Game Changer?

Posted on 08/09/2009 at 3:44 am by admin

by Lee Stranahan

I haven’t fully absorbed all of this yet but I’m feeling very much like the recent revelations that the Obama White House cut a deal with big Pharma a while ago to continue the Bush-era policy and not negotiate drug prices…well, it changes the whole nature of the battle.

It’s feeling like that point in a horror movie where you realize that the crazed maniac is INSIDE THE HOUSE!

We were sold out. I don’t see any other way to read these new revelations. President Obama and his team sold you and me out to the drug companies. And if I look at it in terms of a wider pattern, it’s consistent with other sellouts on the bailout, the stimulus package and so on.

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  • http://www.osborneink.com/2009/08/another-palin-trifecta.html Matt Osborne

    My gut tells me that early in the process, Obama must have sent the word out to the corporate players that the first one in the door with a good offer would get a deal to keep them in profits. “Divide and conquer”?

  • Rogect8

    I don’t really see what the problem is.1) Pharma companies get a worse rap than they deserve (though they do deserve a pretty bad rap). They have massive upfront costs for their drugs in the form of R&D, dealing with the FDA, etc. So while their prices are way too high, a fair amount of that is them recouping their costs.2) Matt is right. The real enemy in this fight (the insurance companies) are pumping INSANE amounts of money into Congressional pockets. Add to that the fact that the Blue Dogs are already indicating that they’re going to be monumentally dickish about substantive reform, and “divide and conquer” seems like a decent strategy. At the end of the day, it’s Congress that’s going to be passing the reform bill…and since they’re dragging their feet, the White House has to push them in the right direction using whatever means are available.3. “Both sides had announced that the drug industry would contribute $80 billion over 10 years to the cost of the health care overhaul.”If Obama has to compromise in order to get healthcare reform passed (and it’s becoming painfully obvious that he does), this seems like a pretty good one to me.Now is the worst of all times to turn on Obama.

  • http://www.dugshop.com pea

    I’m waiting for Bob to come in and tell us how this is all part of Obama’s bigger-picture plan and it’s going to be all right.

  • http://twitter.com/Cody_K Cody

    Ummm… Bob?(mic) …paging Bob Cesca… please report to Intensive Care

  • Jan

    Obama has to compromise in order to get healthcare reform passedHe’s compromising too much. he’s giving away the store so to speak. He wants to get something passed even if it is a half assed watered down bill that helps no one or not many. Or is junk insurance.Guess he’s figuring out the big dif between campaigning and governing.I haven’t completely left Obama but I’m about half way out the door. I’m pretty furious.

  • http://www.bobcesca.com Bob_Cesca

    I don’t see what the problem is either. According to the article Lee linked, they’re contibuting $80 billion over ten years to reduce costs, and they’re spending $150 million on advertising in support of reform. Would we prefer it if the drug companies were spending that cash to defeat reform like they have in the past?Everyone settle down.

  • http://nowherethemiddle.blogspot.com/ Elizabeth

    Sorry, Lee — but what did you expect, really — that Obama will go against his own corporatist instincts that have gotten him that far?The Big Pharma are not throwing this pocket change out for Obama without looking first and foremost after their own interests. They give him a quarter and he gives them a guarantee of not negotiating drug prices beyond a certain level (and then some). They still come out on top. They always do and will continue so until we have a real health care reform — i.e., government-run *not-for-profit* system.