Congratulations America!

[rightwinger]

We (the majority of voters R's, D's and I's) put Obama into office in hopes of changing the way Washington works. The centerpiece of his campaign? Healthcare reform. While almost none of us can agree on exactly HOW to do it, the majority of us agree that reform would be a good thing. Based on how things are now looking, the best possible option for a bill will be so watered down, that it will not be worth the price tag.
I blame ALL of us. WE put these people (Congress) into office to work for and represent us. Instead, they are STILL catering to special interest groups and those who line their pockets during election time. The move to disallow importation of foreign made drugs was the last straw. Obama campaigned strongly on allowing this to happen as it could save American citizens upwards of $100,000,000.00 annually. Obama folded as did a majority of Congress.
IF our elected officials are only going to do what the private sector wants, can someone explain to me why we need a public entity government in the first place? Why not simply follow the premise of "War, Inc.". I believe we are closer to that already than even I care to admit.

<climbs down from soap box>

From what I can see, the existing bill is a Christmas gift to the Insurance Industry. It mandates coverage and does not provide any incentive for Insurance companies to hold down costs. Pharmacy imports is out. Pre-existing conditions watered down to benefit Insurance Companies. Insurance benefits taxed.
I see the average taxpayer paying more and getting little in return.
I would just as soon kill the beast

 

[uscitizen]

Where legal drugs really come from

While the FDA and the drug industry have talked at length about the threat posed by drugs brought in from Canada, what they neglect to mention is this: prescription drugs bought by Americans increasingly are produced in foreign countries with minimal FDA oversight and then shipped to the U.S.

In 2002 pharmaceutical imports to the U.S. totaled $40.7 billion, a nearly fivefold increase from $8.7 billion in 1995. Seventeen of the 20 largest drug companies worldwide now make drugs in Ireland, largely because of tax incentives. Pfizer's Lipitor for cholesterol, the largest-selling drug in the world, is made in Ireland. So too is Viagra, for erectile dysfunction.

AstraZeneca's Nexium, for heartburn and acid reflux, comes from Sweden, France and other countries. TAP Pharmaceutical Products' Prevacid, another brand prescribed for heartburn and acid reflux, comes from Japan. Because of the rapid rise in drug imports, especially from Ireland, Britain and Germany, the U.S. balance of trade in pharmaceuticals has tipped sharply into deficit.

During the early 1990s, according to the U.S. International Trade Commission, imports and exports of pharmaceuticals were "almost equal at just under $10 billion each." Since then the U.S. trade deficit has spiraled from nearly $600 million in 1995 to more than $20 billion in 2002, the last year for which complete data are available.

The trend is continuing. Singapore is on track to be a potential Ireland. Lured by tax breaks and other incentives, American drug giants like Merck are investing heavily in the Southeast Asian country. According to the Singapore Economic Development Board, Merck has invested more than $500 million to build two plants, which will produce the cholesterol drugs Ezetrol and Zocor.

CNN.com - Why we pay so much for drugs - Jan. 27, 2004

 

[VaYank5150]

We (the majority of voters R's, D's and I's) put Obama into office in hopes of changing the way Washington works. The centerpiece of his campaign? Healthcare reform. While almost none of us can agree on exactly HOW to do it, the majority of us agree that reform would be a good thing. Based on how things are now looking, the best possible option for a bill will be so watered down, that it will not be worth the price tag.
I blame ALL of us. WE put these people (Congress) into office to work for and represent us. Instead, they are STILL catering to special interest groups and those who line their pockets during election time. The move to disallow importation of foreign made drugs was the last straw. Obama campaigned strongly on allowing this to happen as it could save American citizens upwards of $100,000,000.00 annually. Obama folded as did a majority of Congress.
IF our elected officials are only going to do what the private sector wants, can someone explain to me why we need a public entity government in the first place? Why not simply follow the premise of "War, Inc.". I believe we are closer to that already than even I care to admit.

<climbs down from soap box>

From what I can see, the existing bill is a Christmas gift to the Insurance Industry. It mandates coverage and does not provide any incentive for Insurance companies to hold down costs. Pharmacy imports is out. Pre-existing conditions watered down to benefit Insurance Companies. Insurance benefits taxed.
I see the average taxpayer paying more and getting little in return.
I would just as soon kill the beast

I hate to say it, but this bill needs to be killed and let them start over in January.

 

[DiamondDave]

I agree with the 'killed' part.. but certainly not the 'starting over in January' part... this whole thing just needs to die

 

[Claudette]

I agree with the 'killed' part.. but certainly not the 'starting over in January' part... this whole thing just needs to die

Ditto!!! They need to work on whats wrong not revamp the whole freaking system. Jeeze.

 

[Dr.House]

I hate to say it, but this bill needs to be killed and let them start over in January.

Sounds like you have been listening to your leader, Screamin' Howie Dean... He said the same things yesterday, parrot...


Here's where you claim you didn't hear this from him or on other leftist sites and thought it up yourself...

 

[obama2ndterm]

File Not Found

 

[rightwinger]

I hate to say it, but this bill needs to be killed and let them start over in January.

Sounds like you have been listening to your leader, Screamin' Howie Dean... He said the same things yesterday, parrot...


Here's where you claim you didn't hear this from him or on other leftist sites and thought it up yourself...

No question here. Howard Dean is right. What is left of the Senate bill makes nos sense. Hopefully, even if it passes the Senate, the House will balk at the combined bill

 

[VaYank5150]

I hate to say it, but this bill needs to be killed and let them start over in January.

Sounds like you have been listening to your leader, Screamin' Howie Dean... He said the same things yesterday, parrot...


Here's where you claim you didn't hear this from him or on other leftist sites and thought it up yourself...

No question here. Howard Dean is right. What is left of the Senate bill makes nos sense. Hopefully, even if it passes the Senate, the House will balk at the combined bill

I did in fact hear Dean's comments on CNN last night and I completely agree with them. What is left of this bill is basically forcing people to get insurance, adding 31 million new customers for the insurance companies and adding ZERO competition to said insurance companies. HOW would this bill lower costs now?

 

[CrusaderFrank]

I hate to say it, but this bill needs to be killed and let them start over in January.

Sounds like you have been listening to your leader, Screamin' Howie Dean... He said the same things yesterday, parrot...


Here's where you claim you didn't hear this from him or on other leftist sites and thought it up yourself...

Yeah, Libs are really original once they get their daily talking points

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Libruls believe that insurance companies don't compete for business...lol, they're just so fucking funny! How do you dress yourselves?

 

[uscitizen]

The righties are loving Dean right now. Go figure.

I think it is hillarious.

 

[bodecea]

Reality check, there are no foreign made drugs. Almost all medication that is worth taking was developed HERE. Canada blackmails the US to get cheaper drugs, all we would be doing is cheating our own companies and our Government if we "bought" drugs from Canada. Not to mention the Drug Companies would cease making the deals they make with these Foreign Countries if we did.

It costs MONEY to research test and develop new drugs. The Companies that do that have x amount of time to recoup those costs with a patent system. Canada and other Countries threaten to ignore the patent and illegally make the drugs that cost them NOTHING to be developed if the Companies do not sell them to them cheaper.

There simply are NO cheap drugs anywhere during the patent time.

Want to dry up new drug testing and creation, continue with this ignorance.

Further the center piece of Obama's campaign was NOT health care. Nice red herring.

Lets hope the health care bill dies a needed death. the sooner the better.

Bayer