White House Deal With Big Pharma Undermines Democracy: Robert Reich

wallstreetpit.com:

Last week, after being reported in the Los Angeles Times, the White House confirmed it has promised Big Pharma that any healthcare legislation will bar the government from using its huge purchasing power to negotiate lower drug prices. That's basically the same deal George W. Bush struck in getting the Medicare drug benefit, and it's proven a bonanza for the drug industry. A continuation will be an even larger bonanza, given all the Boomers who will be enrolling in Medicare over the next decade. And it will be a gold mine if the deal extends to Medicaid, which will be expanded under most versions of the healthcare bills now emerging from Congress, and to any public option that might be included. (We don't know how far the deal extends beyond Medicare because its details haven't been made public.)

Read the whole story: wallstreetpit.com

Comments

[Chrisle]

Big mistake, Congressman are safe because of gerrymandering and have been bought by their campaign contributors (especially Senators). The words "America" and "democracy" should never appear in the same sentence unless accompanied by "no", "none" and/or "not".

[Ozarks]

Yep, who knows what other deals are in the making. Right now Baucus' Finance Committee delay caused by no other than Baucus and Grassley it allowing this fiasco at "town meetings" to occur. Looks to me like they should $..hitcan this whole "Co-opt" this Pharmacy ripoff deal that is developing. Lets get names of both Republicans, Blue Dog democrats and Rahm positions: retrench, get rid of as many of these bozo's as we can in 2010 and go for single payer plan after the 2010 elections. Just eliminate private insurance company health care.

[RTIII]

Yes, but no; no reason to legislate the insurance companies out of business - let them shift to selling secondary insurance - you know, "but I want infinite length hospital stays", "I want double the maternity leave," I want this treatment that probably won't work and has only been tested on a dog to try and save my skin from a rash." Etc.
.

[loki]

I do have to admit I do find it amusing that the republicans who spent over a decade ripping anything and everything Mr. Reich said, are not patting him on the back and agreeing.

[Bademus]

"Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good."

I don't like this big Pharma deal, but let's see where the $80 billion in cost reductions reside.

[ranch111]

Undermining democracy? And I thought he was just playing an excellent game of chess. Let's call it what it is: Corporate Fascism.

[EminemsRevenge]

And LET'S go to the endgame---TRAIN the Obamacare administrators @ Wal-mart...NO WAY WE should give up our 'scripts to the pharmies!!!

[RTIII]

Yes, it is exactly that; fascism. Nice to see someone use the term properly for a change!

And too bad it's the appropriate phrase. -frown-

.

[citizensrus]

I think this article is vital reading. I wish I knew how to sum the article up to reach those who don't read it.

"There are dangerous currents running through America's politics and the way we confront them is crucial."

http://www.alternet.org/politics/141819/fascist_america:_we're_almost_there/?page=entire

[citizensrus]

Sorry, this was intended for the Gabrielle Giffords story about the gun.

[JackRusselTerrier]

This makes me think of the health care debate / negotiations


I heard this story when I was a child...

Once upon a time a mouse came to a river that he could not cross. A snake came by and said to the mouse "Jump on my back I'll carry you."

The mouse said "No way, you'll eat me. "

"No I won't" said the snake "I promise."

"You're lying." said the mouse "You're not going to take me across the river - you're going to eat me the first chance you get."

"On my life," said the snake "I will carry you across the river - I just ate I'm not even hungry."

"OK" said the mouse and he jumped on the snakes back.

The snake ferried the mouse across the river, but as soon as they reached the other side, the snake turned on the mouse. "Wait! Wait!" said the mouse "You said you wouldn't eat me"

"I got hungry again. I'm a snake. That is what do - I eat mice."

end of story

[JackRusselTerrier]

In case your wondering...Big pharma is the snake.

[Kiri sute gomen]

This same logical fallacy can applied to any circumstance, doe not mean it is valid.

[BetterDeadThanRed09]

Another epic missed opportunity,I simply can't stand to watch the Democrats throw away an opportunity for real change. With the way things are going, Democratic candidates are going to pay for the lies and carelessness and corruption of this administration for God knows how long. Trust will be shattered. The Obama administration, the Congressional leadership and various members of Congress have confirmed what the American people feared for a long time now -- that both parties, on the whole, are liars, sell outs and there's not a whole lot of difference between them. We worked for the last four years (at least) against that meme. After all of this is exposed and becomes widely known, who is going to give the benefit of the doubt to the Democrats again?

