Impeding changes to our Health Care system

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by jinx

Seems like that needs to be reformed. Makes more sense to start there than worrying about the administrative cost of private insurance companies. Certainly more money to be saved there.

The only way to do that is vote their asses out, but that won't happen because the more seniority them have, the more pork they can bring home to their district. Screw the country, it's all about meeeeee, on another level.

Back off??? They're not fighting it - they are all freaking for it. They're pushing for it. They obviously want to make even more money, and know they will.

Don't you think they brought the threat of fighting it to the table? Why else would they be offered the price of only 80 billion?

[jinx]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

The only way to do that is vote their asses out

We did vote their asses out when it was a conflict of interest with oil companies and Haliburton and look where it got us. Why not try something more effective like restricting conflicts of interest with laws and shit? No one HAS to run for office...

Don't you think they brought the threat of fighting it to the table? Why else would they be offered the price of only 80 billion?

No I don't.
Maybe they own more than congress.

LA Times article

Reporting from Washington - As a candidate for president, Barack Obama lambasted drug companies and the influence they wielded in Washington. He even ran a television ad targeting the industry's chief lobbyist, former Louisiana congressman Billy Tauzin, and the role Tauzin played in preventing Medicare from negotiating for lower drug prices.

Since the election, Tauzin has morphed into the president's partner. He has been invited to the White House half a dozen times in recent months. There, he says, he eventually secured an agreement that the administration wouldn't try to overturn the very Medicare drug policy that Obama had criticized on the campaign trail.

"The White House blessed it," Tauzin said.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by jinx

Back off??? They're not fighting it - they are all freaking for it. They're pushing for it. They obviously want to make even more money, and know they will.

Absolutely! That is why they made the non-tranparent back door deals with the White House.

[xoxoxoBruce]

If it's a "non-tranparent back door deal", how come everybody knew, and commented, about it?

[jinx]

That's right, the other team is fucking everything up.... sigh.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Your words, not mine.

[Radar]

I'm disgusted at the fact that Obama doesn't say, "This health care reform will happen and it will have a public option whether Republicans like it or not."

and the fact that he has made a deal with the pharmaceutical companies not to negotiate lower prices for drugs or import drugs from Canada. The whole point is to lower costs and use greater buying power as a way to do it.


I know someone with lung cancer and his meds are over 15 thousand dollars a month. That's insane. The drugs do not cost a hundred thousandth of that to produce. I see putting drugs that can save lives out of the price range of people as an affront to humanity and a disgusting display of profiteering on the human suffering.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Radar

I'm disgusted at the fact that Obama doesn't say, "This health care reform will happen and it will have a public option whether Republicans like it or not."

I agree with you 100%, he's let the soccer hooligans cause too many distractions from the business at hand. Git r dun.

and the fact that he has made a deal with the pharmaceutical companies not to negotiate lower prices for drugs or import drugs from Canada. The whole point is to lower costs and use greater buying power as a way to do it.

True, but regardless what he promised them he'd recommend, he doesn't write the bill or pass it. It's still on congress to do this thing... plus it can be changed in the future.

The drugs do not cost a hundred thousandth of that to produce.

No, but they do cost a fortune to develop, with lots that never make it to market or have a small demand that will never recoup their investment.
That said, their bottom lines are enormous, even after the fortunes they spend on bribing... uh, I mean educating, doctors and politicians.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

uh, I mean educating, doctors and politicians.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

True, but regardless what he promised them he'd recommend, he doesn't write the bill or pass it. It's still on congress to do this thing... plus it can be changed in the future.

So basically he is selling a lie to the American public who is un-insured or under insured. That is fucking BS. If the president stands up and makes the promise then the Congress who happens to be his party in power should at least try to make it happen. If not then Obama is a figure head and deserves not a nod in approval for anything he spouts off as support of a fix for this fucked up economy, or for that matter the system of healthcare. As I have said repeatedly, Obama matters very little, Pelosi and Reid are in charge and deserve all of our angst if this reform is a massive failure dominated by back door deals for the big Pharm industry or Insurance industry. And the failure of Congress to make changes and do it right is solely their responsibility. The voters will remember.

[xoxoxoBruce]

No, he's not selling a lie, he's trying to get this done. But the fact remains it's congress that has to do the job.
And there's a bunch in congress that were there long before Obama came on the political scene, and will be there long after he's gone. They keep getting reelected for what they can do for the homeboys.

[dar512]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

No, he's not selling a lie, he's trying to get this done. But the fact remains it's congress that has to do the job.
And there's a bunch in congress that were there long before Obama came on the political scene, and will be there long after he's gone. They keep getting reelected for what they can do for the homeboys.

Excellent argument for term limits.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

No, he's not selling a lie, he's trying to get this done. But the fact remains it's congress that has to do the job.

We can agree on that much. The Demoncrats own this one. I am interested to see if they can get it done. I support reform.

And there's a bunch in congress that were there long before Obama came on the political scene, and will be there long after he's gone. They keep getting reelected for what they can do for the homeboys.

Here, here....

[sugarpop]

Originally Posted by Radar

I'm disgusted at the fact that Obama doesn't say, "This health care reform will happen and it will have a public option whether Republicans like it or not."

and the fact that he has made a deal with the pharmaceutical companies not to negotiate lower prices for drugs or import drugs from Canada. The whole point is to lower costs and use greater buying power as a way to do it.


I know someone with lung cancer and his meds are over 15 thousand dollars a month. That's insane. The drugs do not cost a hundred thousandth of that to produce. I see putting drugs that can save lives out of the price range of people as an affront to humanity and a disgusting display of profiteering on the human suffering.

I agree. I am MORE than disgusted that he made deals with big pharma, and I am MORE than disgusted that he is caving on other things as well. He hasn't stood up to republicans the way he should either. HE WON. THEY LOST. But he is allowing them to decide the debate of what gets in the bill? It is sickening.

[ZenGum]

"I don't care if the project is viable. I'm getting you the money, and you damn well better spend it."

I've seen this quote attributed to some US senator, speaking to a civil engineer.

It is much the same the world over, I think.

ETA: cellar cookie jar just threw up this:
"If Patrick Henry thought that taxation without representation was bad, he should see how bad it is with representation."