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Booker joins Bernie and publicly supports new drug import bill.

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http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...ker-to-join-sanders-on-drug-imports/98500374/

Pilloried by his party’s left wing for voting in January against a nonbinding measure with a similar goal, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., is joining Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., on Tuesday to unveil a bill to allow the importation of pharmaceuticals from Canada and other countries.

Wow. Will you look at that. Actual politics. Where you have a compromise to get bills that make progress. Good on Booker to publicly support this and good on those who pushed on Booker when he did not support this the first time.
 

geestack

Member
i hate predictions because i'm always wrong, but perhaps booker is doing this to gain some cred for a run in 2020? or at least give himself for cover when the democratic primaries roll around and he needs to explain his contributions from pharm companies
 

Xelinis

Junior Member
What was Booker's specific reasoning for voting against the previous bill? It sounded good on the surface, but I know that the devil is always in the details.
 

Rentahamster

Rodent Whores
'bout time. I'd say the commotion had some effect.

What was Booker's specific reasoning for voting against the previous bill? It sounded good on the surface, but I know that the devil is always in the details.

Something about not being able to ensure that the imported drugs meet all of our safety standards.
 

jtb

Banned
i hate predictions because i'm always wrong, but perhaps booker is doing this to gain some cred for a run in 2020? or at least give himself for cover when the democratic primaries roll around and he needs to explain his contributions from pharm companies

Of course he is.
 

Syncytia

Member
Awesome, I'm glad to see they're getting in front of doing this before any R or Trump can take credit for it. Bernie and Booker submit the bill - it forces GOP to vote for it or go against what Trump said in his address to congress. Or even better, Trump completely reverses his stance on getting better prices for drugs.


Actually... they will probably say "No, we can't import drugs from another country we have to negotiate (read: regulate) better prices"
 

sangreal

Member
drug re-importation is such a dumb idea

we need to just regulate drug prices ourselves

but since that won't happen, I guess it'll have to do
 

shintoki

sparkle this bitch
i hate predictions because i'm always wrong, but perhaps booker is doing this to gain some cred for a run in 2020? or at least give himself for cover when the democratic primaries roll around and he needs to explain his contributions from pharm companies

Yes, people crewed his ass out for his last act. If he wants to have a chance, he needs to change. This is the best way to do it.
 
Still a wolf in sheeps clothing.

Hillary was corrupt and dishonest AF but she was still someone who cared about working people and families. If this guy is the nom I'm not voting. He is legitimately anti-labor.
 

Rentahamster

Rodent Whores
What I will find interesting is to see how many of the cross over Republicans from last time will vote for this bill too. Especially Ted Cruz.
 

CazTGG

Member
Still a wolf in sheeps clothing.

Hillary was corrupt and dishonest AF but she was still someone who cared about working people and families. If this guy is the nom I'm not voting. He is legitimately anti-labor.

Do you want 4 more years of Trump or the Supreme Court flipping to a 5-4 conservative vote if 45 hasn't done so already?
 
What was Booker's specific reasoning for voting against the previous bill? It sounded good on the surface, but I know that the devil is always in the details.

Not enough safety provisions. (link to a tweet. I'm not from NJ but I follow him on twitter anyway)

Edit: also apparently the one he voted against was a non-binding resolution. This one that he co-authored is actual legislation instead of, essentially, "we think this would be good but we're not going to actually do anything about it".
 
Still a wolf in sheeps clothing.

Hillary was corrupt and dishonest AF but she was still someone who cared about working people and families. If this guy is the nom I'm not voting. He is legitimately anti-labor.

lol

Here we go folks. Thankfully the majority of people won't be falling for this bullshit. And I say this as someone who doesn't like Booker...but will support him if he's the nominee.
 
What was Booker's specific reasoning for voting against the previous bill? It sounded good on the surface, but I know that the devil is always in the details.

Thinking that he could still support bullshit like being against this and have any future within the party while doing it. He's coming out against it because he's starting to get singled out as he tries to make more of a name for himself.
 
Still a wolf in sheeps clothing.

Hillary was corrupt and dishonest AF but she was still someone who cared about working people and families. If this guy is the nom I'm not voting. He is legitimately anti-labor.

Please spare us all with the worst case conclusion.

How about this. "I'll do whatever I can to make sure he doesn't win the primary, if he runs".

We can avoid having the third party, not voting, but scotus, blablabala arguments for the 10 millionth time that way.
 
