NYT: Obama Was Pushed by Drug Industry, E-Mails Suggest

[BlueCheese]

Another look at how sausage is made in Washington, which I didn't see posted elsewhere. Now we know (or more accurately, are reminded) why there was no drug reimportation in the health insurance overhaul. Can anyone in Washington stand up to the lobbyists? Does anyone want to?

Obama Was Pushed by Drug Industry, E-Mails Suggest
By PETER BAKER

After weeks of talks, drug industry lobbyists were growing nervous. To cut a deal with the White House on overhauling health care, they needed to be sure that President Obama would stop a proposal intended to bring down medicine prices.

On June 3, 2009, one of the lobbyists e-mailed Nancy-Ann DeParle, the president’s health care adviser. Ms. DeParle reassured the lobbyist. Although Mr. Obama was overseas, she wrote, she and other top officials had “made decision, based on how constructive you guys have been, to oppose importation” on a different proposal.

Just like that, Mr. Obama’s staff signaled a willingness to put aside support for the reimportation of prescription medicines at lower prices and by doing so solidified a compact with an industry the president had vilified on the campaign trail. Central to Mr. Obama’s drive to remake the nation’s health care system was an unlikely collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry that forced unappealing trade-offs.

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Read more at this link: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/09/us/politics/e-mails-reveal-extent-of-obamas-deal-with-industry-on-health-care.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2

[jpbollma]

1. Pretty sick

We would be slamming the GOP for this.

[villager]

2. Obama!? Pushed around by special interests!!?

Why, I never!

[BlueIris]

3. Wow...no way.

Good thing health insurance reform was worth it.

[unblock]

4. this is news?

well, the email itself is news, but it was pretty obvious way early on that obama somehow managed to get them on his side when they were visciously opposed to the clintons' effort.

no way that sort of thing happens in washington without some deal being cut.

[JDPriestly]

5. But, in 2008, Obama promised there would be no lobbying in the White House!

Surely, Obama wouldn't go back on a promise that easy to keep?

[Tarheel_Dem]

7. Well this is brand new.

[_ed_]

8. He sold the American people out in favor of Drug Company Excecutives

“That’s an example of the same old game playing in Washington. You know, I don’t want to learn how to play the game better. I want to put an end to the game playing.” Barack Obama

Yeah, right.