LOTF Special Events Thread

[Greater Arab State]

"Governor Richardson, not all pharma companies are created equal. Whilst there have been bad actors in my industry, fundamentally it is an industry that serves millions of Americans by providing them with the drugs they need to live their daily lives. I share your conviction to confront price gougers like (not-Martin Shkreli), but I am not like him. Of course, this is not the first false accusation that your family has directed towards me and I fear over the course of this campaign, it may not be the last, but that is neither here nor there. What matters is this - I know pharma, I understand pharma, and if anyone on this stage is better positioned to take on the bad actors in pharma, it's me."

"Your company is a bad actor, peddling a major drug in the opioid crisis. That is a fact. You know big pharma yes, I am not saying that inaccurate at all. However you know big pharma because you are Big Pharma.

“Whilst I admit that I was in charge of Sanabex from its foundation, I can say with confidence that I was at not point involved in the unethical peddling of any sort of drug, particularly opioids. A matter which if you had taken the time to fully understand the issue, Governor, rather than using the issue as a political football for unsubstantiated character assassination, you would be able to clearly see that some Americans require opioids for legitimate medical reasons.

In fact, to suggest that I deliberately seemed to cause the current opioid crisis within this country in order to earn greater levels of profits makes about as much sense as blaming attempting to blame you for the subprime mortgage crisis due to your career in real estate.”

[The World Capitalist Confederation]

"Your company is a bad actor, peddling a major drug in the opioid crisis. That is a fact. You know big pharma yes, I am not saying that inaccurate at all. However you know big pharma because you are Big Pharma.

“Whilst I admit that I was in charge of Sanabex from its foundation, I can say with confidence that I was at not point involved in the unethical peddling of any sort of drug, particularly opioids. A matter which if you had taken the time to fully understand the issue, Governor, rather than using the issue as a political football for unsubstantiated character assassination, you would be able to clearly see that some Americans require opioids for legitimate medical reasons.

In fact, to suggest that I deliberately seemed to cause the current opioid crisis within this country in order to earn greater levels of profits makes about as much sense as blaming attempting to blame you for the subprime mortgage crisis due to your career in real estate.”

Porter" "Once again; I would like to ask: A vial of insulin costs $2 to produce. How much did Sanabex charge for it, on average?"

[Greater Arab State]

"Governor Richardson, not all pharma companies are created equal. Whilst there have been bad actors in my industry, fundamentally it is an industry that serves millions of Americans by providing them with the drugs they need to live their daily lives. I share your conviction to confront price gougers like (not-Martin Shkreli), but I am not like him. Of course, this is not the first false accusation that your family has directed towards me and I fear over the course of this campaign, it may not be the last, but that is neither here nor there. What matters is this - I know pharma, I understand pharma, and if anyone on this stage is better positioned to take on the bad actors in pharma, it's me."

Porter: "You're right. There are bad actors in your industry indeed. Opioid crisis aside, let me ask you this: it costes $2 to make a vial of insulin. How much did you company charge per vial of insulin, on average?

“Sanabex changed approximately $275 per vial of insulin. However, nearly half of all the top 20 spenders on research and development are pharmaceutical companies, and Sanabex follows the same industry practice.

I completely understand the impetus to cast all pharmaceutical executives like the (not-Sacklers) and I respect the Secretary for that, however, Sanabex ensured that it charged a competitive price for its insulin so that greater amounts of resources and investment could be used to fund new drug research and make a greater improvement to the everyday lives of Americans and to pay our share of the almost 500,000 Americans currently employed within the biopharmaceutical industry, creating a constant cycle of employment and greater improvements on the research front.”

[Sanabel]

Moderator: (Mike Oxlong): “Candidates our next and sixth question is about a topic that has also been in the news lately- vaccination. During the 2016 Republican Primary debates, President Wolf made the implication that vaccines may in fact cause autism in young children, which is a contested claim used by the so-called anti-vax movement. Now, we are seeing legislation related to mandatory vaccination in Congress. As President, would you sign mandatory vaccination legislation? What is your stance on the long-standing practice of vaccination?”

[Gordano and Lysandus]

Moderator: (Mike Oxlong): “Candidates our next and sixth question is about a topic that has also been in the news lately- vaccination. During the 2016 Republican Primary debates, President Wolf made the implication that vaccines may in fact cause autism in young children, which is a contested claim used by the so-called anti-vax movement. Now, we are seeing legislation related to mandatory vaccination in Congress. As President, would you sign mandatory vaccination legislation? What is your stance on the long-standing practice of vaccination?”

"I remember when polio ravaged our communities. The cost of that was to live out your life in a great metal box. It's only been sixty or so years since the introduction of the polio vaccine, so it's still possible to find some people who are trapped in iron lungs because they didn't enjoy the miracle of inoculation. I want nothing more than to spare anyone such a horror again. Vaccination is important, and whilst it is healthy and reasonable to doubt and research before making permanent medical decisions for yourself and your children, practically all vaccines are safe. It is right to stand up for vaccines, and President Wolf was right to give a voice to those who felt anxious about them. Doubt is a healthy emotion in our society. Because not all vaccines are safe. Experimental vaccines to counter SARS led to long term lung conditions in test subjects. So it is rational both to trust and to doubt, and I encourage people to do their own research and come to their own conclusions based on the underlying science."

