Boehner vs. Billy

It didn’t seem like the healthcare debate could get any more explosive, but the House GOP leader has just decided to set off a pretty big bomb. House Republicans have never been at the table on healthcare reform, refusing to work on the issue with Democrats and pounding away with criticism every step of the way. Now their leader, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), has decided to attack the drug industry for working with Democrats to find consensus on healthcare.

In a letter to former Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-La.), who now heads up the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), Boehner blasted Tauzin for working with Senate Democrats and the White House on a healthcare deal.

“When a bully asks for your lunch money, you may have no choice but to fork it over. But cutting a deal with the bully is a different story, particularly if the ‘deal’ means helping steal others’ money as the price of protecting your own,” the letter states. “The ‘bully’ in this case is Big Government. At your behest, PhRMA has chosen to accommodate a Washington take over of healthcare at the expense of the American people in hopes of securing favorable treatment and future profits. It’s a short-sighted bargain that leaves your own customers and employees behind.”

As reported, PhRMA appears to have worked out a deal with the White House to reduce costs by $80 billion in exchange for its support. With a seat at the table, PhRMA wanted to ensure the legislation would not extract more from industry. Despite working with the Senate Democrats on legislation, PhRMA has not endorsed any of the bills passed by the three House committees.

Since PhRMA hasn’t signed onto a bill yet — and any final bill isn’t likely to include a “public option” government-run healthcare program — it’s hardly fair to accuse the group of helping to steal from people in order to “accommodate a Washington takeover of healthcare,” but accuracy isn’t what the opponents of reform are interested in. Is it?

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