I'm not saying he wants to be there, but he's not exactly racing to get up either. He lied.
Obama promised to repeal the ban on allowing Medicare to negotiate pharmaceutical prices, like the VA and Medicaid do, and use those savings ($30-35 billion annually) towards expanding health care. It would also save the folks on Medicare $27 billion for things like food and shelter.
$30-35 billion annually if he keeps his campaign promise. $8 billion annually for Billy Tauzin's sweet nothings.
And that's just Medicare. Imagine the savings if the concept was applied universally. I know Pharma and their strippers and coke whores stay up at night worrying about it.
This is an absolute no brainer.
This would swallow half the tax raise the White House is proposing.
Let the free market work on drug prices. Let it free up money for the rest of the economy. Let it help senior citizens and main street out.
Unfortunately...
At the same time, the drugmakers are counting on the White House to block efforts by House Democrats to extract more than $80 billion from their industry in the legislation.
Obama and Billy sitting in a tree...
And you can forget the ads that Pharma's running. As if they are worth $220 billion. As if pharma isn't playing both sides. As if pharma doesn't have people at the town halls trying to hold on to that $80 billion and keep the other $220 billion safe, too.
The major point is Obama's credibility. Where is it right now?