Draconian Pharma

Draconian Pharma

   I live by the grace of a drug marketed by AbbVie Pharmaceuticals.  You and your children will die by their hands.  The vehicle that will be your demise is called greed.  It is the driving force behind many other drug companies as well.  Here is my and your story.  I told the story in a previous blog, Golden Goose Economics, but I employed satire to tell the tale.  Satire is a language not understood by some, so here is the threat without satire.

   In 2009 my annual blood tests showed that I had CLL (Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia) a deadly malignancy.  It remained in the “wait and see” stage until in 2019 the lymphocyte count went up to stage three.  At that time my oncologist recommended a drug called Imbruvica (the generic name is Ibrutinib) at a cost to Medicare of 195 thousand dollars/year/patient.  It required that I pay a three thousand dollar a month copay.  I don’t have three thousand dollars a month over and above my living costs.  So, I turned the offer to extend my life down.

   Soon after my turn down I received a call from a foundation ready to pay my required copay.  The young woman asked me what my annual income was, and then said that I had qualified for the assistance.  I have applied for many financial programs in my life and have never had one approved without income verification.  This fact prompted me to ask, “Who funds this foundation?”  She confirmed my suspicions by answering, “The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers.”  I understood that the Pharmaceutical (AbbVie) had priced the drug so high that the bulk of the potential patients could not afford the copay.  And, they would receive their donation back from the foundation when the copay was returned.  This draconian plan was probably engineered by Richard Gonzales, CEO of AbbVie.  The CLL organization estimates that there are presently, approximately two hundred thousand Medicare patients with CLL.  With this number of clients AbbVie would recover its investment of twenty one billion dollars for the patent rights of Ibrutinib in about a year and a half.  This is an excellent return on investment and spells out the end of Medicare.  There are other pharmaceuticals joining the program.  The financial success is no secret among them.

   Who is to blame for this egregious future ending of Medicare?  Let’s start at the bottom.  I am.  I am willing to participate in this scam so that I may live longer.  Next up, my oncologist.  They do not prescribe the drug without knowledge of the preceding events.  They could try to change it with their powerful AMA lobbyists.  But, in the short run, if they like being willfully blind, the drug offers effective patient care.  Next up, the pharmaceuticals and their lobbyists, they fully understand the game.  The CEOs like Gonzales are so infected with greed (the malignant form of self-preservation) that they are willing to sacrifice the lives of their children and their children’s children.  At the top of the corruption are your elected representatives.  They are the folks that create and enforce patent rights.  You elected them to serve the people, not the soulless wealth of the nation.

   What are patent rights?  They are designed to protect the rights of the creator of a desirable product and to reward the toil of a creator.  When Celera Pharmaceutical sold Ibrutinib to Pharmacyclics for three million dollars it was probably for a fair profit and to a company capable of logistics required to produce and distribute the product.  Then Johnson & Johnson paid Pharmacyclics for its patent rights $975 million.  Are you starting to smell a foul odor?  The next transaction has AbbVie paying $21 billion for these patent rights.  A billion is a thousand millions.  Twenty-one of them is going to result in a very high price for a lifesaving drug.  Are we dealing with greed now or protecting an inventor?  The purpose of any law is a shield for those in need of protection, not a sword for the greedy.  A well written patent law would protect the creator and perhaps a distributer with the purchase at perhaps 15% over the book value of the company, but no protection to a third purchaser.  This would be fair and effective.  With the large dollar influence on those who govern us, fair and effective is rare.

Cheers, Old Buz                   December 4^th, 2023

Remember:

“One cannot fool all of the people all of the time … and that is why we have two political parties.” - Anon                                                                                                                                             

A Black Santa !?

A Black Santa !?

   Today I watched an advertisement for a Disney film featuring a Black Santa and Black Elves.  After spending my entire life as a Honky (a Fade) I was shocked and offended by having a white mythological figure portrayed by a black mythological figure.  The Santa myth is ours, not theirs, just as the Jesus myth is ours.  Ask yourself, “What will it take to Make America Great Again?”   

   There is an assault taking place on white privilege.  It must be stopped at any cost.  Even the election of Herr Drump, Verminemeister to the office of President, is not too much of a mistake.  Those who run Disney are WINOs (White In Name Only) and must be eliminated.  The previous words are my view of MAGA (Morons Against Government, Association), of those still on the Trump Train.

   There is no valid reason for the mythological Santa to be a white man.  He represents the imaginary Christmas gift giver to small children.  But, small Black children actually get their gifts from a Black Santa.  My children got their gifts from Mrs. Clause, since my wife has always been the parent to shop for gifts in our family.

