

[MNJohnnie]

You don’t get to demand one standard for your candidate while you are busy applying a completely different one to all the others. As long as you insist on doing that, it is impossible to take anything the Newt-bot squad posts seriously.

[shield]

Contract With America: The Betrayal Begins

Creating a New Civilization: The Politics of the Third Wave

Newt Gingrich Rides the Third Wave

"In 1994, Newt Gingrich described himself as a... fan of the ideas espoused in the book, The Third Wave by Alvin Toffler, in which homosexuality, promiscuity, adultery, divorce, and abortion are all viewed as perfectly normal and even desirable. He said that in order to understand him, you should read the book, The Third Wave by Toffler. This book is written from the perspective of someone who is writing a letter to America’s Founding Fathers, in which he describes the Constitution and the principles of limited government that guided our Founding Fathers as becoming increasing irrelevant, and obsolete, and hence in need of being radically redesigned and replaced!....When Newt Gingrich became the Speaker of the House in 1994, he recommended The Third Wave as required reading for all of his Congressional colleagues!"

‘Newt’worthy or Not?

Newt: Too Green for 2012

Reminder: Newt Gingrich Teamed Up With Hillary Clinton, Wanted Government MANDATED Health Care

Flashback: Newt Took $300,000 [actually, it is 1.6 million] From Freddie Mac to Stop Congress From Making Much Needed Reform

Newt's record is as bad if not worse than Romney.

Newt is for amnesty and in June 2011 Debate Newt Gingrich called Americans Heartless for wanting to deport 20 million illegals.

"GINGRICH: No, but let me say this, John. No serious citizen who's concerned about solving this problem should get trapped into a yes/no answer in which you're either for totally selling out protecting America or you're for totally kicking out 20 million people in a heartless way. There are -- there are humane, practical steps to solve this problem, if we can get the politicians and the news media to just deal with it honestly."June 2011 Debate Transcript