There's no clear-cut line between compromise to achieve a solution and compromise to satisfy a source of funds. Take the Reagan agenda. There were lots of things I didn't want Reagan to accomplish. All of the environmental things that he wanted to do were opposed by environmental organizations. A number of the social policy things were opposed by the Children's Defense Fund, the Child Welfare League.
Health care is the big issue here . . . .
The special interests have all weighed in - for it, against it, modify it. I think they will, not through the money they've given to candidates, but the money they've spent trying to influence public opinion has probably been more effectively spent . . . . The best lobbying is those lobbyists who have grass-roots involvement in a member's district, where members are contacted by people that they know, in large numbers, in a timely way. First BFI tried to use persuasion. I'm sure BFI contributed to me - and to them.