   So Santa can be black or white or of color or a man or a woman or a Christian or a Jew or a Muslim.  The Santa mythology can be owned by any of us, as can the Jesus mythology.  Jews and learned theologians will say He was a Jew, born of a married Jewish virgin and the Creator of a Universe, 47 Billion Light Years in diameter and growing at the exact same rate as the power of our telescopes.  Right Wing Christians may claim Him as theirs and people of color may do the same.  I don’t know where Mary and The Creator met, but their serendipity meeting sure changed the future of the Western World.  Realizing that this story is mythology should take place at about the same age that a child learns who Santa actually is, but somehow in some, the delusion persists throughout their lives.

   Why is this important?  Because belief in religion can lead to love and joy or it can lead to hate and murder as it presently does in The Holy Land.  As an agnostic, I can live without it.

Cheers, Old Buz        11/15/2023

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Biblical Wisdom

 “Live by the foma* that make you brave and kind and healthy and happy.” – The Book of Bokonon I:5 – Translation by Kurt Vonnegut

*foma = harmless untruths 

"I don't care what people say ..."

   The full sentence from this song of my youth was, “I don’t care what people say.  Rock and Roll is here to stay.”  This song introduced in 1957 by Danny & The Juniors was an instant hit and a gold record.  There was obvious wisdom in the lyrics.  There was also a small unimportant untruth.  Two things can be true at the same time.  The small lie was, “I don’t care what people say.”  Danny’s group cared very much about the size of their concerts and the sales of their records.  They were professional entertainers.  Their prediction that, “Rock and Roll is here to stay” has proven to be correct.

   “Rock and Roll is here to stay,” I don’t see as a compliment to the listener.  The melodies of the music are not particularly pleasing.  The lyrics are simple, repetitive, not poetic and generally offer little message.  The instruments are more pounded on than played.  On occasion, a guitar is destroyed at the end of a song being performed.  I would guess that it is all about the beat.  It is easily danced to.  And that is a good thing.  Perhaps, the only good thing about it.  If one were only to listen to it and not dance to it, I would venture that it is to music what cage fighting is to sports.  Both are here to stay.

   Why am I writing this?  And better yet, why are you reading it?  Perhaps the basis for this blog is that the simple majority here in America has no taste.  The proof of this was in the presidential election of 2016, when they elected Donald Trump.  To be fair to the voters, the majority did not vote for him, but we do accept a system where it doesn’t require a majority to be elected.

Rock & Roll is here to stay, Old Buz               11/06/2023

 

Remember:

“One cannot fool all of the people all of the time … and that is why we have two political parties.” - Anon          

In His Name

 

In His Name

   I have just been watching a couple of hours of the cable news coverage of the war in Gaza.  It is being fought “In His Name.”  The casualties are primarily civilian.  It involves burning small children alive, having parents killed before their children’s eyes and having children killed before their parents’ eyes.  Human intelligence cannot be underestimated in time of war. “In His name.”  The name, “God” is mythological, but the results of this biblical delusion are very real.  How long will humans march to the music of “Our god is the only true god and the others (nonbelievers) must die?”  History would tell us that these gullible folks will always be and have always been and that they are most often in the majority.  The Gaza War is biblical.  Future mythology will have it in God’s name and the victors will have God at their side, while the vanquished will be punished for their sinful existence.  Could there be truth in this evaluation of human slaughter?  Is God’s justice being carried out in the slaughter of women, children and yes innocent men?  It is after all the same justice as was carried out in the Passover story or the story of Noah and his ark.  In the Passover story the first born sons of a population were killed by God and His army of angels while they knew not of their sin.  God saved Noah and his family (along with two of each living critters) while drowning the rest of the innocents on the planet.  I suppose that the fish were also saved.  How could a fish be a sinner?

   The faithful believe that the first woman was born of the first man’s rib about six thousand years ago, when God created The Universe in six days and rested on the seventh.  Once again, “You cannot underestimate human intelligence.”  The recent Gaza event started when the Muslims of Gaza kicked the Jews of Israel in the groin.  This is an act very similar to kicking Superman in the groin.  Superman, in response, will predictably leave Clark Kent far behind.   Those heroes (butchers) of Hamas knew that they were killing their own families with that kick.  However their leaders saw it as a worthwhile endeavor.  Once again, you cannot underestimate human intelligence.  So, the innocents will continue to die in the name of a mythological figure.  I have heard some very well educated individuals say that the mythology has a good effect on society.  I would prefer truth.  Truth is a better pathway from the past to the future.  Will we see truth prevail in our next era of Artificial Intelligence?  One can only hope so.

