Tag Archive for Big Pharma

GOP: Screw Unto Others

Well, the Republicans finally got a ‘victory’, if any sane person can call it that. Of course, it’s at the expense of 24 million Americans and possibly more, especially seniors and people with pre-existing conditions. American CEO/Dictator Donald Trump, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and all the other GOP ghouls in the House were absolutely giddy about their ‘victory’ Thursday as they barely passed their vicious new healthcare through the house 217-213.

By most accounts, this bill is just awful. Millions could lose coverage because of deep cuts in Medicaid and because the bill unfairly penalizes people over 50 by charging them almost 5 times more for coverage than regular people. States could seek waivers to deny certain benefits to people including people with pre-existing conditions. It also gives massive tax cuts to the wealthy to the tune of billions of dollars. The AARP trashed it as well as a coalition of hospitals, nurses and health care providers. So in summary: the poor and the old get screwed, while the rich get richer. And if you have a pre-existing condition, then die already.

If this doesn’t prove that Republicans are sadistic sociopaths who put party over the good of the country and put profits of their wealthy corporate benefactors like big pharma and the insurance industry (these industries have given over $204 million to Republicans since 2010), over people, then nothing else will. Jesus said “Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me.” Well then, Republicans just took Jesus’ healthcare away. According to the GOP the golden rule now reads: SCREW UNTO OTHERS! Can you live with that christians? If so, then maybe you’re a GOD DAMN HYPOCRITE!

Jesus said 'Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me. Well Republicans just screwed Jesus out of healthcare.

Republicans, like American CEO/Dictator Donald Trump and jug eared corporate lackey Paul Ryan, giddily celebrate screwing 24 million people out of healthcare like the good christians they are, thus rewriting the golden rule to read: screw unto others.

Salk, Hero; Shkreli, Zero

How about that Martin Shkreli, huh? What a piece of work he is. In case, you don’t know, Martin Shkreli is the wunderkind CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals who recently made every sane person’s list of most hated man in the world recently by raising the price of a life saving drug Daraprim from $13.50 to $750 per pill. Yes, you read that right… $750 per pill.

And now poor little rich man is mad at Bernie Sanders because Mr. Shkreli wanted to donate to Sanders campaign and Sanders wisely rejected the donation. According to Shkreli, he is so mad at Sanders that he could punch a wall. Ahhhhh! Poor wittle baby!!! Well, I think it’s safe to say that there are many Americans who would like to punch Mr. Shkreli’s greedy, smug little face into oblivion.

Shkreli could learn a lot about ethics from Dr. Jonas Salk. Salk discovered the vaccine for polio and instead of filing a patent, which could have made him a gazillionaire, famously said “There is no patent.  Could you patent the sun?”. He had no desire to profit personally but instead wanted the vaccine distributed as widely as possible in order to cure as many people as possible of this dreaded disease. Of course, in this age of greed and profits at any and all costs, Dr. Salk’s actions are scoffed at by most modern day doctors and scientists, who seem to support the idea of putting profits before people. This way of thinking seems counter not only to the Hippocratic Oath (“I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person’s family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick.“) but also to basic christianity, which this nation supposedly has claimed itself to be.

Health care for humans and even our pets has become ridiculously expensive. What’s needed is regulation for the pharmaceutical and medical industry so prices remain affordable to every American, not just the rich. But people keep electing people to Congress who are against any kind of regulation (a.k.a Republicans). One thing is for certain; health care for profit is a bad idea and one that needs changing. Either that, or say hello to more assholes like Mr. Shkreli with their $750 pills.

Dr Jonas Salk is a hero and Mr. Martin Shkreli is a zero.

Mr. Martin Shkreli and his price gouging brand of health care has a long way to go to if he wants to have the same status as Dr. Jonas Salk.