Thinking that he could still support bullshit like being against this and have any future within the party while doing it. He's coming out against it because he's starting to get singled out as he tries to make more of a name for himself.

This bill is literally what he stated he wanted back when Bernie introduced a resolution (not even legislation) and Booker said no.
 

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
No snarky comments from me. I'm fine with this. I'd rather the issue with medical drugs in the US be fixed but that probably won't be happening any time soon so this is better than nothing.
 

fauxtrot

Banned
Am I cynical to think he is predicting the bill won't pass anyway, so he cosigned for the good press? I trust Booker about as much as I do Cuomo, but I'd still vote for either if they won the primary. (They won't, right? Please God...)
 

Kill3r7

Member
What was Booker's specific reasoning for voting against the previous bill? It sounded good on the surface, but I know that the devil is always in the details.

The pharmaceutical industry is a major part of NJ's economy. Although they have been fleeing the state over the last decade. So I can see him trying to do right by the state. Same thing would be expected of a Texas senator and oil.
 
These Dems are just traitors to the American people. How's an upstanding pharmaceutical-American supposed to get ahead in life if everyone' always trying to shut us down?

We're suffering too, you know! Golden parachutes aren't good food!
 

zelas

Member
Am I cynical to think he is predicting the bill won't pass anyway, so he cosigned for the good press? I trust Booker about as much as I do Cuomo, but I'd still vote for either if they won the primary. (They won't, right? Please God...)

i hate predictions because i'm always wrong, but perhaps booker is doing this to gain some cred for a run in 2020? or at least give himself for cover when the democratic primaries roll around and he needs to explain his contributions from pharm companies

Need to get the two WA senators on board. Weird that they both voted down the last one.

Of course he is.

The fact that he wants to be president.

You guys do know there are people in the party who aren't interested in rubber stamping every single liberal proposal. And last I checked we outnumber the extreme left.

Now, couldn't you guys at least have found out what the changes were before jumping to rampant cynicism and negativity towards the part of the coalition you need to have any hope of not having your agenda shot to pieces for the foreseeable future?

http://www.sanders.senate.gov/download/drug-importation-bill?inline=file


Still, the new bill does a lot to create safeguards to prevent potential health risks from Canadian drug importation — even if you don’t think they’re real to begin with. Among the requirements included in the new bill that weren’t in Sanders’s original amendment:

-That foreign sellers of drugs be certified by the US secretary of health and human services
-That foreign sellers can also only sell drugs manufactured in an FDA-registered facility
-That certain drugs "that require more specialized handling" — such as insulin and intravenous drugs — would still only be sold by American pharmacies and wholesalers
-That the HHS secretary could suspend drug importation in the event of a "pattern of importation that involves counterfeit drugs”
http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/2/28/14765092/cory-booker-pharma-bill

Those changes don't look unreasonable to me. Or should we have actually let American pharma, as evil as they can be, deal with regulations that Canadian pharma could ignore? Or would you guys rather stop encouraging dems to continue the very productive, 24/7 obstruction crusade and ask them to work with republicans on deregulating the FDA? I think we know what the better move is.

Now this is just an assumption on my part but one reason why their drugs are cheaper could be due to less burdensome oversight, for better or for worse. Because of that, imagine all the ways actual enemies of the democratic party could spin that to create the perception of "bad government" among our fickle electorate. People should be thanking Cory for shoring up the bill for the real fight to come.
 
You guys do know there are people in the party who aren't interested in rubber stamping every single liberal proposal. And last I checked we outnumber the extreme left.

Now, couldn't you guys at least have found out what the changes were before jumping to rampant cynicism and negativity towards the part of the coalition you need to have any hope of not having your agenda shot to pieces for the foreseeable future?

http://www.sanders.senate.gov/download/drug-importation-bill?inline=file



http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/2/28/14765092/cory-booker-pharma-bill

Those changes don't look unreasonable to me. Or should we have actually let American pharma, as evil as they can be, deal with regulations that Canadian pharma could ignore? Or would you guys rather stop encouraging dems to continue the very productive, 24/7 obstruction crusade and ask them to work with republicans on deregulating the FDA? I think we know what the better move is.

Now this is just an assumption on my part but one reason why their drugs are cheaper could be due to less burdensome oversight, for better or for worse. Because of that, imagine all the ways actual enemies of the democratic party could spin that to create the perception of "bad government" among our fickle electorate. People should be thanking Cory for shoring up the bill for the real fight to come.
lol "maybe drugs shouldn't be as stupidly expensive" is a far left idea?

