Bennett’s Haul—Just the Beginning!
Clearly, Sen. Bob Bennett has been in office for a very long time. Consider these contributions to his 2010 re-election campaign from corporate and individual special interests (selected from www.opensecrets.org):
oil and gas, $116,650;
waste management (nuclear), $51,900;
securities and investments, $233,850;
commercial banks, $130,725;
finance/credit companies, $61,900;
insurance, $182,700;
food processing and sales, $28,900;
defense aerospace, $39,000;
defense electronics, $16,000;
health services/HMOs, $17,750;
pharmaceuticals/health products, $104,044;
telecommunication services and equipment, $815,250;
lawyers/law firms, $110,900;
lobbyists, $157,186;
automotive, $16,997;
chemical and related manufacturing, $11,200.
Given all this special-interest support, it seems Bennett does not serve his constituents.
Bennett shows no shame. It must be nice to receive a salary of $174,000 per year, and have the government pay 75 percent of his health care costs for life — both bankrolled by “We the People” taxpayers. Most of us, including retirees, can barely make ends meet, and many are without an adequate health care program, or none at all.
George J. Mierisch
Salt Lake City
