Opensecrets.org clues us in to $150 Million in campaign contributions from Pharma to politicians, over the 17 years from 1990-2007. Pharma scoops up $155 Billion, in 1 year.
The Founding Dads left us a Constitution predicated on Limited, read Small, Govt.
When President Reagan was shot, so the story goes, he awoke on a gurney surrounded by all his key people who were worried sick about him. President Reagan offered up a grin and searched out the eyes of his staff.
He asked them: "Who's minding the store?"
They assured him he'd nothing to worry about. Govt. was running just fine without them, just like always.
President Reagan grimmaced, and replied: "Now why would you think that would make me feel any better?"
He was also the guy who said: "Government can't solve the problem, because Government [meaning huge] IS the problem."
Pharma's $150 Million over 17 years to buy itself protection is the price of a stick of chewing gum, to Pharma.
The Founding Dad's KNEW that politicians would ALWAYS take the money. Small Govt. means fewer hands to TAKE that money. And fewer hands leave more eyes to WATCH who takes what money, and vote the rascals out.
It shouldn't surprise anyone that politicians can be bought. What should surprise us is that they can be bought so cheaply: Especially considering what they're selling - which belongs to US, not them - as defined in the US Constitution.
When Ronald Reagan walked into his first day on the job as Governor of California many years earlier, there was a piece of legislation sitting on the desk, waiting for his signature. He signed it, and took 18 shades of hell for decades afterward from his political opponents. That bill had been left behind by Gov Pat Brown, Jerry Brown's dad. Activists for the mentally 'ill' had forced the California legislature to open the doors on California's lock down mental health facilities, and allow most of those who wanted to leave, to leave.
Gov. Reagan got flak out the wazoo for shoving all those poor unfortunates out into a cold and uncaring world instead of getting the mental health Treatments they so desperately needed: the forced druggings, physical restraints, electro-shock, death, and all manner of other abuse both physical and mental.
The Gipper hadn't much to say about his cold hearted cost cutting bill signing, but I'll bet an awful lot of those poor bastards he opened the doors for said a prayer for him then, and when he passed away.
Freedom comes first. Reagan knew that, and lived it for as many people as he could extend it to. And I can only imagine him offering up a grin, now, to all his dogged detractors on the California mental health issue with a polite, if deprecatory: "Well, There he goes again."
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