Tweet
Harry Reid kept the vote off the floor until PhRMA managed to whip the votes against it. Here’s part 1 of the video of Dorgan from the Senate floor on December 15, 2009, the day that Reid finally allowed the amendment to come to a vote:
SENATOR DORGAN: The amendment we are offering, a bipartisan amendment dealing with the price of prescription drugs, is a very important amendment. We are going to get our vote on that, but then there is also going to be a vote on a poison pill amendment that nullifies it. It says if you pass the second amendment, it means nothing happens and prescription drug prices keep going through the roof.
76 Comments
Support this site!
Subscribe to the newsletter
Advertise on Firedoglake
Send
us your tips
Make us your homepage
About FDL Action
Say what you want about Dick Cheney, I don’t know many who disagree with his opinion of Congress.
Just how much personal integrity does Senator Byron Dorgan have.He voted to move a bad health care bill foward.No fight for the people.Unlike Ben Nelson who was ready to kill the bad bill if he did not get his personal bribe.
And who besides FDL is covering this story? Let me guess. No one in the corporate media. It’s a rigged game and to think this corrupt political/economic system can be “reformed” in any meaningful fashion is becoming more and more naive every day.
What’s the Democratic rallying cry?
“Oh, okay. I give. Uncle.”
But Mr. Hope and Change got elected. Suckers.
Health care reform is giving me Tourette’s syndrome.
Tom Carper on reneging on deals made with the Dark One.
You just can’t make this stuff up.
Disagree.
The Democratic rally cry is:
MORE CORPORATE MONEY!!
FUCK YEAH MORE CORPORATE MONEY!!
GIMMEE, GIMMEE, GIMMEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Oh yeah, Nader was right. Not a lick of difference between ‘em…
Gotta wait for Sotomayor to vote against campaign finance reform before you can type that.
Who’s the Dark One?
I think I’d retire too.
I’d say there’s just a lick.
As in the spit on Wolfowitz’s comb.
Biden’s plugs require industrial saliva.
Here’s what I’d like to see this year:
A ‘mock’ Presidential debate between Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul.
It doesn’t bind either one of them to anything, but allows Americans to discover the common ground that the Libertarian Right and the Progressive Left share.
It would also highlight the differences, but wouldn’t be a wasted exercise in my opinion.
Want to sponsor that, Jane?
That would certainly be more substantive than any other debate among pols that I’ve seen.
good morning
Source: Roll Call
Sen. Russ Feingold (Wis.) became the first Democrat to openly criticize Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) use of racially insensitive language and declined to endorse Reid’s continued tenure as Majority Leader.
Dorgan has never lost a statewide election in his state, and was part of a 60-vote majority. I can’t help but think that he left the senate because of his treatment on drug reimportation. I do not accept the CW that he was running away from a tough reelection campaign.
appropriate, imo.
The credibility of the Obama Administration is rapidly diminishing. Rahm and Obama put together a health care plan that is not universal, that is not a public plan, that has corporate medicine still controlling health care access and treatments. We can ask why. Would $20M be the reason, given to Obama by his corporate puppetmasters. I am so saddened so see The New Boss Is The Same As The Old Boss.
In response to eCAHNomics @ 14:
For questioners, how about:
Amy Goodman, Bill Moyers, Larry Elder and Lorenzo Gaztanaga?
Jane can moderate.
Yep, business as usual and the Amerika govt. has the nerve to call other countries corrupt. Amazing
If that did happen it might only indicate that not all Democrats are on board. A cynic might suggest that nobody on the SCOTUS would have their own finances directly affected if she joined the minority opinion. A slightly more cynical person might wonder why so few of the liberal leaning members have take the opportunity to retire.
Who are they, she asked, revealing her ignorance, or should I just google?
That there is a real quotable quote. LOL! It’s certainly true for me ; ) Thanks for that : )
Your last point is a good one. How long can they live?
Let’s be clear what PhRMA is doing to us. Per the Wikipedia:
Also per the Wikipedia:
So let’s say it’s 67 percent (i.e., three times as much per pill as “in India, the UK, and other countries”).
Then each year, the U.S. public is being gouged for 67% of 12.9% of 16% of our $15 trillion GDP (i.e., ($207 billion) by this drug cartel that calls itself PhRMA.
I never could understand Obama’s lack of leadership and changing opinions on the issue. Raw Story does kind of connect the dots doesn’t it?
Looked ‘em up. Libertarians I see.
I figured they were closer to Paul and Goodman/Moyers closer to Kucinich.
Trying to keep it fair & diversified.
Good lineup. I see you like to spend your time dreaming about things that won’t happen. Me, maybe a pony. *g*
Hey, if Jane can work with Grover against Rahm, anything can happen…
right?