   As a retired American, in his eighties, witnessing the human slaughter on his Cable TV, I am not able to put on a uniform and carry a weapon into the mayhem, killing strangers or being killed by them.  I can only scratch my head and say, “Why is this happening?”  I believe the answer lies with our US Senate, a group of one hundred (primarily attorneys) who cannot figure out how to overrule one member who is holding up the formality of military promotions of over three hundred officers in the time of war in the world.  “It’s the rule!”  Well, change it, God damn it.  Again, you cannot underestimate human intelligence.

Cheers, Old Buz                      November 4^th, 2023

 

“To the common folk, religion is truth.

To the wise, religion is false.

To the leaders, religion is useful.”

- Seneca the Younger (4 BC – 68 AD)

Lessons in Effective Governance

 Lessons in Effective Governance

 

   What are the lessons learned in the recent House of Representatives shutdown, caused by the lack of an elected Majority Leader?  The lessons are many and this post deals with some of them in what I see, as their order of importance.

   First and foremost is “The Rule of The Rubber Stamp.”  This rule simply stated is: In a partisan organization, the majority party, when faced with a nearly equal distribution of the two party’s membership, must vote in a unanimous or nearly unanimous manner in order to reliably exert their power.  The event we recently witnessed was five or so MAGA (Morons Against Government Association) members ruling the entire body of a Republican majority House.  Less than ten MAGA faithful were able to force a unanimous vote of the Republican House members for one of their cult.  The Kamikaze few were willing to blow up the entire organization that they were elected to, in order to have their guy in control.  The Rubber Stamp is an effective method to apply power with, but a poor method of governing.

   How was this possible?  Well, in order to elect a Majority Leader of The House of Representatives a majority of the entire House must vote for a candidate.  This sounds logical but it most certainly isn’t.  It firmly places The Rule of the Rubber Stamp in power.  With all but a few of the majority party members voting for a leader and the opposing party voting unanimously, as a Rubber Stamp, for a minority candidate, no one will receive a majority.  The few dissenting Republicans will not vote for the Democratic candidate.   In the partisan world we exist in, only Republicans should vote for the Republican leader and only Democrats should vote for the Democratic leader.  Two separate elections.  This would return the power to the majority of each political party.  Is that not how a leader should be chosen?  The majority party would choose the majority leader and the minority party would choose the minority leader.  Kevin McCarthy, with some ideological opponents, would have been chosen on the Republican first ballot and Hakeem Jeffries would also have quickly prevailed, but also with some ideological opponents.  

   When did reason desert our government?  Long ago, when the two parties took over the power from your elected representatives, as opposed to those elected ruling their party.  The party is the major force in the supply of giant campaign funds.  They also control committee assignments.  In other words, the party determines who gets elected to office and what power they will have once there.  This is why a man of wisdom and morality, Mitt Romney, speaks his mind, but most often votes with his party.  While the party controls those who govern, large dollar interests control both parties.  So the chain of command is Large Dollar Interests, States’ Rights (The Senate) and last but certainly least The People.  The President does not determine the laws that govern us and our Supreme Court, who determines the meaning of the law, is not elected but is given members with lifetime appointments.   I’m not sure that this power structure is sustainable. 

Cheers, Old Buz                   10/26/2023

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Israel vs. Palestine

 Israel vs. Palestine

   Yes, they are at it again.  Muslims vs. Jews, the killing of the innocents.  As in any other war the wrong people die.  Bombing or rockets are the main killing device and they represent the best collateral damage device yet to be developed.  Somehow as in any war the leaders and the munition manufacturers go unharmed.  The duped, civilians and soldiers, take the damage.  Will this ever change (even after this blog post) unlikely.

   Hamas clearly started this hot war.  This will be forgotten by anti-Semites in the very near future.  Here is the stated position of Hamas: “We were born in Palestine, as were our fathers and were their fathers before them.  The Jews inhabiting our homeland and calling themselves Israel were dumped on our nation by England and given the right to form a nation on our land.  They have made us, the true believers in Allah (God) second class citizens and moved us to a reservation called The Gaza Strip.  We are fenced off of our own land.  Israel must be destroyed and the Jews living there must die.”

