President Obama’s health reform law forced health insurance companies to largely stop canceling medical coverage to patients after being diagnosed with a disease. Rescissions, as they are known, allowed insurers to cancel individual market policies by finding spelling errors or minor mistakes in coverage applications as an excuse to halt treatment for patients. An investigation
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Turn on the television in southwest Michigan this week, and you might see an ad from the Michigan Chamber of Commerce praising Congressman Fred Upton (R), who now locked in a contentious primary election with former State Representative Jack Hoogendyk (R). The narrator thanks Upton for “creating jobs” with lower taxes and less regulations. View
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The ways in which industry advances a policy agenda are multifaceted, and often extend far beyond the realm of traditional “inside lobbying.” To influence policymakers, industry will often try to manipulate public opinion. In the case of greenhouse gas pollution, industry has taken to new levels of influence peddling to suppress the science of global
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Drones are mainly associated with the Predator airships that patrol the Afghanistan sky. But thanks to a bipartisan vote last week, the public can expect 30,000 domestic drones flying over the United States in the next eight years. The dramatic change in policy, which has raised concerns with everyone from civil liberties groups like the
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  At the Republic Report, we’ve covered how President Obama’s former communications director, Anita Dunn, swung through the revolving door and now works for corporate interests, advising lobbying campaigns against many of Obama’s top priorities. Although Dunn is no longer working for the Obama administration, she continues to visit the White House regularly and her
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Last week, the drone lobby won perhaps one of its most important legislative victories. The Federal Aviation Authority funding bill contained a provision that opens up America’s skies to domestic drones. The expansion will allow both commercial and law enforcement groups to begin using drones throughout the United States. According to the agency, within eight
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The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a lobbying federation that behaves like a super PAC in terms of how much it spends on ads and get out the vote efforts, recently launched a $10 millionelection ad blitz. The Chamber’s ad campaign includes a thirty second television spot that praises Congressman Sean Duffy (R-WI). Only one month
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The Atlanta Constitution-Journal reported yesterday that many corporate lobbyists in Georgia have flouted the already weak ethics laws in the state. There is no limit on the amount lobbyists can spend on travel and events for lawmakers, and the rules only mandate disclosure. However, since the disclosure rules do not require receipts or any documentation,
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