The reality of corporate mentality, and control: During the campaign, Obama proclaimed, “We will break the stranglehold that a few big drug and insurance companies have on the health care market. . . . “ Multitudes followed/believed in his progressive pledges. Then, we get this: Drug price negotiations with Big Pharma? “They’re off limits, as is reimportation of cheaper drugs from Canada.” Who set the terms? Our President? Congress? : “Ken Johnson, PhRMA’s senior vice president: ‘with respect to health care reform, the line in the sand for us was price control.'” “There were reports that Obama had promised to oppose any congressional attempt to exact further money from the massive pharmaceutical industry, which would include allowing Medicare to negotiate for lower prices or import cheaper drugs from Canada.” “Senators are free to push for drug-price negotiations or reimportation, but they may have to do so without administration support.” The latter makes a Threat clear, as well as Obama’s primary stance on whose “line[s] in the sand” he will fight for.
Here is the present (talking points) mantra: “shared goals” and “access” (which adds to the previous outrage of “affordable”). Ken Johnson (PhRMA): “All of the questions about what was in the agreement distract from our shared goal of making sure everyone has access to health care coverage.” It is purely corporate salivation, upon guarantees of fulfillment. The enemies (those who were supposed to be aggressively reformed because of their longstanding abuse) are now looking forward – as grinning allies. This truth directly corresponds with the following, as an answer: “(The) administration’s multibillion-dollar deals with hospitals and pharmaceutical companies have been made in private, and the results were announced after the fact.” “Both industries promised Obama cost savings in return for an expanded base of insured patients.” That would be US, the base – expanded (into their unreformed monopolies) – by compulsion.
AP: “Major insurers will accept a rollback of the industry’s restrictive practices only if they’re guaranteed that all Americans would be covered . . . a potential financial boon to the industry.” Those who set the terms reap the benefits. “‘They’ll get a big new market with millions and millions of new customers,’ said Gary Claxton, a health policy expert with the Kaiser Family Foundation.” New York Times headline: Drug Industry to Run Ads Favoring White House Plan. Once again, ultimately revealing. “The drug industry has authorized its lobbyists to spend as much as $150 million on television commercials supporting President Obama’s health care” plan (sellout). As previously questioned, “Will the common people be ‘Provided’ for? Or, will they be herded like rebellious cattle into a ‘mandated’ slaughter by way of corporate pens (Policies)?” From this, the answers, we have firm realization, which is beyond what Frank Rich described as “fear.” “The larger fear is that Obama might be just another corporatist, punking voters much as the Republicans do when they claim to be all for the common guy.”
Public Options, Single-Payers, and Bootstraps
Health Care Solved! Are You Poor? Sorry
Awakenings 
Deal With Big Pharma Undermines Democracy
http://wallstreetpit.com/9303-the-deal-between-big-pharma-and-the-white-house
“Last week, after being reported in the Los Angeles Times, the White House confirmed it has promised Big Pharma that any healthcare legislation will bar the government from using its huge purchasing power to negotiate lower drug prices. That’s basically the same deal George W. Bush struck in getting the Medicare drug benefit, and it’s proven a bonanza for the drug industry.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/09/flashback-obama-promises_n_254833.html
December 13, 2007: SEN. OBAMA: “But one thing I have to say, we are not going to make some of these changes unless we change how business is done in Washington. The reason that we can’t negotiate prescription drugs under the Medicare prescription drug plan is because the drug companies specifically sought and obtained a provision in that bill that prevented us from doing it.”
Prediction: Millions will find themselves weighing their options after the mandate: Pay the new (forced) $2,300-$6,500 bill. Or, as a matter of survival, pay the $1,000 yearly fine (and go without health insurance, like before).
Greg Palast: “The Big Pharma kingpins did not actually agree to cut their prices. Their promise with Obama is something a little oilier: they apparently promised that, over ten years, they will reduce the amount at which they would otherwise raise drug prices. Got that? In other words, the Obama deal locks in a doubling of drug costs, projected to rise over the period of ‘savings’ from a quarter trillion dollars a year to half a trillion dollars a year. Minus that 2%.”
“And what did Obama give up in return for $80 billion? Chief drug lobbyist Billy Tauzin crowed that Obama agreed to dump his campaign pledge to bargain down prices for Medicare purchases. Furthermore, Obama’s promise that we could buy cheap drugs from Canada simply went pffft!”
[…] PhRMA opposed – not with a Majority in Congress – and, a President who was going to champion Change through Reform. Instead, PhRMA is investing $150 million for a media blitz – in Favor. After […]
[…] they are about to reap from these fifty million new “cash cows,” then, they must be “too big to fail” and/or too big to satisfy. “Lastly, reform will provide every American with some basic consumer protections. . . .” […]
[…] Big Pharma & Health Insurance Companies Salivate […]
[…] But, that was before millions had a realization of getting “punked.” Without (at least) a Public Option, there will be No Choice or Competition (and the insurance companies will have the biggest ongoing […]
[…] Yes, “31 million [additionall] Americans . . . would have health insurance” – because, as voiceless and powerless serfs, they would be Compelled into buying Private Policies. Right now, you could say to them: “Sorry you can’t have health insurance” – because you cannot Afford it. And, when we are done, it will cost even more. Yet, that’s not a problem with the Corporately-sponsored Senators or Representatives. That’s your problem, “because, hey, [they’re solving] the health care crisis! Everyone will have health care!” No Single-Payer. No Public Option. No allowance for people between 55 and 64 to buy into Medicare. No competition for private insurers. No re-importation of drugs from Canada (because of another secret White House deal with Big Pharma). Then, finally, Sen. “I can be bought, often” Lieberman and his allies can be pleased with the outcome. “Is This the Best We Can Do?” Again, no. But, since a majority of the New Majority have revealed themselves for what they actually are, and who they really serve, we can take a step back and see more Truth of how “the meek” and their circumstances are regarded by the elite. Mantra: Kill the Health Care Bill, Save 31 Million. Kill the Health Care Bill, Save 31 Million. […]
[…] us (Sen. Sanders will most likely affirm as well) by not following through. Soon, people “will be herded like rebellious cattle into a ‘mandated’ slaughter by way of corporate pens […]
[…] this was a last chance to turn back the most callously obvious sellouts of common people to salivating business hands in the US’ entire economic (and social) record. And, after 2014 arrives, just […]