Lobbyists and Congress and Drugs....Oh My

     I guess I cannot avoid political commentary this election season. Right off the bat, let me say that Trump is a vile idiot and Hillary is a sneaky genius. I haven't trusted a politician since Lincoln...and yes, I might just be that old.

This election is quite heated and is causing even greater divides in our already fraying nation. Let us all please remember one very important thing; the President is not the one with the power. With relatively few exceptions, anything proposed by the Executive Branch must be approved by Congress. Does that mean congress wields the power? Yes and no. Congress has power over the president, and the nation as a whole but it is in fact the Lobbyists who control congress; thus lobbyists are in control of our nation. Let me rephrase that, the money stemming from big lobbyists and their clients is in charge of our country.

     The largest lobby in the U.S. is the pharmaceutical industry. According to the non-partisan watchdog group, Center for Responsive Politics ( https://www.opensecrets.org/ ), thus far in 2016, pharmacy groups have contributed to candidates, political parties, and outside groups to the sum of $18,218,665. Contributions to sitting congress members total $4,569,909 to Democrats and $7,035,182. The previous year, 1,369 lobbyists acting on behalf of 344 pharmaceutical and health related clients spent over $238 million. The highest recent figure,$272.8 million, came in 2009, at the time the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was on the floor. These companies, Bayer, Pfizer, Glaxo etc. have agendas to keep their products on the shelf at the highest price the market will tolerate. They do not want marijuana legalized nationally as it will greatly cut into their profits. They did not want the ACA to pass because it cut into their profits. Look at the numbers again and you'll have a better understanding of why so many seniors can't afford to take care of themselves. So much money is being poured into D.C. that prices on medicine must remain high in order for these companies to maintain their projected profit margins.

     If we really want change to occur in this nation, the whole process needs to be revamped. Lobbyists need to be eliminated as well as the party National Committees. With the exception of the Electoral College, I wish the process would revert to the original format; whoever has the most votes is President and the runner-up is Vice-President.