In the context of the pro and con lobbying over the proposed expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, pharmaceutical companies decided to join the pro side. After all, if more children are insured, more of them will get prescription medication. But is is not just the drug companies, it is a broad-spectrum coalition:
According to the NYT:
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, a trade group, has been running television and newspaper advertisements that praise the program and urge Congress to renew it. The television advertisements show children cavorting on a playground and singing a jingle, “If you’re healthy and you know it, clap your hands.”
The drug industry has joined four organizations in a coalition to whip up support for the program. The coalition, Americans for Children’s Health, was incorporated last month and has a budget of several million dollars, mostly for advertising. Directors include lobbyists from the American Health Care Association, which represents nursing homes; the American Medical Association; Families USA, a liberal-leaning nonprofit consumer group; and the Federation of American Hospitals, which represents for-profit hospitals.
And the response of the Administration? ...
Bush administration officials recently advised drug company executives not to support a major expansion of the program.
How bizarre is that? If you were an industry leader, in an industry that supported Bush's election and re-election, and he turned around and told you to lobby against your own interest, what would you think? That is exactly what has happened here.
There is even broad bipartisan support in the Senate, despite the fact that Bush has threatened a veto. According to the WaPo:
Republican Sens. Charles E. Grassley (Iowa) and Orrin G. Hatch (Utah), who helped broker the deal in the Senate Finance Committee, issued a joint statement last week calling Bush's tax code proposals "not realistic" and urging the president not to veto the $35 billion package if it reaches his desk.
The Scientific Activist has more detail. He actually got more into the fiscal analysis that I will. My point is that the Administration's stance of this is the apex of arrogance, in addition to being bad policy.
Comments
If anything, I'm just amazed that this administration is able to so consistently one-up itself in its own lumbering machismo way.
Posted by: Nick Anthis | July 16, 2007 7:35 PM
Bush administration officials recently advised drug company executives not to support a major expansion of the program.
This administration does not believe that Bush is President. They believe that Bush is King.
Posted by: Rob Knop | July 16, 2007 8:37 PM
Understatement. "They" know Bush is Supreme Major Generalissimo of The Universe, and that the constitution, which is "just another piece of paper", cannot apply to such absolute
twitsrulers.Posted by: blf | July 17, 2007 7:41 AM
Sigh...
The "twitsrulers" was supposed to "<S>twits</S>rulers",
and (unless I'm blind) previewed correctly, but apparently the < was turned into a real < by the preview, and since the S tag is apparently not allowed, the result was a messed up comment…!
(I hope this one is Ok as I'm not going to preview it! ;-\ )
Posted by: blf | July 17, 2007 7:48 AM
Bush administration officials recently advised drug company executives not to support a major expansion of the program.
Posted by: oyun | February 22, 2008 1:10 PM
You are following continual.Thanks for knowledges besides I m learning a new.Thank you.
Posted by: Oyun | February 22, 2008 11:25 PM
This administration does not believe that Bush is President. They believe that Bush is King.
Posted by: varmısın yok musun | February 24, 2008 1:26 PM
Bush administration officials recently advised drug company executives not to support a major expansion of the program.
Posted by: varmısın yokmusun | February 24, 2008 1:28 PM
I thought mine were pretty bad. Until I met somebody who was disabled by hers. Then mine were still pretty bad.
Posted by: oyun | August 5, 2008 10:25 AM
Bush administration officials recently advised drug company executives not to support a major expansion of the program.
Posted by: toner | August 11, 2008 8:58 PM
for knowledges besides I m learning
Posted by: chat | January 5, 2009 5:45 PM