When the Republicans turned down a effort to allow Americans to import cheaper prescription drugs from Canada and Western Europe, the Democrats, including Senator Obama, raised all kinds of hell. Now that Democrats control the Senate and the White House, such a proposal was turned down 51-48, nine short of the 60 votes needed. The Obama administration and various Democratic senators, are now opposed to it in in an effort to curry the favor of the Big Pharmaceutical Companies who control significant amounts of money going to key legislators. Are not the interests and needs of the citizenry more important than the Pharmacuetical/Insurance cabal?
It seems the President and the Democratic leaders in Congress are more interested in getting any health care bill passed than in passing a good health care bill. If it passes, it is going to, once again, benefit the health insurers and the pharmaceutical companies, and if there is any benefit for the uninsured public, that is coincidental. Perhaps, Howard Dean, the Democratic National Chairman, is correct; this bill has been "gutted" to the point that it is not worth the effort. It's time to start over and to forget about the insurance and pharmaceutical interests and a 60 % majority. Do it this time with a 50% and forget about Lieberman and Nelson. They like the whole Republican party are obstructionists and will try to prevent any meaningful reform.
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