The main story was related to the practice of "earmarking" bills in the process of passing them. This allows lawmakers to appropriate obscene amounts of pork barrel funds for pet projects without any effective oversight.
Of note, Sen. Bill Frist(powerful Republican, self-styled hero and presidential hopeful) inserted a provision into a bill that(in broad language) basically protects the pharmaceutical industry from any and all lawsuits. This is an alternate form of earmarking. Interestingly, Mr. Frist has received $270,000 in political funding from the drug lobby.
While I'm enumerating Mr. Frist's virtues, it should be remembered that he was one of the prime posturers in the path of Mark Sciavo's efforts, on his wife's behalf to shuffle off her mortal coil.
These things bear remembering come election time.
Ankh
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