Obama, Perelman and Smallpox

William Haskins

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line forms to the left for obama apologists to reject the obvious cronyism, political payback and no-bid hypocrisy...

Cost, need questioned in $433-million smallpox drug deal

A company controlled by a longtime political donor gets a no-bid contract to supply an experimental remedy for a threat that may not exist.

Reporting from Washington—Over the last year, the Obama administration has aggressively pushed a $433-million plan to buy an experimental smallpox drug, despite uncertainty over whether it is needed or will work.

Senior officials have taken unusual steps to secure the contract for New York-based Siga Technologies Inc., whose controlling shareholder is billionaire Ronald O. Perelman, one of the world's richest men and a longtime Democratic Party donor.

When Siga complained that contracting specialists at the Department of Health and Human Services were resisting the company's financial demands, senior officials replaced the government's lead negotiator for the deal, interviews and documents show.

When Siga was in danger of losing its grip on the contract a year ago, the officials blocked other firms from competing.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-smallpox-20111113,0,4293298.story
 

jennontheisland

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line forms to the right for those who think Obama is the first and only politician to participate in "obvious cronyism, political payback and no-bid hypocrisy..."
 

William Haskins

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why don't you run down the street and rob a convenience store and then tell the judge that "other people have done it."

then come back and let us know how valid an excuse that turned out to be.
 

William Haskins

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more:
Once feared for its grotesque pustules and 30% death rate, smallpox was eradicated worldwide as of 1978 and is known to exist only in the locked freezers of a Russian scientific institute and the U.S. government. There is no credible evidence that any other country or a terrorist group possesses smallpox.

If there were an attack, the government could draw on $1 billion worth of smallpox vaccine it already owns to inoculate the entire U.S. population and quickly treat people exposed to the virus. The vaccine, which costs the government $3 per dose, can reliably prevent death when given within four days of exposure.

Siga's drug, an antiviral pill called ST-246, would be used to treat people who were diagnosed with smallpox too late for the vaccine to help. Yet the new drug cannot be tested for effectiveness in people because of ethical constraints — and no one knows whether animal testing could prove it would work in humans.

The government's pursuit of Siga's product raises the question: Should the U.S. buy an unproven drug for such a nebulous threat?
 

crunchyblanket

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Once feared for its grotesque pustules and 30% death rate, smallpox was eradicated worldwide as of 1978 and is known to exist only in the locked freezers of a Russian scientific institute and the U.S. government. There is no credible evidence that any other country or a terrorist group possesses smallpox.

That was my understanding too. Also, isn't there an existing vaccine for smallpox? It was pretty successful in eradicating it the first time round...
 

William Haskins

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line forms to the right for those who think Obama is the first and only politician to participate in "obvious cronyism, political payback and no-bid hypocrisy..."

incidentally, this fractured logic is a big part of what's wrong with american politics, and i would hasten to add that president obama both recognized this and talked a lot of shit about how he was above it while he was campaigning. he fooled a lot of people into voting for change, so seeing folks try to provide him political cover by saying "it's the way things have always been" is pretty cynical, in my view.

if your fundamental underlying assertion holds, then obama should be forgiven for sticking people in concentration camps (FDR did it), starting wars with false flag operations (LBJ did it) or surreptitiously bombing countries that border the location of a US conflict (nixon did it)...and obama too, of course.
 

jennontheisland

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okay, so how about a line down the middle for those who think the US political and economic structures were long ago set up in such a way as to allow politicians to rob convenient stores with impunity?

you can hasten to add anything you want, I don't really care what Obama does.
 

Vince524

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okay, so how about a line down the middle for those who think the US political and economic structures were long ago set up in such a way as to allow politicians to rob convenient stores with impunity?

you can hasten to add anything you want, I don't really care what Obama does.

Well, it wasn't set up that way as much as it developed into that. And part of the reason it did was apathy on the part of the voter and because people are willing to shrug off things from the side they like.

Plus, if you feel it's no big thing from one side, then it shouldn't be from the other.
 

Don

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Well, it wasn't set up that way as much as it developed into that. And part of the reason it did was apathy on the part of the voter and because people are willing to shrug off things from the side they like.

Plus, if you feel it's no big thing from one side, then it shouldn't be from the other.
Which is apparently exactly how most people feel, as it seems the Reps are rushing to nominate Bush IV in the hopes of unseating Bush III.
 

nighttimer

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line forms to the left for obama apologists to reject the obvious cronyism, political payback and no-bid hypocrisy...

Obama tackles drug shortages


An executive order directs the FDA to press companies to more quickly report shortages, among other measures.