"I support and promote vaccination, however I also have to acknowledge that involving the Government in personal medical decisions exercises a dangerous precedent. Do I think that the mandatory vaccination legislation would make Americans healthier? Yes. Could I sign it? No, I could not. Because that would be a violation of personal liberty, it would establish the notion that Congress could induce a citizen to undergo a procedure against their will and that is a power no government should have. We know where that leads - forced sterilizations in China is but one example. So as much as the substance, the idea is good, fundamentally, we have to make a decision based on principle, and that principle means that we should focus far more on convincing people of the safety and veracity of tried-and-tested vaccines rather than trying to coerce them."

[Dentali]

"Your company is a bad actor, peddling a major drug in the opioid crisis. That is a fact. You know big pharma yes, I am not saying that inaccurate at all. However you know big pharma because you are Big Pharma.

“Whilst I admit that I was in charge of Sanabex from its foundation, I can say with confidence that I was at not point involved in the unethical peddling of any sort of drug, particularly opioids. A matter which if you had taken the time to fully understand the issue, Governor, rather than using the issue as a political football for unsubstantiated character assassination, you would be able to clearly see that some Americans require opioids for legitimate medical reasons.

In fact, to suggest that I deliberately seemed to cause the current opioid crisis within this country in order to earn greater levels of profits makes about as much sense as blaming attempting to blame you for the subprime mortgage crisis due to your career in real estate.”

"I never worked in real estate, but you most certainly ran a company that pushed and peddled an opioid that overwhelming evidence shows those making the product knew of its destructive properties. Dozens of lawsuits around the country have shown time and again that any company that tested their opioid product at all knew full well how destructive it was but pushed it anyway while downplaying the side effects. Your companies product makes up a considerable percentage of the opioids abused in this crisis, their is a clear line there."

[Dentali]

Moderator: (Mike Oxlong): “Candidates our next and sixth question is about a topic that has also been in the news lately- vaccination. During the 2016 Republican Primary debates, President Wolf made the implication that vaccines may in fact cause autism in young children, which is a contested claim used by the so-called anti-vax movement. Now, we are seeing legislation related to mandatory vaccination in Congress. As President, would you sign mandatory vaccination legislation? What is your stance on the long-standing practice of vaccination?”

Richardson: My daughter has been vaccinated so of course I support vaccination, the anti-vax movement spreading lies about the dangers of vaccines is certainly not helpful to the country. Parents should get their children vaccinated and as President I would support outreach measures to educate people and get more kids vaccinated. But saying someone who doesn't get their child vaccinated is child abuse? That your child can get taken from you like the Congressional bill does? That goes way too far.

[The World Capitalist Confederation]

Porter: "You're right. There are bad actors in your industry indeed. Opioid crisis aside, let me ask you this: it costes $2 to make a vial of insulin. How much did you company charge per vial of insulin, on average?

“Sanabex changed approximately $275 per vial of insulin. However, nearly half of all the top 20 spenders on research and development are pharmaceutical companies, and Sanabex follows the same industry practice.

I completely understand the impetus to cast all pharmaceutical executives like the (not-Sacklers) and I respect the Secretary for that, however, Sanabex ensured that it charged a competitive price for its insulin so that greater amounts of resources and investment could be used to fund new drug research and make a greater improvement to the everyday lives of Americans and to pay our share of the almost 500,000 Americans currently employed within the biopharmaceutical industry, creating a constant cycle of employment and greater improvements on the research front.”

Porter: "I want to go back to this for a second. Are you telling me that you sold insulin for a markup of 1350%?

That is a truly shameful practice. In no other field do products sell at that high a markup. Yet Big Pharma does so, because they know diabetics will pay either way. It is no less than extortion, sir, and you ought to understand that."

[Sanabel]

Moderator (Mike Oxlong): “Alright candidates- let’s move on to the topic at hand.”

[Greater Arab State]

“Sanabex changed approximately $275 per vial of insulin. However, nearly half of all the top 20 spenders on research and development are pharmaceutical companies, and Sanabex follows the same industry practice.

I completely understand the impetus to cast all pharmaceutical executives like the (not-Sacklers) and I respect the Secretary for that, however, Sanabex ensured that it charged a competitive price for its insulin so that greater amounts of resources and investment could be used to fund new drug research and make a greater improvement to the everyday lives of Americans and to pay our share of the almost 500,000 Americans currently employed within the biopharmaceutical industry, creating a constant cycle of employment and greater improvements on the research front.”

Porter: "I want to go back to this for a second. Are you telling me that you sold insulin for a markup of 1350%?

That is a truly shameful practice. In no other field do products sell at that high a markup. Yet Big Pharma does so, because they know diabetics will pay either way. It is no less than extortion, sir, and you ought to understand that."

“Well, Secretary, I’m glad you mentioned that, I didn’t manage to specify that that includes factors such as pricing at hospitals and individual pharmacists with Sanabex being only a wholesale distributor so with that factored in it’s closer to $100 that Sanabex charges.”

