Trumps flip-flops on campaign promise to negotiate drug prices under Medicare

senseamp

Lifer
Feb 5, 2006
35,783
6,187
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President Trump is backing off his 2016 campaign pledge to negotiate drug prices for Medicare with pharmaceutical companies, drawing fire from Democrats after months of talks on the issue with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
During his campaign, Trump famously broke with Republican orthodoxy with his support for having the government negotiate lower drug prices.
“When it comes time to negotiate the cost of drugs, we are going to negotiate like crazy,” Trump said in New Hampshire in early 2016.
Pelosi’s staff spent months over the course of this year trying to get White House support for her measure to allow the government to negotiate prices for up to 250 drugs per year, with tough financial penalties for companies that refused to come to the table.
But after months of holding his fire, Trump is now publicly bashing Pelosi’s bill. And while Trump still talks about the need to lower drug prices in general, he has not proposed an alternative drug price negotiation plan of his own.
Screw American patients and tax payers, gotta keep that big pharma blank check going.
 

Paladin3

Diamond Member
Mar 5, 2004
4,933
877
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The profit needs to be taken out of healthcare or there is no reform possible. We can't have low-cost, quality healthcare for all while pharmaceutical companies and hospitals continue to profit off of the sick and dying. I don't know how we accomplish this lofty goal, but forcing pharmaceutical companies to negotiate drug prices sounds like a good first step.

Also, Trump is an ass.
 

nOOky

Platinum Member
Aug 17, 2004
2,826
1,846
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It really sounds like Trump is just lazy, and not very bright intellectually. It's a lot easier to watch cable news and form the basis for his policies from that, rather than work to come up with solutions for the American people and implement them. He's backed off on almost everything except the tax cuts, nothing else is getting done.
 

Indus

Diamond Member
May 11, 2002
9,750
6,365
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I don't mind at all. I'm young fit and good looking.

Thanks Trumpie.. nothing better for a young man like me than bankrupt, sick, dying and dead Trumpanzees!
 
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Thump553

Lifer
Jun 2, 2000
12,649
2,384
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Personally disappointed. Nearly every politician takes at least one stance you can agree with, and this was that issue for me with Trump. Not sure why he is backing off-no Russian interests involved (that I can see), I don't think he is indebted and/or on the feeding bin from big pharma and his stated position would greatly benefit his natural constituency.

It must be a childish tantrum-if Pelosi supports it, then it must be bad.
 

soundforbjt

Lifer
Feb 15, 2002
17,785
6,032
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But he just tweeted this a day or so ago:
Donald J. Trump's Tweet
.@SecAzar and I will soon release a plan to let Florida and other States import prescription drugs that are MUCH CHEAPER than what we have now! Hard-working Americans don’t deserve to pay such high prices for the drugs they need. We are fighting DAILY to make sure this HAPPENS...
 
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thilanliyan

Lifer
Jun 21, 2005
11,848
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Personally disappointed. Nearly every politician takes at least one stance you can agree with, and this was that issue for me with Trump. Not sure why he is backing off-no Russian interests involved (that I can see), I don't think he is indebted and/or on the feeding bin from big pharma and his stated position would greatly benefit his natural constituency.
The bolded can change with a quick phone call to the WH, or Giuliani, so you never know :D

As for the underlined part, you really think he cares about anyone but himself?
 

thraashman

Lifer
Apr 10, 2000
11,063
1,464
126
At this point when Trump backs off from something like this, I just assume someone bribed him. He's the most easily bribed and corrupt President in history, so it's the most logical thing to assume.
 

UNCjigga

Lifer
Dec 12, 2000
24,800
9,002
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Maybe he just didn’t like Pelosi’s compromise limited to 250 drugs/year. Maybe we should give him the benefit of the doubt and see if he has a far more comprehensive drug plan as part of a larger healthcare...

Wait, nevermind, it’s almost 2020 and we already learned he doesn’t have shit.
 
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hal2kilo

Lifer
Feb 24, 2009
23,326
10,230
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Maybe he just didn’t like Pelosi’s compromise limited to 250 drugs/year. Maybe we should give him the benefit of the doubt and see if he has a far more comprehensive drug plan as part of a larger healthcare...

Wait, nevermind, it’s almost 2020 and we already learned he doesn’t have shit.
You had me going, until the last sentence.
 

Jaskalas

Lifer
Jun 23, 2004
33,378
7,443
136
It really sounds like Trump is just lazy, and not very bright intellectually. It's a lot easier to watch cable news and form the basis for his policies from that, rather than work to come up with solutions for the American people and implement them. He's backed off on almost everything except the tax cuts, nothing else is getting done.

It's like... Trump only cares about himself, and not the American people.

Inconceivable!!!
 

Jaskalas

Lifer
Jun 23, 2004
33,378
7,443
136
The enemy of my enemy is my friend? They'll sacrifice healthcare to spite Dems/Libs?

I am sure some people would... but the voters who swing elections were promised healthcare. They were promised the moon. His betrayal will not rest easy.
 
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balloonshark

Diamond Member
Jun 5, 2008
6,286
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He hasn't done shit for the average Joe. If Richie Rich can get his permanent tax cut then surely we can help the little people afford their meds.
 

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
83,716
47,399
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The enemy of my enemy is my friend? They'll sacrifice healthcare to spite Dems/Libs?

I have some relatives in Maryland who refused to sign up for an ACA plan even after my cousin's partner had a serious heart attack. They were ruined by medical bills because they refused to participate in Obamacare. Desperately poor states like Mississippi to this day refuse to participate in the Medicaid expansion despite the fact that it would both improve the health of their citizens AND provide billions of dollars in federal money that would finance good paying jobs in their state.

They care more about virtue signaling than actually helping themselves or their constituents.
 

BurnItDwn

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
26,066
1,550
126
Trump did not make any campagin promises. He made campaign lies. He was pretty blunt about how everything he says is either a lie or projection.