Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

mattstoller.substack.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

181–190 of 595 posts

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#181

Post by ozfive »

Karsteski wrote: post #171
LimaBearz wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love how conservatives still make this argument. You're arguing for the free market in a system that literally isn't, and doing it in such a way that it tries to be a thought-terminating cliche. If you get into a car accident tomorrow driving to work, the ambulance/paramedics aren't going to ask you to do your research prior to shuttling you to a hospital to get life saving treatment. Even if you could how would yo…

I agree with the premise of your argument, but why did you have to start it with "I love how conservatives still make this argument"? You have no idea what that person's thoughts or beliefs are...

Because this is the premise of the conservative argument. The thoughts are clearly conveyed.

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#182

Post by ozfive »

LimaBearz wrote: post #157
revscat wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m not sure what your point is. These contracts between seller and merchant were voluntary. There are other hospitals available should you choose, and if not then you have no one to blame but yourself.

I love how conservatives still make this argument. You're arguing for the free market in a system that literally isn't, and doing it in such a way that it tries to be a thought-terminating cliche. If you get into a car accident tomorrow driving to work, the ambulance/paramedics aren't going to ask you to do your research prior to shuttling you to a hospital to get life saving treatment. Even if you could how would yo…

Why is this being downvoted?!?!

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#183

Post by momento »

annadane wrote: post #36
Jenk wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some is better than none.

No, this is Hacker News, where we have to gripe about every single little thing until it loses all fucking meaning Edit: you downvote me because you know this is exactly how it goes around here

The irony of griping on HN about griping on HN.

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#184

Post by notriddle »

fshbbdssbbgdd wrote: post #160
throwawayboise wrote: post #28

"Hearing aids cost thousands of dollars apiece, for no other reason than there is a cartel established by government that prevents firms from selling hearing aids without a prescription." An example of how many (most?) monopolies are able to exist because of some sort of legal authorization or protection. Regulatory capture. There are dozens of companies who would no doubt start making inexpensive hearing aids tomorr…

If it’s true that hearing aids shouldn’t need a prescription and can be made cheaply, shouldn’t it be easy for anyone who needs one to buy online from overseas? The same way you can get grey market viagra.

The problem is that you don’t want zero regulation. That’s how you get fire hazard USB chargers from no-name Amazon sellers. You want minimal safety regulations — and no more.

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#185

Post by o8r3oFTZPE »

ryanSrich wrote: post #33
the-dude wrote: post #10

> hospital price transparency, Wasn't this already put in place by the previous administration?

Of course it was, also see “value based care”. It’s all bullshit. Hospitals have zero incentive to be transparent, and all the incentives to be opaque. So long as you’re a non-Medicare/Medicaid patient you’ll continue to suffer. The American healthcare system is completely fucked (there’s no better word).

Is it fscked for physicians and various healthcare professionals (e.g., paid higher wages than other countries with different systems). Is it also fscked for wealthy patients who do not really care about costs.

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#186

Post by ece »

wormslayer666 wrote: post #122

Direct link to the executive order (it's in the article, but might as well put here): https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-action...

Here are the remarks he delivered before signing the order: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wTlzbKpidU

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#188

Post by fallingknife »

deregulateMed wrote: post #35

Big pharma is significantly less of a problem than the physician and hospital cartels. I have no idea why these groups have survived scrutiny for their literal multi-hundred million dollar lobbying/bribery of politicians. My closest guess is that we all know "My" physician or a well paid nurse that benefits from the bribery.

I have a medical condition with no cure, yet I still have to pay a doctor every 6 months to keep my prescription with no changes. Total racket.

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#189

Post by dillondoyle »

the-dude wrote: post #143
throwawayswede wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They're part of the same mafia, Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America spent $8664000 in 2021 only on lobbying. https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/top-spenders

That looks like a big number, but it is $8.6M ? Is that a lot?

No it's not. Lobbying in that reported sense is also a very small slice of persuading politicians and regulators and bureaucrats.

PHRMA plays big in politics, 501c4 space etc.

They also are known for the revolving door which is hard to quantify, but surely it makes a big difference on regs. Look at the Purdue, they got the regulator responsible for approving the label to actually sit in a hotel room and help write their oxy label together...

Here's an article shows "in the US from 1999 to 2018, found that the pharmaceutical and health product industry spent $4.7 billion, an average of $233 million per year, on lobbying the US federal government; $414 million on contributions to presidential and congressional electoral candidates, national party committees, and outside spending groups; and $877 million on contributions to state candidates and committees."

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7054854/

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#190

Post by fallingknife »

worik wrote: post #125
s1artibartfast wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What part of that is big ag, opposed to ag in general. I don't see the difference on those topics personally.

Economies of scale, when viewed from the perspective of a cattle beast in a feed lot are a horrible thing in agriculture. Modern industrial agriculture with its expensive inputs, ruination of land, and abuse of live stock is a quite horrifying thing and is impoverishing the people responsible for the base of our food supply. It is the most efficient in terms of output per input, but not by most other measures.

That may be, but no politician is stupid enough to be the one who causes food prices to go up.
Post reply on HN