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Big Pharma-Backed Dems Join GOP to Block Sanders Effort to End Drug Price Gouging
Sen. Cory Booker and others draw sharp rebuke from observers, who pointed out that many who voted "no" receive substantial contributions from the pharmaceutical industry
While the Republican Party is publicly dismantling millions of Americans' health safety net, more than a dozen Democrats late Wednesday quietly threw their weight behind Big Pharma and voted down an amendment that would have allowed pharmacists to import identical—but much less expensive—drugs from Canada and other countries.
The "power and wealth of the pharmaceutical industry and their 1,300 lobbyists and unlimited sums of money have bought the United States Congress," Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) declared in a speech on the Senate floor while introducing the amendment, co-sponsored by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), which would have been attached to the chamber's budget resolution. It came amid a flurry of legislative activity during Wednesday evening's "vote-a-rama."
"Year after year the same old takes place: the pharmaceutical industry makes more and more money and the American people pay higher ad higher prices," Sanders continued, asking his colleagues if they "have the guts finally to stand up to the pharmaceutical industry and their lobbyists and their campaign contributions and fight for the American consumer?"
It turns out, no.
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http://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/01/12/big-pharma-backed-dems-join-gop-block-sanders-effort-end-drug-price-gouging
While the Republican Party is publicly dismantling millions of Americans' health safety net, more than a dozen Democrats late Wednesday quietly threw their weight behind Big Pharma and voted down an amendment that would have allowed pharmacists to import identical—but much less expensive—drugs from Canada and other countries.
The "power and wealth of the pharmaceutical industry and their 1,300 lobbyists and unlimited sums of money have bought the United States Congress," Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) declared in a speech on the Senate floor while introducing the amendment, co-sponsored by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), which would have been attached to the chamber's budget resolution. It came amid a flurry of legislative activity during Wednesday evening's "vote-a-rama."
"Year after year the same old takes place: the pharmaceutical industry makes more and more money and the American people pay higher ad higher prices," Sanders continued, asking his colleagues if they "have the guts finally to stand up to the pharmaceutical industry and their lobbyists and their campaign contributions and fight for the American consumer?"
It turns out, no.
?itok=GWZBrSnq
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/01/12/big-pharma-backed-dems-join-gop-block-sanders-effort-end-drug-price-gouging
13 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
They make me sick. It's obvious who they are working for. 
Just wants the spotlight on him
Am I missing anything from the usual crowd eager to slam Senator Sanders?
