Trump hit two home runs in news conference

2seaoat wrote:He addressed the F35 and Big pharm.  He will bring competitive bidding in big pharm and that is a huge plus in solving our out of control medical costs.  A big thumb up on both issues.

2seaoat wrote:He addressed the F35 and Big pharm.  He will bring competitive bidding in big pharm and that is a huge plus in solving our out of control medical costs.  A big thumb up on both issues.

2seaoat wrote:He addressed the F35 and Big pharm.  He will bring competitive bidding in big pharm and that is a huge plus in solving our out of control medical costs.  A big thumb up on both issues.

Sal wrote:If your reaction to that press conference was anything other than abject horror and profound embarrassment for our nation, you must've watched the wrong press conference.

2seaoat wrote:Why do you believe him?

Because this was a legitimate criticism of Rham Emmanual who came from Big Pharm on Chicago's North Side, and who brokered a deal to give away a trillion dollars profit to get big pharm on board who spent over a hundred million on commercials to support the ACA.  That is politics, but trading ten billion for one trillion of profits for big pharm was not smart.  Yes, without we probably would have people suffering with preexisting conditions and the ACA progress would not have become a reality.  However, now is the time to attack big Pharm and get the same bidding rights of Canada and Europe.  I believe him because it is simple to blame President Obama, and it will result in lower drug prices with him showing America immediately real drops in drug prices.  It is a no brainer, and honestly, like entitlement reform he is the right person at the right time.

I believe him that he is going to hold people's feet to the fire on the f-35.  He has said he was going to do it and everybody on this forum agrees without exception it has been a boondoggle at the America taxpayer's expense.

The trust agreement is just a pile of paper which can easily be bypassed, and conflict of interests will still be a major concern, but the independence of conflict counsel will be important in reviewing any future deals.  Also, his voluntary withdrawal from the international market was huge for me.  The Trump organization can and will have influence on State and Local government officials who vie for tax dollars from Washington.   All deals will be scrutinized by conflict counsel, and until I see a conflict, I am satisfied because to liquidate his companies and sell off in a fire sale is not fair to business people who run for office.   I still feel very strongly that President Trump is an ever present danger to America, but I think he can be instrumental in making some positive changes which if we call balls and strikes fairly......a strike is a strike.

2seaoat wrote:Why do you believe him?

Because this was a legitimate criticism of Rham Emmanual who came from Big Pharm on Chicago's North Side, and who brokered a deal to give away a trillion dollars profit to get big pharm on board who spent over a hundred million on commercials to support the ACA.  That is politics, but trading ten billion for one trillion of profits for big pharm was not smart.  Yes, without we probably would have people suffering with preexisting conditions and the ACA progress would not have become a reality.  However, now is the time to attack big Pharm and get the same bidding rights of Canada and Europe.  I believe him because it is simple to blame President Obama, and it will result in lower drug prices with him showing America immediately real drops in drug prices.  It is a no brainer, and honestly, like entitlement reform he is the right person at the right time.

I believe him that he is going to hold people's feet to the fire on the f-35.  He has said he was going to do it and everybody on this forum agrees without exception it has been a boondoggle at the America taxpayer's expense.

The trust agreement is just a pile of paper which can easily be bypassed, and conflict of interests will still be a major concern, but the independence of conflict counsel will be important in reviewing any future deals.  Also, his voluntary withdrawal from the international market was huge for me.  The Trump organization can and will have influence on State and Local government officials who vie for tax dollars from Washington.   All deals will be scrutinized by conflict counsel, and until I see a conflict, I am satisfied because to liquidate his companies and sell off in a fire sale is not fair to business people who run for office.   I still feel very strongly that President Trump is an ever present danger to America, but I think he can be instrumental in making some positive changes which if we call balls and strikes fairly......a strike is a strike.

othershoe1030 wrote:

2seaoat wrote:Why do you believe him?

Because this was a legitimate criticism of Rham Emmanual who came from Big Pharm on Chicago's North Side, and who brokered a deal to give away a trillion dollars profit to get big pharm on board who spent over a hundred million on commercials to support the ACA.  That is politics, but trading ten billion for one trillion of profits for big pharm was not smart.  Yes, without we probably would have people suffering with preexisting conditions and the ACA progress would not have become a reality.  However, now is the time to attack big Pharm and get the same bidding rights of Canada and Europe.  I believe him because it is simple to blame President Obama, and it will result in lower drug prices with him showing America immediately real drops in drug prices.  It is a no brainer, and honestly, like entitlement reform he is the right person at the right time.

I believe him that he is going to hold people's feet to the fire on the f-35.  He has said he was going to do it and everybody on this forum agrees without exception it has been a boondoggle at the America taxpayer's expense.

