Rush Has It Right- And Wrong

In a bold strategic move, Rush Limbaugh today decided to inform- rather than misinform- his listeners about something happening in Washington.

Dorgan's amendment would allow drug reimportation, which most of the left and some Republicans for various reasons would vote for 'cause it's cheaper prices and, of course, you think you're serving your constituents if you do anything that lowers prices. Now, if it passes, Big Pharma will have to get involved, take on the bill, and Reid does not want that, nor does Obama. Lautenberg's amendment is the loophole that makes reimportation toothless, and this is what Dorgan is not happy about. The Lautenberg amendment to the Dorgan amendment would preclude reimportation unless safety were certified by the secretary of Health and Human Services. And since we don't have the capacity to certify manufacturing and distribution abroad, certification never would happen. It is a toothless amendment, and it makes Dorgan's amendment worthless, and Dorgan's not happy about this.

Now, I would assume that the Republican leadership knows that the Dorgan amendment is one of our best weapons right now, which is why Reid doesn't want to bring it up for a vote right now. By refusing the uniform consent, that means that they can skip all the procedures, just skip all the debate, just vote on it. So if they refuse the uniform consent, McConnell has made life really miserable here and more difficult for Harry Reid and has bought us a lot more time. I would rather deal with this, as I say, on the ideological front and just say this whole thing is worthless and needs to be opposed because of the people supporting it. But I know that doesn't fly with a lot of people. Some people want details so I dug deep and that's the best that I can figure out to tell you where this stands legislatively. To me it's all. It is a piece of garbage that needs to be thrown out, and certainly do not put it in the recycle bin.

North Dakota's Byron Dorgan has introduced an amendment which would permit importation of drugs. Harry Reid, who wishes to move a health care "reform" bill, any bill, to passage, is opposed to it. The effort by Senator Lautenberg is an effort to render worthless Dorgan's amendment if it were to pass. All accurate.

Limbaugh recognizes the reimportation amendment would result in "cheaper prices" and believes (arguably) "the Dorgan amendment is one of our best weapons right." now." Rush desperately yearns for defeat of any and all health care reform so that President Obama experiences "his Waterloo," which would "break him," as Senator Jim DeMint (R.-S.C.) put it. Yet, despite- more likely, because- the amendment would lower prices for American citizens, Rush Limbaugh opposes it.

Here we have pure Limbaugh. He understands the issue- aiding the middle class at the expense of exorbitant corporate (pharmaceutical) profits. And he opposes it. Classic.