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Drug Industry to Run Ads Favoring White House Plan (Obamacare)
NY Slimes ^ | 8/9/2009 | DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK

Posted on 08/10/2009 8:37:19 AM PDT by markomalley

WASHINGTON — The drug industry has authorized its lobbyists to spend as much as $150 million on television commercials supporting President Obama’s health care overhaul, beginning over the August Congressional recess, people briefed on the plans said Saturday.

The unusually large scale of the industry’s commitment to the cause helps explain some of a contentious back-and-forth playing out in recent days between the odd-couple allies over a deal that the White House struck with the industry in June to secure its support. The terms of the deal were not fully disclosed. Both sides had announced that the drug industry would contribute $80 billion over 10 years to the cost of the health care overhaul without spelling out the details.

With House Democrats moving to extract more than that just as the drug makers finalized their advertising plans, the industry lobbyists pressed the Obama administration for public reassurances that it had agreed to cap the industry’s additional costs at $80 billion. The White House, meanwhile, has struggled to mollify its most pivotal health industry ally without alienating Congressional Democrats who want to demand far more of the drug makers. White House officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

Many Democratic lawmakers have railed for years against what they consider the industry’s excessive profits and pointedly insisted in recent days that they do not feel bound by the White House’s commitments.

Sources briefed on the drug industry’s plans, speaking on condition of anonymity because the details remain confidential, say top officials of the industry’s trade group, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, or PhRMA, are scheduled to meet next week to finalize its fall plans. The final budget could be less or more than what was authorized, the sources said.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Front Page News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 111th; ads; agenda; bho44; bhofascism; bhohealthcare; bigpharma; communism; democrats; drugcompanies; fascism; healthcare; marxism; obama; obamacare; pharmaceuticals; phrma; socialism; socializedmedicine
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Somebody needs to report this article to flag@whitehouse.gov

Seriously, anybody who doesn't smell something REALLY fishy with all of the corporate support for this plan is obviously suffering from anosmia

1 posted on 08/10/2009 8:37:19 AM PDT by markomalley
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To: markomalley

Drug companies don’t care who pays them. And with the government, they have a guaranteed check (and they overcharge too...).


2 posted on 08/10/2009 8:39:46 AM PDT by SandWMan (While you may not be able to legislate morality, you can legislate morally.)
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To: markomalley

The drug companies could lower their prices in the States if they wanted to. They don’t need the President to do this. Sounds like a pay to play idea.


3 posted on 08/10/2009 8:40:06 AM PDT by RC2
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To: markomalley

They did really well with Bush. They probably will do better with the Rats who are largely a buncha druggies in the first place.


4 posted on 08/10/2009 8:40:25 AM PDT by Seruzawa (Obamalama lied, the republic died.)
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To: markomalley

The deal struck between Obama and the drug companies was probably a one sided deal where the government promised not to disrupt company business in exchange for “support”.

Strong arm fascist intimidation forces a corporate “partnership” with government.

Socialism at work.


5 posted on 08/10/2009 8:41:33 AM PDT by o_zarkman44 (Obama is the ultimate LIE!)
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To: markomalley

No kidding. The PHrMA people have been running a bastardized Harry and Louise ad for at least a month and a half.

Makes me want to hurl every time I see it.


6 posted on 08/10/2009 8:41:46 AM PDT by sauropod (People who do things are people that get things done.)
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To: RC2

Didn’t the drug lobbyists cut a deal with 0 that includes a commitment to not lower drug prices as part of their going along with ZeroCare?


7 posted on 08/10/2009 8:43:25 AM PDT by sarasota
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To: sauropod
No kidding. The PHrMA people have been running a bastardized Harry and Louise ad for at least a month and a half.

And that ad is not very convincing.

8 posted on 08/10/2009 8:45:11 AM PDT by NewHampshireDuo
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To: long hard slogger; FormerACLUmember; Harrius Magnus; hocndoc; parousia; Hydroshock; skippermd; ...


Socialized Medicine aka Universal Health Care PING LIST

FReepmail me if you want to be added to or removed from this ping list.

**This is a high volume ping list! (sign of the times)**


9 posted on 08/10/2009 8:48:02 AM PDT by socialismisinsidious ( The socialist income tax system turns US citizens into beggars or quitters!)
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To: SandWMan

How much will they have to overcharge once euthanasia is the norm? Cuts down on the health RX usage (besides all the restrictions/comparatives on elderly/disabled/etc), and the extra depopulation push. All it takes is a company that puts out death kits and that doesn’t leave much for them... plus the serious crippling of R&D.

The FDA is a joke as well... we are the tests now; To the point of getting samples of drugs off TV, radio and the net. Don’t get me started with the CDC/WHO right now.


10 posted on 08/10/2009 8:48:09 AM PDT by AliVeritas (Ez 38 Pray.)
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To: markomalley

A Chinese friend calls them “pseudo-pharmicals”, I think he has is right.


11 posted on 08/10/2009 8:48:18 AM PDT by tired1 (When the Devil eats you there's only one way out.)
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To: NewHampshireDuo
I saw it, it's annoying and it's punch is gone. The message is so muddy on their end and crystal clear on ours. From that ad you can;t tell if they are for Pbamacare or not...just two actors saying..we need comprehensive reform. Vagueness is a double edge swords.
12 posted on 08/10/2009 8:49:03 AM PDT by pburgh01
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To: o_zarkman44

The pharm industry stands to make a killing with our new death care bill. Think about it, everytime that obama opens his mouth about how great his plan is, he tells us to take a pain bill and go to counseling. They stand to make trillions.


13 posted on 08/10/2009 8:50:01 AM PDT by Cyclone59 (Everything that hits the fan is not evenly distributed)
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To: markomalley

Of course. Obama said that people should consider taking pain relievers (pills) instead of having surgery (which would address the problem and not just the symptoms).


14 posted on 08/10/2009 8:50:22 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (There is no truth in the Pravda Media.)
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To: sarasota

It wouldn’t surprise me a bit. Total control is at issue now. That’s why the American people are beginning to stand up.


15 posted on 08/10/2009 8:52:27 AM PDT by RC2
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To: markomalley

It’s not that fishy. Big corporations totally backed Obama, and now they want their just desserts. With all the new government contracts they will get, they are licking their chops.


16 posted on 08/10/2009 8:54:01 AM PDT by Reagan79 (Today, I consider myself the wisest Latina Woman on the face of the earth.)
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To: SandWMan
Drug companies don’t care who pays them. And with the government, they have a guaranteed check (and they overcharge too...).

Just wait until Darth Obama tells them that the government payment will be reduced by 30%.

"I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further."

17 posted on 08/10/2009 8:54:58 AM PDT by KarlInOhio (Obama's medical nationalization bill reads like Atlas Shrugged with doctors instead of railroads.)
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To: RC2

I am suggesting Demint’s book “Saving Freedom” (from socialism) to everyone who is ready to reclaim what’s going fast—our freedom. And I think Demint will be a contender in ‘12.


18 posted on 08/10/2009 8:55:06 AM PDT by sarasota
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To: SandWMan

I think that’s funny as heck. The Dems have spent how many years demonizing the pharmaceutical industry? And now its so-called leaders are nuzzeling right up to The Marxist Onada’s—er—”asphalt” as my granddaughter says.

How can an industry that the public has been taught to hate improve the image of The Messiah—a man many people are learning to hate.

Politics makes strange bed fellows.


19 posted on 08/10/2009 8:59:13 AM PDT by dools007
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To: sarasota

Yes.


20 posted on 08/10/2009 9:06:40 AM PDT by khnyny ("The demagogue is one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots.")
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