Reporting from Washington— President Obama is pushing federal regulators to do more to address dangerous shortages of crucial medicines, sidestepping a deadlocked Congress that has not dealt with the problem.

In an executive order signed Monday, the president directed the Food and Drug Administration to press drug companies to more quickly report shortages to federal regulators, an early warning that advocates say can help mitigate shortages.

The order, which administration officials concede does not give the FDA any new authority, also told the agency to expedite reviews of new manufacturing facilities.

And it directed the FDA to work with the Justice Department to step up investigation of price gouging in the pharmaceuticals market.

"Congress has been trying since February to do something about this," Obama said at the White House. "It has not yet been able to get it done. … We can't wait for action on the Hill."

The White House action comes amid mounting alarm among physicians, patients and others about the unavailability of some drugs to treat cancer, to control infections, even to provide basic electrolytes to patients who need intravenous feeding.

There were 178 drug shortages reported to the FDA in 2010, the agency said. And this year, federal regulators have seen a continuing surge in reported shortfalls.

Some shortages have resulted from quality problems in manufacturing. But others have been caused by drug makers' decisions to stop making some products and by an increase in demand for some drugs that outstrips supply.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-prescription-shortages-20111101,0,5118773.story
Line forms to the far Right for Obama bashers whom having failed to fan the public's wrath over Solyndra and Operation Fast and Furious continue to flounder in obvious frustration looking for something for which to smear the president.

One might rightly wonder where the supposedly fair and balanced post originator's easily provoked "outrage" was when the previous Republican administration were handing out no-bid contracts running in the billions, not a paltry $25 million.

(CBS) Almost as soon as the last bomb was dropped over Iraq, the United States began the business of rebuilding the country. As it turns out, it's very big business.

The U.S. will spend approximately $25 billion to repair Iraq by the end of next year - and billions will be needed after that.

Almost all of that money will go to private contractors who vie for lucrative government deals to rebuild Iraq's roads, retrain its police force and operate its airports.

Given all the taxpayer money involved, you might think the process for awarding those contracts would be open and competitive.

But, as 60 Minutes reported last spring, the earliest contracts were given to a few favored companies. And some of the biggest winners in the sweepstakes to rebuild Iraq have one thing in common: lots of very close friends in very high places. Correspondent Steve Kroft reports.One is Halliburton, the Houston-based energy services and construction giant whose former CEO, Dick Cheney, is now vice president of the United States.

Even before the first shots were fired in Iraq, the Pentagon had secretly awarded Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg, Brown & Root a two-year, no-bid contract to put out oil well fires and to handle other unspecified duties involving war damage to the country's petroleum industry. It is worth up to $7 billion.
Never mind. I know where the supposedly fair and balanced post originator's easily provoked "outrage" was.

:Ssh: The place it always is when Republicans are concerned. :Ssh:
 
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jennontheisland

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cool beans. you seized upon the topic pretty quickly for someone so unconcerned, though.
Bit of a perfect storm that one... laundry was done, this was at the top of "New Posts" and your opening line was just to inflammatory not to twist and quote.

As for caring, if I did, I'd do what Nighttimer did rather than hit this with a one liner. ;)
 

Bird of Prey

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Obama is as slimy as the rest. There's no question about it. I don't see anything constructive about denying his involvement in shady deals and cronyism. It's an abuse of power. The Republicans are worse.

Denial doesn't help anybody. I think the most important message is that the two party system is a disaster for honest Americans within the low and middle income levels. We desperately need "more competition" in politics, with several parties engaged, and career politicians should be a thing of the past. Until that happens, the abuse will continue, and average Americans can expect a continued erosion of both their civil liberties and their financial security. . . .
 

William Haskins

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Line forms to the far Right for Obama bashers whom having failed to fan the public's wrath over Solyndra and Operation Fast and Furious continue to flounder in obvious frustration looking for something for which to smear the president.

how is sharing reports (largely from well-sourced washington post and la times articles) a "smear"?

whether or not these stories of cronyism and irresponsible use of taxpayer money in direct contradiction to the stated ideals and goals of obama gain any electoral traction, i couldn't care less.

i have no desire to see any of the GOPers win the white house (other than huntsman, perhaps).

the sport in it for me is watching the hypocrites (who DID rail against no-bid contracts under bush, who DID rail against cronyism under bush, who DID rail against domestic spying and suspension of due process and lobbyist-love under bush) show their true colors... that they're really not against any abuse of the public trust when it's their guy.
 

William Haskins

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As for caring, if I did, I'd do what Nighttimer did rather than hit this with a one liner.

which is what? engage in some misdirection with excerpts of articles that have nothing to do with the OP, and essentially land where you did ("everybody does it")?
 

nighttimer

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Obama is as slimy as the rest. There's no question about it. I don't see anything constructive about denying his involvement in shady deals and cronyism. It's an abuse of power. The Republicans are worse.

