What Keeps Drug Prices So High In America-- A Bipartisan Culture Of Corruption In DC

I wonder if anyone from the DCCC or DSCC will try to figure out the implications

A new poll CBS released this morning shows that only 20% of respondents said they approved of the latest Republican legislation aimed at repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. Probably in response to badmouthing of Medicare-For-All by Blue Dogs and New Dems-- conservative senators Chris Murphy (CT) and Tammy Duckworth (IL), both former House New Dems, have been publicly negative in recent days-- Our Revolution president Nina Turner said yesterday that "Anyone who does not believe Medicare-For-All can be done needs to get out of the way of those who know it will be done. Duckworth and Murphy are Hillary leftovers who believe if they berate Trump every now and then, people will be fooled into thinking there's something remotely "progressive" about them. There isn't.

Last week a Harvard poll commissioned by Politico showed Democrats overwhelmingly backing Bernie's universal/single-payer approach (Medicare-for All). Among Democrats 80% already back Medicare-For-All (15% oppose), while among independents 67% are on board and 38% oppose. Even among Republicans, 44% are in favor (48% oppose).

Conservatives, mostly Republicans but with help from the Republican wing of the Democratic Party, have always built plums into healthcare legislation for the pharmaceutical industry with bribes so many conservatives on both sides of the aisle. The public is sick of it and 89% of Democrats, 87% of independents and even a startling 88% of Republicans say that favor the federal government negotiating with pharmaceutical companies to lower the prices of prescription drugs for seniors on Medicare.

These are the criminals currently in Congress who have worked the hardest to make sure Big Pharma was protected from this reasonable step over the years. First the 10 worst in the Senate:

• Orrin Hatch (R-UT)- $2,767,140
• Richard Burr (R-NC)- $1,513,262
• John McCain (R-AZ)- $1,224,519
• Mitch McConnell (R-KY)- $1,102,122
• Roy Blunt (R-MO)- $1,003,106
• Patty Murray (D-WA)- $915,797
• Chuck Schumer (D-NY)- $898,566
• Chuck Grassley (R-IA)- $883,582
• Rob Portman (R-OH)- $874,120
• Bob Menendez (D-NJ)- $858,325

And here are the 10 most corrupt in the House, who have conspired with the drug companies to keep the prices of prescription drugs unreasonably high in return for big campaign contributions:

• Anna Eshoo (D-CA)- $1,513,561
• Fred Upton (R-MI)- $1,408,006
• Frank Pallone (D-NJ)- $1,153,155
• Paul Ryan (R-WI)- $1,133,183
• Kevin McCathy (R-CA)- $1,020,625
• Erik Paulsen (R-MN)- $1,019,329
• John Shimkus (R-IL)- $996,215
• Joe Barton (R-TX)- $973,038
• Steny Hoyer (D-MD)- $954,872
• Greg Walden (R-OR)- $897,095

Since 1990 the pharmaceutical companies have paid out $202,456,697 in direct bribes to congressional candidates-- $114,826,226 to corrupt Republicans and $86,403,775 to corrupt Democrats. So far this cycle only 4 corrupt House members-- Greg Walden, Paul Ryan, Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Kevin McCarthy-- and 3 Senators-- Orrin Hatch, Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Barrasso (R-WY)-- have been able to shake down the drug companies for 6 figure bribes. But we have a long way to go 'til the end of the cycle. Last cycle Ryan took the biggest bribes to protect drug prices: $395,174; his hatchet man, Kevin McCarthy got $323,650.

GOP plans to pass TrumpCare appear to have been foiled Sunday when Susan Collins (R-ME) announced on Jake Tapper's show that she is following Rand Paul (R-KY) and John McCain (R-AZ) into the NO camp. Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski is a probable NO as well, giving the anti-TrumpCare forces a little breathing room if Randy Paul worms out of his commitment to oppose it. (Ironically, Ted Cruz and Mike Lee also indicated they would vote NO, for the same reason as Rand Paul... the bill isn't harsh enough.)

One of the bill's sponsors, Lindsey Graham (R-SC), was on ABC's This Week yesterday and he told the viewers that he thinks "we’re going to get the votes next week." He insisted that he and radical right lunatic Ron Johnson (R-WI), "who are both on the Senate Budget Committee, would try to force Republicans to continue Obamacare repeal attempts with reconciliation next year.

'We're not going to vote for a budget resolution that doesn't allow the health care debate to continue,' he said." Neither Graham nor Johnson are up for reelection next year, but they have likely killed the reelection chances of Dean Heller (R-NV) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ).