"Stand Up for Democracy"
The "Biden Victory Fund" Wants Money from Me
Yesterday, I got another fundraising letter signed by Joe Biden. Mr. Biden urged me “to stand up for democracy” against “MAGA extremists.” He urged me to let him “finish the job.” The “job,” he said, was “to defend freedom, democracy, our fundamental rights, and equality, and to strengthen the economy.” To “move this country forward” in the pursuit of “progress.” Vapid phrases, all.
The fundraising letter did mention a few specifics. Biden took credit for creating more than 14 million jobs, for lower prescription drug prices for seniors, for investments in clean energy. “But there’s still so much left to be done,” the president added, including a nationwide ban on assault weapons, capping insulin costs at $35 a month for everyone (not just for Medicare recipients), and higher taxes on billionaires.
That’s as specific as the letter got for policy proposals. Nothing was said about unions, workers, higher wages, affordable health care for all, student loan debt relief, helping the homeless, reducing disorder at the border, and of course genocide in Gaza and another $60 billion or more for war in Ukraine.
Happily, Trump went unnamed in the letter, but his specter appeared throughout. If Trump and his MAGA crowd win, the letter suggested they’ll “gut Social Security and Medicare,” “raise prices on prescription drugs,” and “cut taxes for the rich.” Despite this ghastly scenario, where MAGA extremists control women’s health care choices, ban books in schools, and take away your right to vote, Mr. Biden concluded by writing he’s “more optimistic than I’ve ever been.” That’s “the honest truth.” No malarkey.
Do the Democrats truly believe this is a winning message? That the specific policy proposals that Americans care most about involve banning assault weapons, capping insulin costs for everyone, and higher taxes just on billionaires?
To me, it all seems incredibly tone-deaf. The empty slogan of “let’s finish the job.” Which job is that? The almost complete lack of specific policy proposals that would help middle- and working-class Americans.
The photo postcard that accompanied the letter showed Biden and Harris striding forward framed by Martin Luther King Jr’s “We shall overcome …” I don’t think this is what MLK Jr. had in mind when he said “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
When your policies are death and destruction, just talk about freedom and democracy. What else can they do? Talk about finishing the job in Palestine? Talk about bombing more countries? They only have platitudes, and I will be shocked if that nonsense works on anyone.
Biden bragging about lowering drug prices for Medicare Part D is basically "BS". The first 10 drugs they chose aren't even being negotiated with the drug companies until 2026, two more years. The number of drugs subject to price negotiation will increase in future years: 15 Medicare Part D drugs for 2027, another 15 drugs covered under Medicare Part D or Part B for 2028, and another 20 drugs covered under Part D or Part B drugs for 2029 and later years. - https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/faqs-about-the-inflation-reduction-acts-medicare-drug-price-negotiation-program/#drugs_selected_for_price_negotiation
The number of drugs with negotiated prices available will accumulate over time. Believe me, there will be loopholes. One of the first drugs is Eliquis, a blood thinner by our friends from Pfizer which is used primarily for Afib of the heart.
Afib has increased since Covid, some blame Covid, others blame the vaccine for heart issues. Doesn't matter what your take is on that. Pfizer's got it covered!
I take Eliquis for this condition and it is expensive once you reach "the donut hole" in Part D for prescription drug prices. There is no generic available through Medicare plans, although there is a generic available and used in Canada. I was told this by a pharmacist, who said that that was due to previous negotiations with Medicare that there would be no substitute ( generic ). So there you have it on how the negotiations might go in the future.
In the meantime, I recently read an article where the drug companies have already raised the price on over 500 drugs starting on the first of the year. - https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/29/drugmakers-set-to-raise-us-prices-on-at-least-500-drugs-in-january.html