This happened two years ago. They needed to win with a 60 vote margin. It didn’t pass.
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/house-insulin-prices/
I'm going to vote for the party that actively seems to want me and my family to suffer, because that's what mAkEs 'MuRiCa GrAtE aGiN!
Or,
I'm going to not vote and let in the party that actively seems to want me and my family to suffer, because... bOtH pArTiEs ArE tHe SaMe... LoL?
Two flip sides of the same political weak minds, both subjugated by abusive right-wing propaganda.
It's an older story but it's important to bring up though because there's a lot of "Do nothing democrat" BS that's coming up repeatedly.
I can already hear the arguments ringing in my head. This is a matter that is near and dear to my heart. As a disclaimer, I'm Canadian, if the USA doesn't want cheap insulin, I can't really do anything to stop that.
With all that being said, I have a family member who is a type 1 diabetic. I have experienced the following, ignorant, argument from enough people that I'm pretty sure those that voted against this, at least in part, believe. Diabetes is a self inflicted condition that you can cure with proper diet and exercise. While that argument could be true for some portion of type 2 diabetes, it is wholly untrue for T1D. I won't speculate on how many people are in that scenario with type 2, so I'll focus on my main argument.
Type 1 diabetes, sometimes also referred to as juvenile diabetes, isn't exclusive to young people. It's diagnosed young, which gives it the "juvenile" title. Type 2 is generally a problem that comes with age (and sometimes obesity), so it's referred to as "adult" diabetes. I'll point out these "titles" only apply to when you are likely to be diagnosed with it and have nothing to do with how long you'll have it. Type 1 is typically caused by the pancreas being unable to function. Sometimes there's a little function, but in general, it's an issue with the pancreas itself, which will not heal. The cause of the dysfunction is varied and not relevant to the point, but genetics, disease, injury, etc, can all play a role in it. The fact is, the pancreas does not, and will never, operate correctly. For a T1D, the only "diet" that can keep their condition in check is essentially starvation, resulting in death, which would arguably cure the disease. You can't be unwell if you're dead.
People with T1D didn't ask for it, they didn't do anything that gave them the condition. They can't do anything that relieves the condition. They are obligated to take insulin, or die. Shit choice if you ask me. Forcing diabetics to essentially pay to live is cruel, at the same time, producing a medical/pharmaceutical grade substance costs money and someone has to pay for it. Limiting the cost of insulin to a reasonable amount that can adequately cover the costs of production is the compromise. So those who are unemployed and/or underpaid can still afford to live.
Insulin for type 2 diabetics, which usually comes as a pill, whereas type 1 generally needs an injection, can be the exception if you're hellbent on "punishing" those that "do it to themselves", but even for that, you'll get an argument from me. There's a gap in knowledge for what is proper nutrition, and how to take care of yourself in such a way that you won't end up obese. Many people who can take care of themselves, learned these traits at home. A nontrivial amount of the population didn't get this same education and think that fast food is good food, or at least adequate; or that frozen is a good alternative to fresh, since fresh doesn't really keep very long, which can be true for some things, but I assure you that buying a 1KG frozen lasagna that feeds 4, isn't a good, singular meal for one person.
I'm not here to lecture anyone on diet and nutrition, I'm only trying to point out that the misconceptions about what is good or healthy for you to eat, are very common. The education system hasn't done anything to fix this. Not really. I was taught the food pyramid, which, I believe, at the time, it was not considered a good guide on nutrition, at the very least. It's basically speculation from the 70s that's essentially pseudo science. Learning and having good nutrition is kind of a joke at this point, at least when it comes to public education. Add that to the fact that almost everything that's made is laced, injected, or otherwise coated in sugars, and you get a recipe for obesity and eventually type 2 diabetes. I'm certain a nontrivial number of type 2 diabetics didn't learn about proper nutrition until they became diabetic. At that point, changing your eating habits for the better, isn't an easy task.
So, I would argue that for many type 2 sufferers, they're simply a product of a system (that we designed) which failed them. They were not taught, nor given the required knowledge to adequately avoid contracting the disorder.
IMO, anyone against a cap on insulin is either poorly informed, or cruel. If you know how and why both types of diabetes exists, then you're cruel if you don't want a cap on the prices. If you don't, you need education to learn about it and why, for many, it's not really a choice.
I'll add the disclaimer that I'm sure there are those out there that are type 2 diabetics who knew all along and essentially did it to themselves. I will only say this about it: there's no reasonable way to have them monetarily pay for their choices, without significantly and negatively impacting those who did not have a choice in the matter.
Both sides suck, but at least the Democrats don't want to turn America into an ultra-capitalist evangelical dictatorship and a white ethnostate.
Anyone saying both sides is a clown.
Not only do they no longer represent the people they consider most of the population... The Enemy
But think of those poor multi billions pharmaceuticals and their struggling investors and stock holders.
One side is less corrupt than the other. We're still stuck with two bad choices. One is extremely bad, the other is just passively bad and tries to work and compromise with the extremely bad side for no discernable reason.
We're allowed to criticize politicians even if we vote for them. We don't have to like them just because they're the only option.
It's like asking if I'd like to wipe my ass with single ply or sixty grit sandpaper.
Permanently Deleted
Now I am not very versed in US-politics, but in Europe it is pretty normal to vote no or in the best case abstain from voting if you are not part of the government, save for some exceptions. What I find interesting are the 11 people who voted yes across party lines - that may hold more significance than the 193 who didn't. Don't get me wrong, it still sounds pretty dumb, but it may not be an "we hate poor-people" issue.
This is from 2022. It's worth noting that in this vote it was bundled with a Marijuana decriminalization bill, which is probably why the Republicans voted against it.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/06/04/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-new-actions-to-secure-the-border/ Biden has the most funding and strictest punishments for the border in us history. Just because Republicans are evil doesn't mean Democrats aren't. Both parties are upholding the colonist American government, that has persecuted poc and indigenous peoples especially. Vote for Harris but don't be fooled into thinking either party will make this country better.