;^)
Actually, if I understand this correctly, it looks like Dorgan is giving up his seat in protest. It’s too bad that he felt like he couldn’t vote against the bad health care bill going forward the way Lieberman and Nelson threatened to do, but I think that what Dorgan is doing makes a loud and clear statement to Obama and the sellout Senate Democratic failures and their enablers.
Besides which, if you don’t suggest it, it will certainly NEVER happen.
Between corrupt Democrats and corrupt Republicans, this is like a giant game of Whack-a-Mole.
Dorgan said on Ed Schultz that he will get reimportation passed this year (2010).
An optimist to the end.
Good luck, Byron.
Yeah, and O is crying all the way to the bank. If giving up his seat is a protest, it’s a cutting-off-your-nose-to-spite-your-face kind.
Poison pill amendment indeed! The perfect name! Obama really put the knife in our backs on this one and he even campaigned on removing this restriction didn’t he? Another in a long list of growing betrayals by Mr. Hope and Change.
When leaders fail, resigning is a perfectly legitimate form of protest.
In this case, the leaders who failed are Reid and Obama. It looks like they put him into a corner – “do you want to deny us the 60th vote and ruin what little reform there is over drug reimportation?” Frankly, I would have been fine with him denying them the 60th vote on this bad bill, but he apparently felt like he couldn’t do it.
In light of everything FDL is doing to force the failed Dems to take their left flank seriously and deliver on the progressive change they promised, I don’t see Dorgan’s move as cutting-off-your-nose-to-spite-your-face.
But he did lead. He an “honest politician,” Chicago style. When he’s bought, he stays bought and enforces his deal.
We have the best president money can buy.
I guess some people see half a glass gives a better drink than an empty one…
Good point – had it been John McCain we’d all be walking into our government health clinic for our free and universal health care…
and Hillary too – the next best thing to a communist!
Interesting point about nadar as we all view the Prop 8 – when i voted for him in 2000, “progressives” like Dan Savage, said I should be beaten with a stick for giving Bush the election. SOOOOO we have a centrist politician running as a centrist politican and NOW the progressives decide to fight…
Yeah – go ask the libertarians if they give two shits about America’s poor – I’m sure they’re all waiting to dig into their pockets to help… the FDLers have lost their bean!
I could respect a no vote on a health care bill for insurance conglomerate.Byron Dorgan votes yes to hand the health and well being of the American Citizens under more controle of the conglomerante.Then he Quits a failure and enabler.Byron one in the same.
this is not the left flank – this is the self-destructive left…
Lets all vote for Nader and really teach those Democrats a lesson just like we did in 2000. Not a lick of difference – we were better off with W. Who cares about the environment and supreme court. Let the Country go to hell in a hand basket.
Back in 1980 we taught those Democrats a lesson because Carter wasn’t progressive enough for us. Yea, Reagan really taught them a lesson – I guess they aren’t learning so we could get Palin as president and that would really show them.
Will you be happy with the 1/4 glass you will leave your children and when its empty who water do you want to take.
No – I would expect that we pass this bill and improve upon it – but around here, it seems that we should not pass the bill – and then just keep waiting for something better…
just keep waiting…
That seems to be exaclty how much Obama cares.
Two shits.
Eat up!~
it’s amazing – without Obama we wouldn’t even be TALKING about ANY health care reform – you think a CLINTON administration would’ve got the job done.. Oh, right, the first Clinton didn’t even get close… Maybe a good Libertarian like Ron Paul would give you the Public Option…(you can die on a public street – or maybe public transportation…
NO YOU DEMAND BETTER IF IT TAKES A TOTAL CHANGE OF LAW MAKERS.THE POWER COULD BE THE PEOPLES.
And we’re still not talking about ‘Health Care Reform.’
We’re talking about forced subsidization of Health Insurance Malfeasance.
Dorgan should get even with a little payback and state he’s voting NO on HCR, what the hell he’s retiring why not shaft them back and stick it to Rahm/Obama & Reid.
seriously, lol…you call this Health Care Reform….lol!!
Now that he has shed the party chains that bound him, Sen Dorgan is perfectly positioned to take on Big Pharma. All he has to do is take to the Senate floor and condition his conference report vote on having the PhARMA/Administration secret pact made public. When made public, this pact will show how what’s best for the public was traded away for industry support. It is, as the senator suggested, the thread that could unravel this cheap suit. Then, as the champion of real health care reform, he could force his colleagues to make a very public choice: allow drug reimportation for the benefit of the people, or block it for the benefit of the drug companies. And then…Dorgan for president in 2012?
The word your looking for is EXTORTION.
Is it a communist utopia? no…
is it about the best we can expect from a system where tiny conservative states – led by conservative democrats – have the same exact vote as more liberal states led by more liberal democrats?
Honestly, to listen to this discussion, you’d think American conservatisim is the exception and not the rule.
