more proof of worst president ever

The existing law not only doesn't require that Medicaire negotiate prices with the drug companies; it actually prohibits them from doing so. This is outrageous- imagine the outcry, for instance, if the new defense spending bill prohibited the Pentagon from negotiating the best price when they buy aircraft from Boeing. There is absolutely no possible rationale for this rule- except for the fact that it was written by drug company lobbyists. This points to the bigger picture- the overriding illness with our system of government, where everything is driven by money and lobbyists rule. In the case of prescription drug prices, the poor and elderly pay the price while Pfizer reaps the rewards.

And seriously, do we really need any more proof of "worst president ever"?

 

So, let me guess.. you libs are all for Hillarys Socialised Medical Program......

 

Not just the Drug Lobby.

The banking lobby wrote the new bankruptcy legislation.

The the Oil/Auto industry had what they wanted the way they wanted it put in the Energy Bill.

Worst Administration ever? Get's my vote. (The ONLY vote they've gotten from me.)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Apr 2 2007, 01:56 PM) [snapback]416560[/snapback]</div>

You are NOT telling the truth here.

Add a line about Defense contractors and another about fundamentalist Christian extremists, THEN you'll be telling the truth.

 

ah money and politics *do* mix ...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(desynch @ Apr 2 2007, 02:41 PM) [snapback]416548[/snapback]</div>

No, they're for proper punctuation and using spellcheck.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stev0 @ Apr 2 2007, 03:00 PM) [snapback]416568[/snapback]</div>

Mea Culpa. Every lobbyist and major contributor seems to get their red pencil out and play lawmaker.

No bid contracts.

Privatization.

There is a long laundry list.

 

methinks the drug companies are getting nervous, what with the huge layoffs and plant closures. i haven't been keeping up with all of this, but i do know that at least at pfizer a couple major brand name drugs are about coming up on patent expiration, with a pretty big failure late in the development game knocking out a potential new source of revenue.

anything they can do to keep the income going, they'll take it. of course. it's business

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Apr 2 2007, 02:46 PM) [snapback]416554[/snapback]</div>

So it's ok for a bunch of liberals to blame Bush for this - yet their answer to health care is to create a Socialized plan... and I can't critisize that?

The influence of the drug companies is apparent in this instance. The lobbying power they have is obviously an issue... but leave it to a liberal to lay the blame directly on Bush.

Wiki:
"According to The Wall Street Journal, as of April 18, 2006, a total of 26.5 million people were benefiting from the Medicare Part D program. Conflicting numbers were released by the government on April 28, 2006 claiming that there were 13.9 million enrollees in Medicare prescription drug plans.[4] The primary private insurance plans were UnitedHealth with 3.8 million subscribers, or 27 percent of the total, Humana with 2.4 million, or 18 percent, and WellPoint with 1 million, or 7 percent. Companies with the next largest shares were MemberHealth, with 924,100 subscribers (7 percent); WellCare Health Plans, with 849,700 (6 percent); and Coventry Health Care, with 596,100 (4 percent).

...this standard benefit requires payment of a $265 deductible. The beneficiary then pays 25% of the cost of a covered Part D prescription drug up to an initial coverage limit of $2400."

Doesn't seem all that bad to me, reglardless of how much the drug companies are profiting.. they are after all, saving YOUR LIFE.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ Apr 2 2007, 03:15 PM) [snapback]416581[/snapback]</div>

Wow Pinto Girl, you're linguistic skills are unfathomable for a person like me..

 

Nixon seemed like the worst president ever. Until Reagan, who did stuff even Nixon would not have dared to do, and established himself as the worst president ever. The shrub has surpassed them both and now holds the title of worst president ever.

Do you see the pattern?

Presidents are getting worse and worse. I would hate to be young today. Today's kids are going to suffer under some presidents who will make the shrub look like a forward-thinking defender of personal liberties.

I blame the voters' willingness to vote for incompetent megalomaniacs merely on the grounds that the other guy is more incompetent and more of a megalomaniac.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(desynch @ Apr 2 2007, 04:59 PM) [snapback]416608[/snapback]</div>

No, I lay it on Bush AND his toadies in Congress. The Dems attempted to put a provision in the bill that said negotiations for prices were necessary and would happen, but Bush said that he would veto the bill if they did it.

If not blaming Bush and the Repub congress for being on the payroll of the pharmaceutical companies, then who? Just curious.

CritiCize socialized medicine if you want, even if it's totally off-topic to the discussion at hand. The poster referred to the fact that we--our government--cannot negotiate prices with pharmaceutical companies under Plan D. Absolutely ridiculous, and has nothing to do with forwarding the idea of socialized medicine.

People on both sides of the aisle agree that Part D, while intended for good and certainly being used by folks who need it, has some serious issues that need to be addressed. However, it's just not high on the list of f-ups to fix. IMHO.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ Apr 2 2007, 04:15 PM) [snapback]416581[/snapback]</div>

Glad to see you back! Fun new pic!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Apr 2 2007, 05:18 PM) [snapback]416622[/snapback]</div>

Should that come to pass, I will move to another country for sure. No- I take that back. I would build an escape pod and leave the earth, as nowhere on this planet would be safe.

 

I've got relatives in Germany.

I've got friends in Guatemala.

They speak English in Canada. (And with Global Warming Canada is going to become more and more temperate. And they could service my Prius there.

Hmmm. I could drive to Vancouver. Maybe I should check my "points".

 

Desynch,

You aren't even criticizing socialized medicine - just calling it "crap." Useless argument. You might be ok with a government that sells out its citizens - but people in touch with reality (IE the crap that goes in politics) are not.

So-called modern-day conservatives are against big government until it becomes a feeding stye for them.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(etyler88 @ Apr 2 2007, 10:40 AM) [snapback]416391[/snapback]</div>

The surprise are the legions of conservative sheeple who continue to welcome his incompetence with open arms, including people who are open minded enough to buy priuses.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(desynch @ Apr 2 2007, 03:59 PM) [snapback]416608[/snapback]</div>

no, the connection to bush lies in the whole "he's gonna veto a bill allowing negotiation" part. you fail to see critical link in chain of argument.

you're willing to pay anything when there's a promise made like that. make me a drug that cures my husband's chronic pain and i'll sell you everything but my soul for it. however, that just feeds into the corporations sucking money straight out of the pockets of the people.

given the bargaining power of a contract with the u.s. freakin' government, you'd think no matter what big pharma's going to get a hell of a lot of money. but to just let them name their price? you've gotta be kidding. we're spending more tax money than we need to, we're spending more consumer money than we need to. when all we need to do is shove the greed urge back down a LITTLE BIT on these guys and let them take a lower profit.

because paying 25% of $2500 a year isn't quite the same as paying 25% of $1500 on the consumer, and because paying 75% of $2500 is much crappier than paying 75% of $1500 from MY taxes, thankyouverymuch.