   Here is the position of Israel: “We are a nation of Jews who have been kicked out of our various homelands or murdered there for over two thousand years.  In 1948, after the end of World War II England used its mandate over Palestine, many of who's people were allied with Hitler in a desire to kill Jews.  The Holocausts' survivors were dumped into Palestine.  These new survivors from the cities of Europe had to quickly learn to farm the land and fight for their survival amongst overwhelming odds.   The bulk of these refugees had already been denied entry into The United States and England.  Many of these Jewish refugees considered the Sahara their biblical (mythological) home.  God said it was theirs.  Palestinian terrorists began a program of bombing city busses and attacks on Jewish elementary schools.  As a result, Israel took away Palestinians' access and moved them to Gaza and The West Bank.  The Jews of Germany, before Hitler, thought that they were Germans.  But, they learned once again that somewhere in the world there must be a Jewish nation, where they could live as citizens and survive.  They call themselves Zionists.  Israel is a small spot on the globe surrounded by Muslim nations.  The Hasidic Jews (ultra conservative) will not join the Army of Israel.  For them, survival is not an adequate reason to disregard God's biblical commandment. "Thou shalt not kill."  That might just be a good guiding philosophy for all people, but it doesn't function well if your enemies don't believe it.

  I am an agnostic living in America.  My parents were Jews so I am a Jew to an anti-Semite.  I have experienced very little anti-Semitism in my lifetime.  When I was young a country club would not accept Jews.  There are still very active anti-Semitic movements in the Deep South.  I don’t believe that Chris Christie would have been elected Governor of New Jersey if his name were Jew Jewie.  He might have made it to US Attorney of New Jersey .  Morons and some folks who place loyalty above logic still prejudge the “others.”     

"Take your place on the great mandala as it moves through your brief moment in time." – Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul & Mary                  

 

“To the common folk, religion is truth.

To the wise, religion is false.

To the leaders, religion is useful.”

- Seneca the Younger (4 BC – 68 AD)

iambloggerbuz.blogspot.com                                                       10/10/2023

Loyalty

 Loyalty

   In our society today we see loyalty as a great guiding force.  We see it as a dominant force in our government, in our religions, in family, in our morality, in our dress codes, in our conspicuous consumption.  As a society it guides our basic values.  It shades our point of view.  Most would contend that this is a good thing.  I would say that it is a fatal flaw.

   As I listen to the news each morning I get to witness government malfunction.  We are presently awaiting a government shutdown brought about by the government itself.  Why would a government choose to do itself and those it is trusted to govern harm?  The answer is ignorance in the name of Party Loyalty.  Your chosen representatives don’t vote their individual mind or morality, they loyally vote with their party.  Those who see themselves as independent are seen as a problem.  They often choose not to fall in line. 

   When there are rules in our government which cause it not to function … change and improve the rules.  Don’t go into our “That’s the way it is” mode.  Five to fifteen MAGA House members are presently pulling the strings of their majority leader to shut down the government.  They would not have this irrational power if not for the fact that the entire body votes for the leader of the Majority and the Minority Leader.  Why should a Democrat vote to select the Republican Leader and why should a Republican vote in the selection of the Democratic Leader?  It is the direct cause of requiring 15 votes called for of the House to elect a Republican leader and the direct cause of his giving up the direction of his leadership.  It is a leader agreeing not to lead.  If you are going to have a Minority and Majority leader (which itself is not a good idea) then Democrats should be the only ones voting for the Democratic Leader and Republicans the only ones voting for the Republican Leader.  The result would have been that Kevin McCarthy would have been elected on the first ballot and our government would not be closed for business on this Monday.  This is America today, Loyalty over Logic.  Other examples of the problem would be: one senator holding up over three hundred military promotions, a nation calling for effective gun legislation and a government not responding, Freedom of Choice vs. Right to Life being converted from a moral issue to a political issue, climate change problems taken from science to politics and giving a majority leader the sole power to determine what legislation will be discussed and voted on.  None of these problems being politicized leads to their cure.  A government that doesn’t reliably function needs to take a look at its rules of operation.

   We bring loyalty into our churches and our homes.  I have heard “marry and socialize with your own kind” both from a priest and a rabbi.  I have heard “marry your own kind” from my parents.  Loyalty (in the form of prejudice) is applied to our moral rudder.  We will put on a uniform and shoot a stranger with a different uniform in the name of loyalty.  Wars are often entered for the benefit of capital, not conscience.  “I’m a Democrat.”  “I’m a Republican.”  “I’m a Christian.”  “I’m a Jew.”  “I’m an Atheist.”  “I’m White.”  “I’m Black.”  “I’m American.”  “I’m Canadian.”  “I’m a man.”  “I’m a woman.”  “I’m a human.”  “They are only plants or animals.”  “I’m a Smith.”  “I’m a Thomasson.”  How much does each of these loyalties shape your world view?  Might it be a good thing to see yourself as a part of the All?

Cheers, Old Buz          9/30/2023

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“The loyalists follow the under tail scent of the lemmings in front of them.”                     – Old Buz