Little steps my friend – that’s how it’s done…when the people demand real change, we’ll get it…
but they’re not demandinng it – they’re too scared of Muslim terrorists and socialist takeovers!
and this is about Obama? In your mind, if he got a bill with a single payer system he’d veto it in hopes of a less progressive bill?
… by advocates of free-market capitalism!
The real reason were not getting it is that Mr. Hope and Change took 20 mil. + from the same people blocking any Hope or Change.
and that 50 years previous? And the 150 years before that? Seriously – you answer is too simplistic – as I asked before – you think Obama would VETO a bill with a single payer system if it landed on his desk?
and things in that department are bound to improve shortly /s
I emailed this to Jane directly – but its worth repeating here: this is true. just happened to my best friends. his employer has given him the “benefit” of health insurance. this particular insurance company requires the insured to fill perscriptions online at their own web site.
the out-of-pocket co-pays on various drugs ranged from $20 to $50 ea. And you have to buy 3 months at a time, so that out-of-pocket co-pay becomes
$60-$150 each….. for them around $3000 a year.
Right after christmas my friends received their new insurance cards for 2010 with new instructions. ARE YOU READY FOR THIS!
the co-pays are now 20% OF THE ENTIRE COST OF THE PERSCRIPTION.
just one of my friends cholesterol medications – Welcore (6 pills/day)
is now an out-of-pocket expense of $500 for the 3 months or $2000 a year!
on top of all the other health maintenace medications they both take.
needless to say they cancelled the order and called the doctor to say
won’t be taking that medication any more………
I have 4 heart stents. if my plan goes to this, i will just have to die.
i certainly can’t afford to spend anymore……..
some deal our president made with pharma……….
I aagree completely – but is that realistic?
This is a huge step BACKWARDS. The Bush admin did bad corporatist deals, but not even they went so far as to try and turn us into corporate serfs. Passing a bill for the sake of passing a bill is both politics as well as bad policy.
One Day The question is none violent change today or hire private contractors to protect your freedom.Locked in a gated community.I can’t think of a more Moral cause than Health Care that everyone has or will contribute to.One stand can change direction hold everyone accountable.
Fat chance of that ever happening, so Mr. Hope doesn’t have to worry. Let me ask you this though, do u think Mr. Change will sign a bill that has a Forced mandate ( he said he was ahgainst and is now for) A Tax on the Middle class or the so called Excise Tax on Cadillac plans – That he also said he was against but is now for), a bill with No public option ( that he said he was for it before it was not important. You get my picture. I wonder if he’ll veto such a piece of shit? Yea right.
I think that’s a mischaracterization – I don’t see the Excise Tax as a Middle Class tax increase – you only say that because Unions offer very generous plans – other than that, those plans are for rich people. Yes, Obama said he’d like a public option – he NEVER said that was a deal breaker. As to the mandate – I wonder why progressives are against this? Is it because the mandate forces us to buy evil insurance? Wasn’t that the idea – that the uninsured – particularly young people who refuse insurance becuase they don’t think they need it, drive up costs when they stroll into an ER and we foot the bill? Look, I wish we had a single payer plan – but I’ll start small and hope that future progressives can get this deal better…
1) McCain would have NEVER brought us universal care much less a govt. run one ala single payer.
2) HRC is a corporate facist, nothing LIKE a commie.
Yer a liar.
“But Mr. Hope and Change got elected. Suckers.”
For someone who voted against both, you’re going to be pretty unhappy with anything Obama gets done. Sort of makes your opinion, well, worthless.
We could at least take a stand, rather than doing exactly as obama and Rahm know we will , out of fear, vote for the democrats because we are to scared not to. They know full well a bunch of people will use your arguments and vote for them, so why should they represent us. They know they can us fear as effectively as Bush did, so much so, that they blantantly come out and say we don’t matter. How much worse do things need to get before we start theateneing them rather than them theatening us. We do have the power, if we decide to use it.
Obama has done nothing about the environment. He has approved moutain top removal, and cap and trade has proven not to work where ever it has been tried. It is just a gift to the energy companies. I think his supreme court nominees will let us down on campaign finance. Obama doesn’t talk as nasty as Palin, but that is the only difference.
If we can’t get something better later on, why would we expect anyone to improve on it later?
I wouldn’t vote for Ron Paul, but I would vote nader and not make the mistake I have been making since 2000 voting lessor evil. That will just get me another disappointment like Obama.
Bush wasn’t “lessor [sic] evil.” He was pure evil. Thanks for helping to put that creep and his fellow goons in …. twice. With friends like you America doesn’t need enemies.
No. No you can’t.
The FDA’s bogus Bush-league letter was probably written by either Tom Carper’s staffers or Rahm Emanuel’s, or so Dorgan thought. He even provided a timeline.
I thoroughly disagree on all your points. Just sayin.