Aluminum cans for prescription drugs

Did anyone see that woman who asked Gore about medicare? Could the Democrats have scripted it any better? I mean, if they didn't plant her to ask that question, that has to be the most amazing bit of luck, and on the same day Bush is proclaimed to be gaining on Gore in the female and old folk vote. I have to say, though, when a senior citizen has to pick up cans by the side of the road just to pay for medication and food concurrently, something is very wrong with the picture. I don't mean something with pharmaceutical companies, because I will always protest price ceilings or any forced interference in a market, ESPECIALLY an R&D dependant industry like medication, but somewhere else, and I fear the answer is Medicare. __________________ Any audience Gore appears before is screened. So the woman was a plant. This is a result of what happened a couple months ago. Some woman asked Gore if it was okay for Slick Willie to get away with raping women and Gore just sat there and stammered. Of course the woman who nailed Gore with that question is probably going to be audited any day now. Gore also lied about how his mother-in-law pays more than the family dog for the same medication. His aides came right out and said he made the whole thing up. Gore certainly has a reality problem. __________________ Quote: Originally posted by sbp Any audience Gore appears before is screened. So the woman was a plant. This is a result of what happened a couple months ago. Some woman asked Gore if it was okay for Slick Willie to get away with raping women and Gore just sat there and stammered. Of course the woman who nailed Gore with that question is probably going to be audited any day now. Gore also lied about how his mother-in-law pays more than the family dog for the same medication. His aides came right out and said he made the whole thing up. Gore certainly has a reality problem. What in the hell does this have to do with Medicare? __________________ You asked whether or not it was scripted. It was pennypinch. The second statement shows how far Gore will go to get elected by indulging in make believe stories. The problem is the smuck believes the stories he makes up. Gore also promises anything and everything under the sun. That's fine if he wants to pay for all that crap himself. Gore also doesn't know the difference between a pap smear and mamogram. Trust him with medical care? Hell no! __________________ It may have been scripted, but the question remains: does this type of thing actually happen? If so, I'd say this is one of the more serious problems than middle-class tax cuts, etc. Say what you will about some of the issues out there, a person's actual survival is more important. Further, I think I can probably say we all agree no-one should have to live in pain. Whatever one's opinions are about Medicare, to correllate Gore's medical knowledge with the program's success or failure is just plain stupid. We all know he won't touch the thing! He'll delegate it to the division of health, or whatever the appropriate department is. And please: if you're going to invoke Yiddish, it's schmuck. At least I think it is... It's clear you're a dyed-in-the-wool, Bible-beatin', Reagan-omic Republican. Arguing Medicare's relative merits and vices is probably useless, just as trying to justify homophobia is to me. I just wonder this: if the Republicans turned around and endorsed Medicare, what would you think? You seem to endorse the entire party ticket... __________________ Sorry to disappoint you pennypinch but I don't thumb the bible. Yeah go ahead and believe all the bs stories you hear pennypinch. Because all of them you hear must be true! Yes yes all someone has to do is say something and it really happened! You too can be just like Al Gore! If the federal government can't get the job done with a 2 trillion budget (yes 2 trillion dollars!) and by most accounts it can't, than obviously something is wrong. And people want to turn around and give them more hardearned taxpayer money to waste? No way to that. These politicans must think money just grows in people's wallets and purses. Its true the Republican party is fond of big government programs but not as much as the Democrats. The difference the Republicans are going to take us to socialist hell a bit slower than the democrats. The Democrats want to take away more of our freedom (damn that pesky second amendment}, love bigger, more intrusive government and support deviously divisive programs like affirmative discrimination. You a lowly taxpayer don't know how to spend your hardearned money so they will eagerly do it for you. I'll pass on that nonsense thanks. Finally penny please learn about Tenncare and how its bankrupted already then come back to discuss medicare. __________________ I don't know how anybody can vote for Gore with any feeling that what he says is what he stands for. Bush may make all kinds of lofty aspirations and goals, but he doesn't make up stuff. Everything from Gore's mouth is a twisted truth...gee, I wonder where he gets that from.... For Gore to say he "invented the internet" (which I'll take at his word for meaning he was pro technology for the masses) is pure BULLSH*T considering he was proposing a modem-usage tax when he ran with Slick Willie in '92. That means everybody on dial-up would pay because taxes cause they're eating up the electronic infrastructure. Hmm, last time I checked AT&T and WCOM had some of the biggest corporate margins and big bucks in Washington. How can Americans just sit there and believe that what Gore promises is true? I would vote for Gore if everything he said he would do came true. I would vote for Bush if everything he believes in he pushes. Considering the monkies in Congress, I'm more apt to take Bush's side. Until I see an explosion of brainpower in Washington and the media, I couldn't care less who runs the goverment because most engineers and physicians and grocery store owners could do a better job. Sad thing is they're never the ones to run for office. I worked for a doctor doing drug studies for a start up drug company. For Gore to be putting pharmaceutical companies under the gun for the high price of drugs is the stupidest escapist route I have ever seen. We've had 13 Clinicians in our Cardiology system who all say Gore's attack on pharms is the most dangerous thing in Heath Care. As mentioned previously, these companies put more into R&D than any other industry (trust me, I've been there). Sure they want money, but at high levels these companies are partially run by physicians who's original goal was to help patients. Americans are just plain spoiled. The reasons the drugs cost so much is because so much research is done. You know how much it costs to take a drug to market? So when all these drug companies come out with brand