Denial doesn't help anybody. I think the most important message is that the two party system is a disaster for honest Americans within the low and middle income levels. We desperately need "more competition" in politics, with several parties engaged, and career politicians should be a thing of the past.

Odd. You seem to be singing a much different song now than you were a month ago when you were blowing sloppy kisses to Chris Christie, a career politician.

If there's a candidate in either party worth supporting, he's the guy. I'm sure it's hard for him to turn down the kind of support he's getting. And I think he can capture the independent vote. . .

Obama can be defeated handily by a frank, intelligent, practical fighter, not an eccentric fighter like Bachman or a blockhead like Perry that could turn off every independent out there, but a guy that thinks ECONOMY. So already Christie's priority is a great opener. And then, I'm pretty sure Christie's a Catholic, a big plus with the Latino vote. He's got an off-the-cuff manner which people trust. He doesn't come across as an "extremist" like Paul, an unreliable husband like Gingrich, a religious zealot like Santorum, or a capricious airhead moose-shooting quitter like Palin.

But Christie's biggest asset is that he's very, very quick on his feet in debate. He's exceedingly articulate when he wants to be, and he won't be overshadowed by Obama's oratory. And he's a young man with results.

Still searching for The One, huh? :e2steer: How's that working out for ya?

how is sharing reports (largely from well-sourced washington post and la times articles) a "smear"?

Oh, it's not so much about a "smear." Considering the source of this thread that's hardly front page news.

What it's about is as Jennontheisland pointed out is you threw down the gauntlet with an unnecessarily inflammatory opening line.

I just picked it up. It's all about static. Don't start none. Won't be none.

William Haskins said:
the sport in it for me is watching the hypocrites (who DID rail against no-bid contracts under bush, who DID rail against cronyism under bush, who DID rail against domestic spying and suspension of due process and lobbyist-love under bush) show their true colors... that they're really not against any abuse of the public trust when it's their guy.

Yeah, and I look forward finding the thread where you did any of those things when it was your guy was in the White House.

which is what? engage in some misdirection with excerpts of articles that have nothing to do with the OP, and essentially land where you did ("everybody does it")?

Don't hate. Refudiate. :D
 

Vince524

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All pigs roll in the shit if everything is drowning in shit.

pig-in-shit.jpg
 

Bird of Prey

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Odd. You seem to be singing a much different song now than you were a month ago when you were blowing sloppy kisses to Chris Christie, a career politician.


First of all, I don't vote Republican. I vote independent. I liked Christie as a GOP candidate better than what I had seen, and was disappointed that he didn't run. He seemed sane to me, unlike many of the current candidates. Nevertheless, I wouldn't have voted for him, as I don't believe in perpetuating the two party "screw the public" platform. But if a Republican were to win, I would rather have Christie than say, Bachman or the Herminator or Perry or the Iceman Romney.


Still searching for The One, huh? :e2steer: How's that working out for ya?

I'm not searching for anybody. And btw, as per your usual tactics, what the hell does any of this have to do with the OP??
 
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William Haskins

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What it's about is as Jennontheisland pointed out is you threw down the gauntlet with an unnecessarily inflammatory opening line.

I just picked it up. It's all about static. Don't start none. Won't be none.

oh no... heaven forbid i "start some" with nighttimer, lest there "be some"...

the beauty of the gauntlet, you see, slick... is that (in the case of you and jen and select others), it was exactly as i predicted. you can't reject the cronyism, blinded as you are by your political partisanship.

but please, any time, you can pull yourself out of the habit of stamping your feet and pointing your finger and yelling "republican!" and actually read the LATimes article in the OP and tell us all, enamored as we are of your wisdom, why this particular no-bid, half-billion dollar contract for an unproven drug that would only be needed (if it even works) after the dose that is already paid for and available for every american is not delivered on time is a good call.

betcha won't, because i betcha can't.

there's another gauntlet for you...

will there "be some"?
 
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Xelebes

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I guess the question then, William, is to whether or not this threadwas made as an attempt to garner a meagre collective shrug at the business as usual or a polemic jab at the other side of the aisle?
 

William Haskins

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it's part of an ongoing, longtime experiment to see if anyone really believes anything.
 

Bird of Prey

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but please, any time, you can pull yourself out of the habit of stamping your feet and pointing your finger and yelling "republican!" and actually read the LATimes article in the OP and tell us all. . . .

But surely the LATimes is a bastion of Republican propaganda. . . .