Booker changed his tune because he got a ton of flack for it and his "Canadian drugs might be dangerous" excuse and he doesn't want to have it bite him in the ass in 2020.
 
Nope I saw his ass stand and clap for some of Trump's speech.

Also I rather go for Oprah next cycle. He can sit his ass down for President. Plus he's establishment.

It is a shame because he is vegan and that gains points for me :(
 

devilhawk

Member
I would suggest that people in Canada should be freaking out about legislation like this.

I honestly believe that if the US fixes their drug prices through allowing importing or negotiating or a law that requires it to be within a certain percentage of other countries, it will likely crush socialized medicine in many countries. Drugs make up near 20% of US spending in healthcare and is the fastest growing portion. The US has for far too long subsidized the drug industry for the rest of the world. If pharma companies can't continue to recoup their costs through exorbitant US prices, they will be forced to raise newly negotiated prices elsewhere.
 

Fox Mulder

Member
What was Booker's specific reasoning for voting against the previous bill? It sounded good on the surface, but I know that the devil is always in the details.

Bullshit about those sketchy Canadian drugs not meeting our FDA standards. He got paid is all.
 

kirblar

Member
I would suggest that people in Canada should be freaking out about legislation like this.

I honestly believe that if the US fixes their drug prices through allowing importing or negotiating or a law that requires it to be within a certain percentage of other countries, it will likely crush socialized medicine in many countries. Drugs make up near 20% of US spending in healthcare and is the fastest growing portion. The US has for far too long subsidized the drug industry for the rest of the world. If pharma companies can't continue to recoup their costs through exorbitant US prices, they will be forced to raise newly negotiated prices elsewhere.
I would have to think that medication covered by patents is excluded here.

The problems w/ price-gouging aren't from brand new meds, but from generic ones that have limited demand.
 

fauxtrot

Banned
You guys do know there are people in the party who aren't interested in rubber stamping every single liberal proposal. And last I checked we outnumber the extreme left.

Now, couldn't you guys at least have found out what the changes were before jumping to rampant cynicism and negativity towards the part of the coalition you need to have any hope of not having your agenda shot to pieces for the foreseeable future?

http://www.sanders.senate.gov/download/drug-importation-bill?inline=file



http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/2/28/14765092/cory-booker-pharma-bill

Those changes don't look unreasonable to me. Or should we have actually let American pharma, as evil as they can be, deal with regulations that Canadian pharma could ignore? Or would you guys rather stop encouraging dems to continue the very productive, 24/7 obstruction crusade and ask them to work with republicans on deregulating the FDA? I think we know what the better move is.

Now this is just an assumption on my part but one reason why their drugs are cheaper could be due to less burdensome oversight, for better or for worse. Because of that, imagine all the ways actual enemies of the democratic party could spin that to create the perception of "bad government" among our fickle electorate. People should be thanking Cory for shoring up the bill for the real fight to come.

I didn't realize Booker was playing 46th dimensional chess! Obama must have gifted him a few Chaos Emeralds.

Real talk though, dude is the Marco Rubio of the Democratic Party... an empty suit who people for some reason see as the the bright star of the next generation that will ultimately crumple under any real pressure.
 

leroidys

Member
You guys do know there are people in the party who aren't interested in rubber stamping every single liberal proposal. And last I checked we outnumber the extreme left.

Now, couldn't you guys at least have found out what the changes were before jumping to rampant cynicism and negativity towards the part of the coalition you need to have any hope of not having your agenda shot to pieces for the foreseeable future?

http://www.sanders.senate.gov/download/drug-importation-bill?inline=file



http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/2/28/14765092/cory-booker-pharma-bill

Those changes don't look unreasonable to me. Or should we have actually let American pharma, as evil as they can be, deal with regulations that Canadian pharma could ignore? Or would you guys rather stop encouraging dems to continue the very productive, 24/7 obstruction crusade and ask them to work with republicans on deregulating the FDA? I think we know what the better move is.

Now this is just an assumption on my part but one reason why their drugs are cheaper could be due to less burdensome oversight, for better or for worse. Because of that, imagine all the ways actual enemies of the democratic party could spin that to create the perception of "bad government" among our fickle electorate. People should be thanking Cory for shoring up the bill for the real fight to come.

Responding solely to you responding to me, I only said it was weird that the WA senators voted it down because they are (broadly) very much on the farther left side of the Senate. I think you're overreacting a bit.
 
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