Drug importation in the health bill would have been a poison pill

[rhombus]

There are a few Dem senators from big pharma states - Carper, Kaufman, Lautenburg, Menendez, etc who strongly objected to drug importation in the health care bill. If drug importation was included in the final legislation as Sen. Carper stated during the Finance committee health care meetings, he wouldn't vote for the bill. That's one crucial Dem vote we couldn't afford to lose.

The good news in all this is that a separate drug importation bill by the House and senate would pass easily, and the White House with Reid and Pelosi's nod have indicated that they would push for a standalone importation bill early next year. The White House had to give cover to other Dems like Franken, Mikulski, Kerry, etc. to vote against Dorgan's amendment in order to ensure that the health care bill had a chance of passage.

[Better Believe It]

1. Only 30 Democats voted for that proposal! Count them .... 30!

And they joined 21 Republican Senators in the only example of bi-partisanship for a meaningful health care reform!

President Obama was opposed to this reform. With help from Big Pharma lobbyists, Rahm Emanuel whipped 30 Democratic caucus Senators to oppose the proposal.

Do ya think with President Obama's support and Rahm Emanuel's "sharp elbows" they could have found 9 more Democratic Senators to support this significant reform?

Of course they could have. But instead of siding with the people they sided with the big Pharma crooks!

[rhombus]

2. Yes, it would have passed but at the cost of destroying the health bill

We need 60 votes to pass the health bill. The Dorgan amendment is an excellent amendment in a wrong bill. That's why it's a poison bill.

Like I said, it would pass easily as a separate bill, and it would pass easily early next year.