2008: candidate Obama railed against Billy Tauzin; today, he cuts secret sweetheart deals w/ him

[brentspeak]

If I were President, cockroaches like Tauzin would be dropkicked at the front door before they got a chance to destroy Americans' lives.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/09/flashback-obama-promises_n_254833.html

How Barack Obama has changed!

We http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/06/health/policy/06insure.html">recently learned that President Obama has secretly made a sweetheart deal with Billy Tauzin, the former congressman turned chief lobbyist for the pharmaceutical industry. In return for $80 billion in projected cuts -- and http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/09/health/policy/09lobby.html?_r=1">$150 million in supportive television ads Obama has apparently sworn to protect the industry from congressional efforts to, among other things, let the government use its bargaining power to lower prescription drug costs.

Now flash back to April 2008, when the Obama campaign put out this ad, in which Obama held Tauzin up as an example of everything that was wrong with the game-playing in Washington.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCRO0g9CfAw&feature=player_embedded#t=29

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/09/flashback-obama-promises_n_254833.html

[slipslidingaway]

1. Thanks knr....

Senator Carper Publicly Defends Secret PhRMA Deal In Exchange For Support Ads

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=6622945&mesg_id=6622945

It appears that we may have moved from a possible 300 billion over 10 years to 80 billion.

[ipaint]

2. I rec'd but I don't think it will do you much good.

After reading what a smart guy neo-con Gates is yesterday apparently all sins are forgiven if they get along with the president and say nice things about him.
Tauzin is now our friendly drug lobbyist representing the equally friendly Pharma industry who are all now willing to sacrifice for the good of the american people. What a guy.