Oregon Joins California In The Axis Of Irresponsibility, Takers Of Paxil CR Fear For Their Mental Health.

In the Golden State, we saw how politicians desperate for votes can break free of corporate influence for a few days to help sick people. From the Beaver State (huh huh.....huh huh.....beaver) comes word today of the people themselves going around a legislature still under the corporate heel and taking direct action. From The Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

A measure to make prescription drugs more affordable for Oregonians without health insurance or drug coverage appears to be one of the few initiatives on the November ballot -- and perhaps the only one -- with little controversy or opposition

Measure 44, sponsored by state Sen. Bill Morrisette, D-Springfield, grew out of attempts in the 2005 Legislature to expand a discount program allowing the state to buy prescription drugs in bulk for low-income seniors without drug coverage, and for school districts and local governments.

Opposition from pharmaceutical industry lobbyists killed the expansion effort last year, so Morrisette turned to the initiative process.

No matter what the means for getting there, it would seem there is a movement amongst the people to figuratively kick Big Pharma in the nads. Whoo Hoo! The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the trade group of the pharmaceutical industry, knowing it can't stop the initiative, has been reduced to limiting the plan to cover only individuals and not private employers. Still pretty shitty of them, but nowhere near the pure evil we've come to expect from their ilk.

So today the drugnazi takes a few minutes to say "yay for us" and raise a bit of scotch aloft in celebration before it goes into my stomach. Tomorrow I return to watching my back.