So Billy, When Did You Develop This...Theory?

Once again, Krugman delivers with an analysis and critique of the Medicare giveaway to Big Pharma.

Near the end, though, is a quote from former Louisiana Representative Billy Tauzin, who parlayed a career of pandering to their interests into the ultimate golden parachute: he now heads the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, i.e., the drug lobby. Nice work--if you can get it. The job pays (they think) about $2 million dollars a year.

But comments like this make me wonder what Billy's putting into his drink. When asked about cheaper, imported drugs, he went on record:

“[it's a] threat of not just criminal elements but al Qaeda and terrorist elements.”

Terrorists could use counterfeit drugs to spread infectious diseases, he said. Tauzin said he understands why members of Congress would vote for a reimportation bill for political reasons but indicated there is a big difference in voting for a bill in either chamber and “making it the law of the land.”

“I would hate to have on my conscience that I voted to make [importation] the law of the land and then woke up one day when al Qaeda used a bunch of fake Viagra tablets to get anthrax into this country,” he remarked. “That’s a real possibility.”

That's right--al Qaeda might spike the imported Viagra--and god knows WHAT they might do to Cialis or Levitra. And, of course, this could potentially sap our precious bodily fluids, or worse, cause a mine-shaft (no pun intended) gap.

I'm sure glad Big Brother Billy's looking out for us...