The trust agreement is just a pile of paper which can easily be bypassed, and conflict of interests will still be a major concern, but the independence of conflict counsel will be important in reviewing any future deals.  Also, his voluntary withdrawal from the international market was huge for me.  The Trump organization can and will have influence on State and Local government officials who vie for tax dollars from Washington.   All deals will be scrutinized by conflict counsel, and until I see a conflict, I am satisfied because to liquidate his companies and sell off in a fire sale is not fair to business people who run for office.   I still feel very strongly that President Trump is an ever present danger to America, but I think he can be instrumental in making some positive changes which if we call balls and strikes fairly......a strike is a strike.

I always thought that taking the right to have drug companies bid prices for government purchased drugs was completely unforgivable and a big giveaway to the drug companies. I thought it was the price the Democrats had to pay in order to get the drug companies and thus their supporters in congress, to vote for the ACA.

What makes you think Trump as president can have an effect on the setup the way it is now? Don't you think anyone involved in trying to make the ACA the best it could be would not have preferred a bidding process? Do we, does the president elect have some special advantage now that President Obama didn't have when they were working on getting the ACA passed?

Many military programs are partially employment programs for the various districts. Why should we imagine that someone with zero governmental experience either legislative or executive on any level can somehow get legislators to vote jobs out of their districts just to lower the cost of anything?

As for the conflict counsel...who appointed that person or who will appoint that person if in fact this ever even happens?

2seaoat wrote:I'm asking SeaOat for his views.


I think Trump is like cow chit.  If you put it in the field, it maximizes your crop output.  If you put it in your living room, it makes the quality of life somewhat less than without the same in your living room.

Trump did not make the deal with the devil.  He can ramp up a multitude of presidential powers to lay wood on big pharm.  He started at the news conference.  He made it very clear that big pharm is shipping jobs overseas.  From the North side of Chicago to the Wisconsin border big pharm had research and production facilities which revolutionized American medicine.  All the big companies were there.  For the last twenty years they have been shipping research and development and production overseas.  President Trump working with Congress can exact tariffs on drugs if they do not play to Americas best interests.  Those tariffs can be substantial and can be applied to subsidy to lower drug pricing.  It is the possibility of the chit coming into the living room which gives Trump total credibility with executives that he means business on drug pricing and returning big pharm jobs back to America.

So if big Pharm does not voluntarily come to the table with the same pricing as Canada and Europe, he does not have to follow the agreement.  He can get their bottom line right where it would be with bargained drug prices.  Again the horror of Trump is that he will take a dump in your living room, the benefit of Trump if he uses crazy to the advantage of the American people, he can make real changes which impact every day average Americans.  I think he honestly is piszed about the drug deal.  It stinks, but sometimes the greater good requires sacrifices.   Well it is a new day, and it is time to put big Pharm in an equal footing as European nations and Canada.  I am very encouraged by this direction.  I call ball and strikes.  I think in hindsight the President getting the ACA approved required this sacrifice.  It is time to fix it, and Trump many take a big dump in big Pharm's living room.

2seaoat wrote:In regard to conflict of interest guarantees.  There are none.  The structure set forth today is a start, and I might add a good start.  The conflict review will be an independent process set up in the executive branch.   Like an independent counsel established by Justice, there are criteria to maintain independence.  However, here is the reality.   Trump can communicate with his family about business.   To suggest that he will stop the same is naive.  He can promise not to do it, but tell me how upon coming into my office I give one of my children a handwritten note.   They read it, and I throw it into the fireplace.  The son replies with a handwritten note, and all this takes place with an active audio recording system which is turned on any time he meets with his children.  It just is absolutely impossible to stop communications.  However, a clear conflict of interest is not easy to hide, and congress and an independent counsel will certainly add layers of protection.   Congress needs to act.  It should be mandatory for presidential candidates to release ten years of tax returns once filing for office.  Again I was encouraged with no new projects overseas during his presidency.  That was an important concession, because you only have to look at FIFA the soccer organizations international corruption  to see how bad wealthy despots can corrupt and payoff folks.

polecat wrote:

othershoe1030 wrote:I'm asking SeaOat for his views.

2seaoat wrote:I really think that Trump can renegotiate drug pricing on many fronts and ultimately get the same passed in his first hundred days.  The resistance will come from congress who gets huge contributions from big pharm.  I think he can really make hay on this issue if he is serious and not planning to give preference to some.  It also for a reality TV star would make incredible press and that is not lost on him.

I think for this to be successful, he needs to do this early.   I predict there is a high probability that he will lose key senators on some votes and he is not real good at compromise.  Two senators can skew any initiative he attempts and certainly there are four or five who have significant differences.   However, everybody knows the game is rigged in drug pricing.   Enough.