Talk me Down: So does the Sunlight Foundation revelation prove Obama is corporate owned?

[brand404]

Was reading the eye opening scheming the WH had been pulling behind the backs of the people via the Sunlight Foundation factually backed article: http://blog.sunlightfoundation.com/2010/02/12/the-legacy-of-billy-tauzin-the-white-house-phrma-deal/

And the only thing i keep thinking is that Obama has no interest in making any change to any area if it in some way it hurts some corporate interests (or rather, doesn't lead to personal gain down the road -- e.g. Axelrod's company getting $2 million for corporate health ads in support of the disastrous bacus plan). His campaign ad (seen at the link) clearly shows he lied and knew exactly what was going on and so i am heartbroken deeply....

Can someone somehow explain to me how Obama is not a center-right politician who fights for corporate interests only, after reading the Sun article?

[vaberella]

1. I don't think so. Because Obama publicly and loudly supported drug reimportation.

To the dismay of many on this site.

[FormerDittoHead]

3. That was during the election. He's since made a full and complete deal with PARMA not to do it.

>To the dismay of many on this site.

I feel funny having to cite this because it's such old news:

Internal Memo Confirms Big Giveaways In White House Deal With Big Pharma:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/13/internal-memo-confirms-bi_n_258285.html

A memo obtained by the Huffington Post confirms that the White House and the pharmaceutical lobby secretly agreed to precisely the sort of wide-ranging deal that both parties have been denying over the past week.

The memo, which according to a knowledgeable health care lobbyist was prepared by a person directly involved in the negotiations, lists exactly what the White House gave up, and what it got in return.

It says the White House agreed to oppose any congressional efforts to use the government's leverage to bargain for lower drug prices or import drugs from Canada -- and also agreed not to pursue Medicare rebates or shift some drugs from Medicare Part B to Medicare Part D, which would cost Big Pharma billions in reduced reimbursements.

[vaberella]

7. I've already debunked this in a previous thread. Enjoy.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2009/12/20/administration... /

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/71387-obama-...

Unfortunately I can't find the video since I last saw it on c-span and then msnbc back in December. I wasn't even that much discussed on DU...except by a few of us. I was one of them.

[FormerDittoHead]

11. So he strikes a deal and you believe the rest of this isn't BS?

The DEAL. Look at the DEAL.

The first link didn't make it.

Please show me the link where this deal was never made.

Basically, he wouldn't be so stupid as to make a deal denying re-importation if he was going to go back on it before it was voted on it.

It's clear that he knows the FDA will veto the Snow amendment - an amendment which will give her and McCain political license to suggest that they're fighting to keep drug prices down. She knows about the FDA will veto re-importation as well.

When I see Obama appoint someone new at the FDA with direct instructions not to kill re-importation, then I'll believe the rest of this is nothing more than political cover for both parties.

Follow the money. The rest is theater.

[quiet.american]

2. Essentially the article is a "big revelation" that deals have to be cut to get anything done.

I'm shocked to find this going on in our capitalism-based society.

[jefferson_dem]

5. You mean I can't get every single political outcome I want...

when I want it?

:shrug:

Damnit Obama!

[jefferson_dem]

4. Hahahahahaha...

Fail.

[vaberella]

8. Whenever you do that...I always think that's what your avatar is saying. n/t

[polichick]

6. Cover your eyes and ears and keep hoping. ;)

[Hippo_Tron]

9. We live in a center-right country, Obama is a center-right politician by world standards

I voted for him because I like the center-right A LOT more than the nutjob far right alternatives.

[jeanpalmer]

10. Yep, the Axelrod thing was really disappointing

but not unexpected. He's the one who came up with the phony change slogan, so what's there to expect from him?

I just look at what Obama is doing with the defense budget -- spending 40+% of our tax revenue on war and the military, and increasing it. That's the definition of a corporatist.