After 9-/-1-1, I was so furious and depressed at Bush for not taking advantage of the unprecedented good will toward this country and using it to do something good for this world, and instead using it to destroy this country and so many lives around the world. Now I'm watching Obama throw away another unprecedented opportunity to set things straight in this country and also use the good will he has been shown from around the world for great works. He had everything he needed in terms of timing, support and power. What he lacked -- I'm not entirely sure yet. One thing I am sure of is that opportunities like this don't come along very often.

[who38]

I agree. I hope that a number of political groups will form to take advantage of the floundering Republican and Democratic parties and provide an alternative to the oligarchs who currently run the government.

[BetterDeadThanRed09]

You're absolutely right,you're fanned.

[TJCole]

Reich is right, and that's why we must end Corporate "Personhood!"

Thom Hartman: on Corporate "Personhood" and what's coming in September at the Supreme Court, to make things even worse...!

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/07/06-0

[KeysDan]

Dr. Reich, Why are the Democrats tackling Medicare at this time? It would seem that the key issue is to extend health care coverage to those under 65 years of age; certainly, as we see, that alone puts a lot on the table. The issue of Medicare need not be dealt with in tandem with other aspects of health care reform. Indeed, most of Medicare matters can be dealt with by regulation and policy changes. Actually, that is happening anyway---and doing so, creates political perils from old timers that otherwise would not exist. Also, the reactionaries would have less fear to exploit in this population, such as death panels.

[who38]

Because Orszag (sp) is into cost effective services. Paying big money for medical services for the aged is not cost effective.

[GardenerNorCal]

Mr. Reich I love you! You are a clear voice in a world of discordant noise.

Personally I don't think we need more ads by big Pharma. I am sick of the ones we are forced to view everyday, and I remember a time when they were non-existant. Perhaps if they weren't spending such a large portion of their budgets on advertising we could get drugs for what they cost in Canada, Cuba or Mexico?

Medicare patients shouldn't have to buy supplemental insurance plans, they should be covered as should every American.

We hear a lot from the republicans about death taxes....the state of health care is the real death tax, most poor individuals have to liquidate all assets in order to receive health care when they are elderly . If the rich were taxed on their inheritances and capital gains they would still be rich and we could walk into a doctor's office without being ask first if we had insurance before anyone even asks what's wrong.

[who38]

Many of us have to pay fees for Part B of Medicare in addition to our supplemental insurance plans. But you are correct, these constitute a death tax for many, as does the non-user friendly Part D of Medicare.

[RTIII]

"I am sick of the ones we are forced to view everyday, and I remember a time when they were non-existant. "

I am not forced to watch the ads - why are you? OH! You feel forced to _watch_TV!_

Try turning it off for a change! I don't even _have_ a working TV!
.

[research]

We should have MoveOn buy us people some rights.

[marxmarv]

We can't afford 'em. Corporations seem to have a monopoly on them, with the attendant high prices.

[research]

No kidding, we just gave them 24T$ in bankster bailouts. They have all our money and our debt.

[gobarackgo]

Headline on recent Hu.f.fpo article: 'Top Insurance Lobbyist: Dem "Vilification" Could Kill Reform'

Guess what.

Dem vilification of Obama could kill reform, too.

[MontereyDean]

Guess what else.

Obama's not keeping his campaign pledges could be an even bigger problem.

[ThanksMatt]

Exactly. Didn't Obama warn that Dems have a special ability to screw if they WIN...

[ThanksMatt]

Yes, democracy is in a bad shape due to financial powers.

However I don't think this is the end of the story. Obama will find ways to curb lobbyists etc..

He has so many important tasks to tackle and achieved so much in only 7 months, I think we should have some patience to see how he proceeds.

After all he is by far the better politician than I am and he has an extraordinary good sense when and how to get things done.

Sure enough we have to remain alert - but I don't think premature conclusions are wise at this point of time.

[JackRusselTerrier]

The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

[who38]

Last month, I might have believed that. Not true now.

[gobarackgo]

Well said!

[marxmarv]

What, exactly, about the past seven months indicates to you that he's interested in curbing lobbyists? The curious alignment of aims with his campaign donors has at the very least the appearance of impropriety.

[lynettema]

PO has said that Congress is open to confronting Pharma.

[who38]

Congress confronting anyone? That would be a change to believe in.