IMPORTANT.... From Howard Dean

[Honeycombe8]

108. You just made my point. The Democrats wouldn't have removed that provision, you say.

Which is my point. The Dems were in control of Congress, both at the time the ACA was passed, and later.

Obama never even mentioned it again.

Big Pharma has deep pockets...and PAID to get that provision into the Part D bill. They sure as heck paid a lot to KEEP it there. They paid everyone who had any influence in changing or keeping that provision.

Pharma and health devices contributed more to Dems 2008 - 2014. Then they contributed more to Republicans after then. But note that the single politician they collectively contributed the most to in 2015-16 was Hillary Clinton. They contributed $2,078,000 to her for the Prez election, far more than to any other single polictian (altho collectively they contributed more to Republicans).

They contribute more to whoever they think will win. They typically support Republicans, but in 2008, they cut donations to Repubs and greatly increased donations to Dems. They contributed the following in 2008: Obama: $848,00 Clinton: $639,429 Romney: $410,411 McCain: $347,375.

This is not to say that any one politician is worse than another. This also doesn't mean that they do everything the big donor wants (but money talks, doesn't it?). My point is they all get big money from big pharma and ins. cos. This doesn't make the recipient evil. If someone offered you $2,000,000 on the hope you'd do something, but with no requirement that you actually do something...wouldn't you take it?

https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=H04

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/pharma-election-money-backs-obama/