...at least that what I am sure some of you would say. http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2010-09-29-Boehner-House-speaker-fundraising_N.htm "The industries giving the most to Boehner: insurance companies, drug manufacturers and Wall Street firms, all of which now face new regulations adopted by the Democratic-controlled Congress." I guess these bad boys want free reign to do their dirty deeds....and who could blame em right? Also from the article: "Craig Holman of the watchdog group Public Citizen said "these industries have shown their hand to everybody by betting on John Boehner. … They will spend as much as they deem necessary to make sure Congress doesn't tread on their turf." You know what I say....screw these consumer watchdog groups.....all they care about is the consumer.....screw those ignorant consumers.... ....right boys? :lol:
I suppose there could possibly be another way to look at this. After going through regulation by the Dems. Wall St. would like less of Big Brother. Same with insurance companies especially those slammed by the Healthcare bill. Drug companies too see the appointment of Berwick as head of medicare as being a future assault by that agency against them. These "bad boys" are like a majority of Americans. They've had it up to their necks with the Dems. Oh and I think Public Citizen has showed its hand too. It's a liberal shill.
I get it Gipper....these three industries will promise to quit fleecing average Americans if Boehner can gain control of Congress and set them free from these new regulations enacted within the past year or so. They might actually start reducing their revenues and profits by saving the rest of us some money and maybe even giving some of that money back and they promise never ever to be greedy at our expense ever again. Yeah......that's the ticket... :roll:
Unlike you Dave these industries don't like being led around by the nose by Democrats. Unlike you apparently, they exist to make money. They don't fleece all Americans, only the ones who apparently learned little durning their times in public education.
Drug costs and health insurance companies are almost like DTE Energy. Everyone needs them and has no choice but to patronize them. Good thing DTE isn't unbridled with no regulation or I think many Detroiters would freeze to death this coming winter. Just keep your head in the sand Gipper as you empty those pockets.
Let's talk about drug companies. They are constantly developing new better drugs to cure disease and extend life. These drugs are sold all over the world. However, in countries like Canada, England etc. there are limits on what the drug companies can charge. These countries choose not to pay high costs for drugs and therefore do not absorb the cost of future research and development of new better drugs. What these countries do is leave it up to the "rich" the US to pay high costs for drugs to finance future R&D. So when it comes to drug costs, Dave, you're just like the rich when it comes to paying taxes. You're paying the freight. And you hate it. It sucks having to finance drug development for the "have nots" doesn't it? You'd realize that if your head wasn't in the sand.
Found this online: "Profits at 10 of the country’s largest publicly traded health insurance companies rose 428 percent from 2000 to 2007, while consumers paid more for less coverage. One of the major reasons, according to a new study, is the growing lack of competition in the private health insurance industry that has led to near monopoly conditions in many markets." That's no surprise. I guess they are banking on John Boehner to give them the free reign to continue on.
... And when the government drives the private sector out of the insurance game, then they have an unregulated monopoly free to charge their SUBJECTS, not citizens, whatever they please. It is obvious to all of us that unless it is "what's good for Dave" it's wrong. Dave and his family is all that matters.
It's very simple Tom. I do not appreciate people raking in record, exorbitant profits at my family's expense and that goes for all industries in which I have no choice but to utilize their essential products or services. No exceptions to this.
You have options in everything you do. You could install a wood burning fireplace and not need electricity or gas for heating at all. Of course, you would have to buy wood or heaven forbid, go cut the wood yourself. You want the easy way and not pay a lot for it. Dave, you would want the companies that sound millions upon millions to find new drugs to give them to you for pennies. I am 52 years old and hope to need these drugs for another 40 years. My philosophy is: let them stay profitable. I would rather pay more and help guarantee new drugs and the availability of the old ones. Again, you would rather the government subsidize it so that everyone pays a part of your drug cost. That is what has to happen if prices are to be kept low over time and at the same time, guarantee their availability. That is not an option I care to promote.
