Under the Republican-led Congress, health care costs have skyrocketed while real wages have declined. Employers are finding it increasingly difficult to offer comprehensive, or any, coverage to their workers. Those fortunate enough to retain their coverage encounter ever-higher deductibles. At present, isurance in the individual market is an unaffordable alternative for roughly 9 out of 10 Americans.
With the foregoing in mind, Pharmaceutical Giants must be held to account for imperiling the health of countless of Americans to pad their pockets. GlaxoSmithKline laments the Democratic commitment to opening Canadian markets, thereby depriving them of the monopoly power previously employed to the detriment of all but themselves. I was particularly disgusted to learn of the GlaxoSmithKline email to executives obtained by the Washington Post.
UPDATE: Apparently my poll question was too long and cannot be edited. The cut off portion reads "amendment to include pharmaceutical executives?"
According to theWashington Post :
A post-election e-mail to executives at the drug company GlaxoSmithKline details just how tough. "We now have fewer allies in the Senate," says the internal memo, obtained by The Washington Post. "Thus, there is greater risk over the next two years that bad amendments will be offered to pending legislation." The company's primary concerns are bills that would allow more imported drugs and would force price competition for drugs bought under Medicare.
GlaxoSmithKline then elaborates on its K Street strategy for the 110th Congress.
The defeat of Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., “creates a big hole we will need to fill,” the e-mail states. Senator-elect Jon Tester, D-Mont., “is expected to be a problem” and the elevation to the Senate of Rep. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, “will strengthen his ability to challenge us,” it adds.
The e-mail also mentions that Sen. Robert Menendez, DN. J., “has worked closely” with the company and that the firm’s PAC had supported six Democratic senators who faced reelection. “These relationships should help us moderate proposals offered by Senate Democrats,” the e-mail states.
If GlaxoSmithKline is correct, Senator Menendez would do well to reconsider his position. Democrats like myself would have no qualms about kicking him to the curb. We will have a difficult time differentiating ourselves from Republicans with Menendez strolling down K Street.
In the aftermath of Katrina, Rep. Gene Taylor (D - MS) remarked, "there ought to be a national registry of child molesters and insurance company executives, because I hold them in the same, very low esteem." I would amend such legislation to include Pharmaceutical companies.