Thanks to Donald Trump’s upset victory, and to the movement it represents, Republicans in Congress are not only in the majority, they are an entrenched majority. Perhaps their status will change if the Trump bandwagon loses steam by 2018, but for now, the GOP has a stranglehold on both houses of Congress. As a result, Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis have risen in prominence, and are regularly sought after by the national media for their views on various public policy issues. Burr in particular, as Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has become more visible and more influential, thanks in part to increased threats of terrorism both here and abroad.
As federal office holders, both Burr and Tillis must balance the needs of their constituents with those of all citizens, and they must sometimes vote their conscious over provincial concerns. But when a United States senator’s conscience and his votes are compromised, then he must either recuse himself, or resign. Earlier this month, Senator Burr should have recused himself when it came time to vote on an important healthcare bill. Instead he dishonored himself and the American people, and now he should resign.
On January 11, Senator Amy Klobucher, a Democrat from Minnesota, proposed an amendment to a Senate budget bill, which would have allowed importation of drugs from Canada by pharmacists, wholesalers, and consumers with valid prescriptions. For many Americans trying to make ends meet, the measure meant they would no longer have to choose between food and medicine. Burr and Tillis voted Nay, and the amendment just barely failed. Fortunately, another vote was taken two weeks later, and the Senate passed the bill. Asked to explain their opposition to allowing Americans to purchase cheaper drugs from Canada, Tillis said such a provision might interfere with crafting a new healthcare law to replace ACA. Burr, meanwhile said that drugs from Canada might not be safe. Tillis’ reason made no sense. Burr’s was suspect, and had no basis in fact.
First to the facts about safety. As reported by the Winnipeg Free Press, Dr. Peter Rost, vice president of marketing for Pfizer, said there shouldn’t be any concerns with prescription drugs from Canada. Said Rost, “Drugs from Canada are absolutely, positively safe. What has been said about Canadian drugs is, quite frankly, insulting.” Why Dr. Rost broke with his own company is not clear, but he has been outspoken in setting the record straight, and dispelling myths that have been propagated by the pharmaceutical industry and the politicians it supports.
According to seniormag.com, Dr. Rost says that multinational pharmaceutical firms are using safety to disguise their real motive of protecting profits. But even if Senator Burr has total disregard for Dr. Rost’s analysis, and honestly believes Canadian drugs are unsafe, how then does he explain death-inducing side effects of so-called FDA-approved medicines? The fact is Canadian drugs aren’t dangerous, they are just cheaper, and that’s why Richard Burr voted Nay. But why should Burr care about the price of drugs? Because he is paid to care.
From 2009 until 2016, Senator Burr accepted nearly $420,000 from Big Pharma, and no one donates that much money unless they want something in return.
In Burr’s case, the payback seems to have been voting against any and all legislation that would allow the importation of prescription drugs. The fact that the most recent bill eventually passed is moot. Burr did his job to obstruct passage in the early going, and that’s all the cover he needs if his donors want to know what the heck happened. Of course, Richard no longer has to worry about donor backlash, because he’s already announced that this will be his last term in the Senate. Moreover, North Carolina is one of several states that does not allow for recall of a senator, so even if voters wanted to punish Burr for his insensitive action, they have no mechanism to do so. I suppose the Senate could censure Burr for not acting in the best interest of his constituents, but don’t hold your breath.
Anyway, all’s well that ends well. Richard gets to keep the $420,000 and his Senate seat, while millions of Americans will be able to buy cheaper drugs, in spite of Burr’s efforts to the contrary. The moral of this story is that the drugs we need can be more easily bought…and so can some politicians.
Burr Should Be Ashamed
Thanks to Donald Trump’s upset victory, and to the movement it represents, Republicans in Congress are not only in the majority, they are an entrenched majority. Perhaps their status will change if the Trump bandwagon loses steam by 2018, but for now, the GOP has a stranglehold on both houses of Congress. As a result, Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis have risen in prominence, and are regularly sought after by the national media for their views on various public policy issues. Burr in particular, as Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has become more visible and more influential, thanks in part to increased threats of terrorism both here and abroad.
As federal office holders, both Burr and Tillis must balance the needs of their constituents with those of all citizens, and they must sometimes vote their conscious over provincial concerns. But when a United States senator’s conscience and his votes are compromised, then he must either recuse himself, or resign. Earlier this month, Senator Burr should have recused himself when it came time to vote on an important healthcare bill. Instead he dishonored himself and the American people, and now he should resign.
On January 11, Senator Amy Klobucher, a Democrat from Minnesota, proposed an amendment to a Senate budget bill, which would have allowed importation of drugs from Canada by pharmacists, wholesalers, and consumers with valid prescriptions. For many Americans trying to make ends meet, the measure meant they would no longer have to choose between food and medicine. Burr and Tillis voted Nay, and the amendment just barely failed. Fortunately, another vote was taken two weeks later, and the Senate passed the bill. Asked to explain their opposition to allowing Americans to purchase cheaper drugs from Canada, Tillis said such a provision might interfere with crafting a new healthcare law to replace ACA. Burr, meanwhile said that drugs from Canada might not be safe. Tillis’ reason made no sense. Burr’s was suspect, and had no basis in fact.
First to the facts about safety. As reported by the Winnipeg Free Press, Dr. Peter Rost, vice president of marketing for Pfizer, said there shouldn’t be any concerns with prescription drugs from Canada. Said Rost, “Drugs from Canada are absolutely, positively safe. What has been said about Canadian drugs is, quite frankly, insulting.” Why Dr. Rost broke with his own company is not clear, but he has been outspoken in setting the record straight, and dispelling myths that have been propagated by the pharmaceutical industry and the politicians it supports.
According to seniormag.com, Dr. Rost says that multinational pharmaceutical firms are using safety to disguise their real motive of protecting profits. But even if Senator Burr has total disregard for Dr. Rost’s analysis, and honestly believes Canadian drugs are unsafe, how then does he explain death-inducing side effects of so-called FDA-approved medicines? The fact is Canadian drugs aren’t dangerous, they are just cheaper, and that’s why Richard Burr voted Nay. But why should Burr care about the price of drugs? Because he is paid to care.
From 2009 until 2016, Senator Burr accepted nearly $420,000 from Big Pharma, and no one donates that much money unless they want something in return.
In Burr’s case, the payback seems to have been voting against any and all legislation that would allow the importation of prescription drugs. The fact that the most recent bill eventually passed is moot. Burr did his job to obstruct passage in the early going, and that’s all the cover he needs if his donors want to know what the heck happened. Of course, Richard no longer has to worry about donor backlash, because he’s already announced that this will be his last term in the Senate. Moreover, North Carolina is one of several states that does not allow for recall of a senator, so even if voters wanted to punish Burr for his insensitive action, they have no mechanism to do so. I suppose the Senate could censure Burr for not acting in the best interest of his constituents, but don’t hold your breath.
Anyway, all’s well that ends well. Richard gets to keep the $420,000 and his Senate seat, while millions of Americans will be able to buy cheaper drugs, in spite of Burr’s efforts to the contrary. The moral of this story is that the drugs we need can be more easily bought…and so can some politicians.