I expect companies to be profitable but not to enjoy abnormally high or exorbitant profits at my expense. Exorbitant profits are quite fine as long as my cost for that service or product is not equally rising at an exorbitant rate. If I can truly shop for that product or service and find comparable providers....such as a TV for instance....then my bad if I pay way too high of a price and the TV manufacturer enjoys exorbitant profits because of my stupidity. But when that service or product is essential and I have limited or no choices then it is not acceptable and I get p'od at anyone who strives to build a fortress around their ability to protect their golden egg......nurtured at my expense....which is what these industries seem to be doing by buying off Boehner well in advance. If that doesn't make sense to you then I give up.
Then give up... Bet ya can't! I prefer to find solutions to diseases. Not just the ones that I have, but all diseases. You would prefer no money be made to find cures for diseases that neither affect you or your immediate family. Selfish Dave.... Selfish.
Found this online: "the pharmaceutical industry is not especially innovative. As hard as it is to believe, only a handful of truly important drugs have been brought to market in recent years, and they were mostly based on taxpayer-funded research at academic institutions, small biotechnology companies, or the National Institutes of Health (NIH). "
Knew you couldn't give up. :? How would you feel if even one drug was not found in time to cure a terminal illness in your family... Say your 22 year old boy? Do you really want the drug ins try to work on a shoe string budget? Please answer those two questions.
It's a wonderful thought Tom that the drug companies are are taking modest profits as a net after significant expenditures on new drug cures to benefit us all. But the statement I listed in my last post doesn't seem to indicate that they have our best health in mind as you say.
Just one of many on the topic: http://www.psc-cuny.org/drugprices.htm "Recently, a book by Dr. Marcia Angell (former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine), The Truth About the Drug Companies (How they Deceive Us And What To Do About It) was published by Random House. Dr. Angell is as credible an authority on this subject as anyone could possibly be. In her book, Dr Angell refutes the claims made by the pharmaceutical industry described above. She states that R& D costs for new drugs are only a small part of drug company expenditures. Their greatest costs, by far, are for marketing and administration. Of the $200 billion in revenues generated by selling drugs in the U.S., about $20-24 billion is spent on R& D to develop so-called new drugs. 75% of that money or $15-$18 billion goes to develop “me too” drugs. “Me too” drugs are developed by drug companies so that they will get a share of a lucrative market for a best selling drug" This article I believe is a few years old but I am sure the same still applies or is worse than ever. Seems to me that we would all be better off if the drug companys just donated their billions of windfall profits to research institutions that can actually find new miracle drugs and have that as a sole objective.
Seems like what needs to happen is that the Drug companies need to be Nationalized, right? Either that or the Govt needs to pass a law that dictates how they spend their money, how they pay their people...aw what the hell just go ahead and Nationalize them.
No...it just needs to keep them from raping and pillaging the rest of us who have no choice and need their drugs to stay alive and who pay outrageous insurance premiums just to have prescription coverage. And now it is explained that they need these exorbitant profits for research on new drugs to save us all when that doesn't in fact....look to be the case. You're talking about the high road as justification for the raping and I am showing you the direction to that road. Give it to organizations that will spend the money to actually discover something worthwhile for humanity. Otherwise....reign in these drug giants with regard to the fleecing of hard working Americans. Geezus what is it with you guys who seemingly have endless pockets and don't mind shelling it out to anyone willing to soak you for all you're worth and then some. God forbid that any company making rogue, inflated profits off the masses for providing essential services should be regulated. Not to worry though because the aforementioned industries that need to be regulated are lining the pockets of potential GOP power mongers like Boehner in anticipation of the November election results to ensure that you get to keep shelling out all that dough.
Prove that statement. Prove it right now or you're nothing more that a parrot for the liberal bastards that want to raise my taxes and give them to deadbeats. Show us the proof, not conjecture, that you know what your talking about. We're waiting... and no opinionated articles. show us the evidence that you must have hidden away.