Posted by
Always To The Right on Friday, August 07, 2009 5:15:27 PM
Rahm to liberal groups: Stop attacking Democrats on health care
Barack Obama declared a big victory in his attempt to nationalize the
health-care industry when he got the backing of the pharmaceutical
industry, along with their pledge to reduce $80 billion in costs over
the first decade of the plan. Now, however, the question of what the
industry received in return has arisen now that the House version
includes price negotiation on Medicare-funded prescription
medications. The New York Times
reported yesterday that the industry’s lobbyists have begun to cry foul
as the administration apparently reneged on an agreement the White
House wanted kept quiet
The Times gives an understated analysis, saying that the exposure of
this agreement “could prove embarrassing” to Obama and his
administration. Given the number of times his allies in Congress have
gone out of their way to demonize the pharmaceutical industry,
“embarrassment” is a safe bet — and the least of their worries. The
agreement will likely touch off anger among the liberal wing of the
Democratic Party in the House, already agitating over the attempts by
Henry Waxman to appease the Blue Dogs before the recess.
Another embarrassing part of this story is the dishonesty at the White House over the agreement. As Tommy Christopher reports for Mediaite, Robert Gibbs has disavowed any knowledge of such an agreement with Tauzin and the pharmaceuticals.