*
Here's example #5,283 why I do not support the Republican party, even though they were supposed to be the conservative alternative to the Democrats.
Billy Tauzin currently is CEO of PhRMA, a powerful drug lobby. He just worked out an underhanded, under the table, deal with Obama to promise him $80 billion for Obamacare in savings so long as they retain the ban on foreign drugs and not to lower Medicare fees.
That's only the tip of the iceberg. When the Clintons promoted Hillarycare, PhRMA ran well-received ads featuring "Harry and Louise" OPPOSING the socialist health plan. The ads were credited as the main factor in derailing Hillarycare. Their tagline was "If they choose, we lose."
Suddenly now, PhRMA SUPPORTS Obama's socialist health plan. They have brought back the Harry and Louise ads, this time to urge passage of the socialist plan. "It looks like we may finally get health care reform. It's about time." beams Harry, even though he is the reason they didn't get health care reform before. Louise pipes in, "A little more cooperation, a little less politics, and we can get the job done this time!", even though she is the reason we didn't get it last time. The ads deceptively sound like Harry and Louise have always wanted a socialist health care plan.
PhRMA's Tauzin has played in both sides of the traffic before. He used to be a Democrat congressman from Louisiana. He led a group called the "Blue Dog Democrats". In the 1980's he was assistant majority whip.
When the Republicans took power in 1994, Tauzin switched parties faster than the Pope and Italy changed sides in WWII to stay on the winning team. He became the majority whip for the GOP - the only man ever to hold leadership positions in both parties. Under George W. Bush, Tauzin was chairman of the committee that helped pass Bush's effort to add a prescription drug benefit to Medicare with a 3 a.m. vote.
Against a Democrat's socialist health plan, in favor of a Democrat's socialist health plan. In favor of a Republican's socialist health plan. Tauzin has been on both sides, back-and-forth, all along. He's a typical Republican.
Source: 9-28-09 New American, "Healthcare Hirelings", Jack Kenny.