spanking new products which they put up billions in capitol to research and charge high $ to recoup the costs Gore gets pissed. Would he prefer the drug companies take their time and develop the drugs slowly and save money? There's a reason why this country puts out more drugs than any other in the world. Americans live and die by the "pill that will save them" or make their lives better. If they take three of four drugs that alter what genes they were born with (yes, the new drugs alter gene expression), then should they not be willing to pay 20-30% of their income? Most people are willing to spend 20% of their money on entertainment. Why not on their daily well functioning body? The grass is always greener on the other side for "stupid" Americans. I'm proud to have been born and raised in the US, and after seeing what's in other countries I KNOW we're spoiled. "Stupid" Americans don't know how good they have it. I hear these news stories about how 85 year old woman need to decide between taking a diabetes medication and paying rent. First off, that woman should have planned her retirement better. Poor planning is just her fault. The information is free out there in the county library and has been for 200 years. If you choose to spend Friday night partying instead of taking care of #1 every now and then, well then tough, deal with it. This may sound especially harsh coming from somebody who's going to be a physician, but it's so true. And if the woman really needed medication, there are tons of older medications that treat her diabetes but have more side effects. Doctors can prescribe these, but the drug reps and HMOs are afraid of the consequences and possible lawsuits. Damn lawyers! Why do Americans always need to have the newest and best? What surprises me is that Americans seem so shocked by this. If you go back 300 years in the US, you're health was the best thing you could have. With that you could build your own house and make a job for yourself. Americans complain of spending $1 trillion on Health Care. It's more than that now as GDP is up and gerontology is the rage hehe. So why is it that Americans complain to spend 1/7 of their money on their own well-being? Why is it they don't bitch about the $40 Laker tickets, but $40 to keep their glucose in check is intolerable!?! When did these values change? If you're not saving 1/7 of your money for that rainy medical day, then you're in trouble. Perhaps Gore and Bush should go live in Turkey, India, China, Vietnam, Russia, Somalia, Honduras, or some other country for just 3 weeks. No reporters, no cameras. That's all it took me at age 7 to realize that we're spoiled here and we should love every moment of this. I'm just happy I can bitch like this here because in India or China there wouldn't even be enough electricity to power my PC 24/7. And forget about DSL or cable modem hehe. OK, sorry to go off, but I just wanted some of you to consider this. Those of you who have lived outside this crazy nation know what I'm talking about. I'm proud to be a capitalistic American pig and would gladly defend this country to the very end simply because I know what's real in this world. Too bad the politicians don't. Off soapbox, onto my Cardiology book...TEST MONDAY argh! __________________ Quote: Originally posted by pennypinch Quote: Originally posted by sbp ...and Gore just sat there and stammered. Of course the woman who nailed Gore with that question is probably going to be audited any day now. Gore also lied about how his mother-in-law pays more than the family dog for the same medication. His aides came right out and said he made the whole thing up. Gore certainly has a reality problem. What in the hell does this have to do with Medicare? nothing, but it sure is ROFL funny ;0) [Edited by renots on 09-29-2000 at 03:19 AM] __________________ That's an excellent response, colossus. On-topic at least... I don't claim to be a champion of Democratic values: I think we all agree there needs to be a significant reduction in government programs. If you know a government worker, we all know the ridiculously good conditions they work in must cost money; the end result is the most inefficient dispensor of money. What I'm saying is that there are some programs that deserve scrapping, and some that deserve more investigation and study. Frankly, I don't anticipate that I'll be paying a half-million in pharmaceuticals when I'm 65; that may be a false assumption. In this case, I'm planning for my retirement, but there will always be societal changes that catch the retiree unawares. Certainly, many of the people that have to choose between food and drugs did NOT plan for their futures. I would contend a significant proportion saved for their retirement, but did not forsee the higher drug prices we have today. Nevertheless, I've never disagreed that Gore is plain wrong attempting to pin the blame for all of this on pharmaceutical companies. I think we both understand the associated costs with getting drugs to market (you maybe a little better than me). All I'm saying is that perhaps a program that helps with the cost of drugs is needed. Or will that contribute to the breakdown of the traditional family unit, sbp? Of course, we've all seen what a rousing success Social Security was, so maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree... Nevertheless, while I'm politically cognizant of Gore and Bush's respective crapulence (and let's face it, they're both dolts), who is left to vote for? Nader has always rubbed me the wrong way, the guys involved in yogic flying...well, 'nuff said...I think you're right, colossus: all the really qualified people are doing things that pay them appropriate salaries. Maybe we need to pay the President a salary commensurate with a CEO...you think about it, not only does he deal with personality and economic issues on a regular basis, he must also keep in mind international affairs and a whole host of other duties...it might bring a few better qualified candidates out of the woodwork! Or maybe we should set up insular city-states. __________________ It seems like socialism is the answer....or not __________________ Medicinal Marijuana give the drugmakers a run for their money by lifting the 63 year old impediment to a truely competitive medical market. besides, pharmaceutical makers spend too much time developing ways of making cheap herbal remedies into expensive[and patentable] monopolies. Not to mention the expensive FDA process that allows them to justify such exorbitant prices and creates very high barriers to entry, thus keeping prices higher and choices less. But I don't care; just let me grow whatever damn plant I want and the Drug Makers can continue to pander to whatever market they have left. How can man justify himself in Banning a creation of God[yes,I know profit]? ;0) Mavi forum