Money, Pharms, and Votes

From . Turner's post at BlueNC

Every politician dreads the moment when the special interest group which paid for their campaign is in direct opposition to the well-being of the citizens they were elected to represent. Such is the case with Senator Burr, Senator Dole, and the pharmaceutical industry. Last week the Senate blocked a bill which would have allowed the government to negotiate lower drug prices on the 2003 Medicare Drug Bill. The vote was 55 “yes” (49 Democrats, 6 Republicans) and 42 “no” (42 Repubs, 1 Dem). 60 “yes” votes were required to pass the bill. Senators Burr and Dole voted no.
. . .
That Senator Burr and Senator Dole are indebted to the pharmaceutical industry is not in dispute. Both senators have accepted significant contributions from the pharmaceutical industry. Richard Burr, who received more money from drug companies than any congressional candidate in 2004, has a career total of $585,149. Elizabeth Dole’s career total is “only” $208,672. However, most of that money was when she was elected in 2002 and ranked 4th on the pharmaceutical industry contribution list. Since she is running for re-election in 2008, I would be shocked if she is not in the top three this election cycle.

For North Carolina citizens, the 2003 version of the Medicare Drug Bill short-changes them in two ways. First, it is fiscally irresponsible. This is a I.2 trillion dollar entitlement, with drug company profits estimated at 139 billion dollars. As taxpayers, we are responsible for paying all of the bills, but have no ability to control any of the costs. Why not let the efficiencies of the free-market work for the taxpayers, for once? Secondly, it is morally irresponsible. Partly to maintain drug company profits, a gap in coverage (the “doughnut hole”) is required. Unlike other forms of insurance, Medicare Part D has a bizarre gap in coverage between $2,250 and $5,100 of drug expenses. This makes no medical sense since it effectively penalizes the sickest patients; usually those with chronic illness who can least afford an interruption in their medication. Allowing the government to negotiate drug prices would signal a shift of power from corporate interests back to the people, where it belongs.

Submitted by Drama Queen who is not available to post today.

Exclusive must-see WNCNN interview with Elizabeth Dole

WNCNN's Johnny Joe Rockslide is back with an exclusive interview at the home of North Carolina's own senior senator, Elizabeth Dole.



For background on Johnny Joe's questions, you might want to check out this BlueNC post by Blue South, Where does Elizabeth Dole Live? He's done extensive research in to Dole's residency. Here's a relevant exerpt:

I started with OpenSecrets.org, where I discovered that she and Bob own property in many states. She owns 118.91 acres in Johnson City Kansas, valued at over a million dollars. She owns a condo with her brother in Florida. In Salisbury the only thing she owns is a “28.47% ownership interest” in a real estate development. This “ownership interest” has a value of between 250 and 500 thousand dollars. She receives rent from this property.

I then checked on her voter registration, discovering her voting address is 712 S Fulton St, Salisbury, NC. What is interesting about this is that Bob Dole is not registered to vote in the state of North Carolina. He is however, registered to vote in Kansas. In fact, the same day that Elizabeth was voting in person in North Carolina in an effort to become a Senator, her husband was in Kansas, voting in person there. How many married couples do you know that are not divorced, not separated, and yet live in different houses?

My next stop was the Rowan County Register of Deeds. Elizabeth Dole apparently owns the home where she is registered to vote. The home has a value for tax assessment purposes of just under $321,000. I am glad that she managed to actually buy a home in North Carolina. But I wonder about how much time she spends there.

In doing a little more searching, I found this article from 2005. It turns out that said home in Salisbury was bought after Christmas in 2001. Why does that matter? Well it turns out she voted in November of 2001. You see, this house was actually the home of her mother since 1937. In fact, Mrs. Hanford was still living in the house up until her untimely death, in 2004, at the age of 102.

. . .

The claim by her campaign in 2001 was that the home was owned by Elizabeth Dole. Apparently, though, the home was sold to her only after she decided to run for Senate. The home was sold to her by her mother, who continued to live in the home, it being her residence after all.

In fact, as of today, Elizabeth Dole’s mailing address on official Rowan County documents is still listed as the Watergate hotel. Why is that important? Because from everything I can see Elizabeth Dole still lives in the same place she has lived for 40 years. Washington DC.

Crossposted at BlueNC and Scrutiny Hooligans

Looking for a logo, and we've got a good start

To the left, you'll find Pat go bye-bye's first artistic contribution. And may I say it's a fine one, from AsheVillein at BlueNC. Of course, it doesn't quite go with our color scheme (which is based on our wonderful representative's rumored sexual orientation.)

Below, you'll find some calls for minor assistance for Pat go bye-bye, and for several other projects we have in mind for this site and other North Carolina political projects. If you can help us, leave a comment. Once I figure out how to post an email address, you can contact us that way.

CALL FOR GRAPHIC ARTIST/PHOTOSHOP WIZARD: Pat Go Bye bye is looking for a logo, something with Pat McHenry's inflated head getting the boot, perhaps? I guess a donkey doing the kicking is called for but not mandatory.

CALL FOR TECHNICAL HELP: Nothing too major. We need a calendar for Pat Go Bye-Bye. We could just enter items as a new list along the side from soonest to farthest. But, it would be nice if people could click on the feature and enter their own items. Maybe that's not possible unless they are registered to post? It's a blogspot website.

CALL FOR NC LINKS: Let us know if you want the site to link to your blog or website.

CALL FOR UNRELATED LOGO/DESIGN: Also needed, a logo that would illustrate a series of on-line articles about political women from WNC. The title, "Women of the West." So it would have a cowboy theme (or not.) The first of the series will feature five women from all over WNC but future articles will probably be about clusters of 3 or 4 women from Watauga and Buncombe.

CALL FOR LIDDY DOLE PHOTOSHOPPED SILLINESS: She's never in North Carolina. She's travelled her fewer times than Hillary goes to New York. She's documented as putting her husband's future career ahead of the safety of our blood supply as head of the Red Cross in the 90s. She's catering to an Air Force plan to put Admiral's comfort ahead of pilot safety (and the fate of zillions of migrating birds and local farmers). And then there's the hair. What's there not to satire?

[This was cross-posted yesterday in slightly different form at Scrutiny Hooligans and BlueNC.]