by Randy Shannon
Sen. Bob Casey Votes to keep drug prices high
December 17, 2009
Merry Christmas from Senator Bob Casey! Yesterday the US Senate defeated 51-48 (60 votes to pass) an amendment to allow reimportation of US drugs from certain foreign countries. Senator Casey voted with the drug lobbyists against the people of his state.
Democratic Sen. Dorgan has introduced this bill repeatedly over the years. When the Democrats were in the minority and could not pass the bill, they all voted for it. Now that there are enough votes on both sides of the aisle to pass this bill, key Democrats voted against it.
The bill would allow drugs manufactured in the US and shipped overseas to be reimported and sold at overseas prices. The overseas prices are 50% to 90% lower than what we US citizens are paying. The savings to the American people would be around $80 billion over the next ten years.
Can it be any clearer that Senator Casey is helping to keep the American people in slavery to the drug companies. In other countries the representatives of the people use the power of government to obtain prescription drugs at a reasonable price. That reasonable price is half or even ten percent of what we are forced to pay.
Senator Casey is in the pocket of the drug companies. He has hurt thousands of Pennsylvanians with this vote. And many more will die only because they cannot afford the outrageous exhorbitant price of medication that could save lives. Prescription drug prices are outrageous and exhorbitant for one reason. The venal crooked Senators legalize the extortion of the people on behalf of the pharmaceutical industry.
How long will we tolerate this oppression?
Follow this link to the roll call on the Dorgan Amendment to allow reimportation of US drugs.
Beaver County Blue: Voice of the 17th CD of Progressive Democrats of America 
So did thirty other Democratic Senators while twenty-one Republicans voted for it.