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 Obamas health care overhaul, beginning over the August Congressional recess, people briefed on the plans said Saturday.
The unusually large scale of the industrys 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 industrys 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 industrys excessive profits and pointedly insisted in recent days that they do not feel bound by the White Houses commitments.
Sources briefed on the drug industrys plans, speaking on condition of anonymity because the details remain confidential, say top officials of the industrys 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 ...
Seriously, anybody who doesn't smell something REALLY fishy with all of the corporate support for this plan is obviously suffering from anosmia
Drug companies don’t care who pays them. And with the government, they have a guaranteed check (and they overcharge too...).
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.
They did really well with Bush. They probably will do better with the Rats who are largely a buncha druggies in the first place.
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.
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.
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?
And that ad is not very convincing.
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.
A Chinese friend calls them “pseudo-pharmicals”, I think he has is right.
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.
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).
It wouldn’t surprise me a bit. Total control is at issue now. That’s why the American people are beginning to stand up.
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.
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."
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.
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.
Yes.
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