[The World Capitalist Confederation]

Porter: "I want to go back to this for a second. Are you telling me that you sold insulin for a markup of 1350%?

That is a truly shameful practice. In no other field do products sell at that high a markup. Yet Big Pharma does so, because they know diabetics will pay either way. It is no less than extortion, sir, and you ought to understand that."

“Well, Secretary, I’m glad you mentioned that, I didn’t manage to specify that that includes factors such as pricing at hospitals and individual pharmacists with Sanabex being only a wholesale distributor so with that factored in it’s closer to $100 that Sanabex charges.”

Porter blinked his eyes, dumbfounded by Wolf Jr. literally handing him ammunition on a platter?

"So it's not a 1300% markup, but rather nearly four times that?!"

He said, his voice strong enough that it could crack an egg open. He shook his fists, feigning anger.

"In what other field could one markup products by 5000%, sir? In what other field? You're not a businessman, sir - you're an extortionist!"

[Dentali]

Richardson stays silent knowing one of the biggest mistakes you could make would be to do math live on stage

[Gordano and Lysandus]

Governor Prendergast gives a perplexed look at Secretary Porter, not entirely convinced by his grasp on mathematics.

[The World Capitalist Confederation]

"The point is, mathematics aside, he is selling insulin for at a nearly 5000% markup. It is indeed shameful, and an act of extortion. I did slip a bit on the mathematics, yes, as I misheard him, but nonetheless it is not ethically acceptable to sell a product that people need to live at several orders of magnitude higher than the production cost.

It is extortion, no less."

[Gordano and Lysandus]

"The point is, mathematics aside, he is selling insulin for at a nearly 5000% markup. It is indeed shameful, and an act of extortion. I did slip a bit on the mathematics, yes, as I misheard him, but nonetheless it is not ethically acceptable to sell a product that people need to live at several orders of magnitude higher than the production cost.

It is extortion, no less."

"Secretary, I wonder, do these magical math skills apply to your proposed welfare hike to the tune of the GDP of Canada or is this a one-off?"

[The World Capitalist Confederation]

"The point is, mathematics aside, he is selling insulin for at a nearly 5000% markup. It is indeed shameful, and an act of extortion. I did slip a bit on the mathematics, yes, as I misheard him, but nonetheless it is not ethically acceptable to sell a product that people need to live at several orders of magnitude higher than the production cost.

It is extortion, no less."

"Secretary, I wonder, do these magical math skills apply to your proposed welfare hike to the tune of the GDP of Canada or is this a one-off?"

"It is fully paid for in my plan. Are you going to keep insulting my intelligence or are you actually going to talk about something productive?"

[Gordano and Lysandus]

"It is fully paid for in my plan. Are you going to keep insulting my intelligence or are you actually going to talk about something productive?"

"There's no need to get belligerent, Secretary, but I don't think it's unfair for ordinary American taxpayers to be concerned about the fact you're proposing we expand welfare in this country to the extent that it threatens to triple the federal deficit. That money could be spent on giving people infrastructure jobs, defense jobs - decent, patriotic American jobs. Or spent on giving besieged Americans a well-deserved relief from the burden of tax altogether. Rather than signing off checks with no qualification or means test to people who have done nothing to earn the money."

[The World Capitalist Confederation]

"It is fully paid for in my plan. Are you going to keep insulting my intelligence or are you actually going to talk about something productive?"

"There's no need to get belligerent, Secretary, but I don't think it's unfair for ordinary American taxpayers to be concerned about the fact you're proposing we expand welfare in this country to the extent that it threatens to triple the federal deficit. That money could be spent on giving people infrastructure jobs, defense jobs - decent, patriotic American jobs. Or spent on giving besieged Americans a well-deserved relief from the burden of tax altogether. Rather than signing off checks with no qualification or means test to people who have done nothing to earn the money."

"With all due respect, the federal deficit won't be tripled - it'll be eliminated completely. And I do intend to use the future federal surplus for giving more jobs, whether in infrastructure or defence. Let's hear your budget plan then - and how you'll end the deficit and poverty at the same time, something my plan and nobody else's - as far as I've seen - does."

[Dentali]

"It is fully paid for in my plan. Are you going to keep insulting my intelligence or are you actually going to talk about something productive?"

"There's no need to get belligerent, Secretary, but I don't think it's unfair for ordinary American taxpayers to be concerned about the fact you're proposing we expand welfare in this country to the extent that it threatens to triple the federal deficit. That money could be spent on giving people infrastructure jobs, defense jobs - decent, patriotic American jobs. Or spent on giving besieged Americans a well-deserved relief from the burden of tax altogether. Rather than signing off checks with no qualification or means test to people who have done nothing to earn the money."

"I've heard a lot of discussion about Universal Basic Income recently, whether or not its a left win idea or a right wing idea. Milton Friedman famously liked the idea in concept and Senator Westra has proposed a very similar plan to Secretary Porter, and I don't think anyone here will say Senator Westra is a libertarian or Friedman a socialist..."

"The difference is that Friedman proposed it to replace welfare programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. I disagree with Friedman on this, as I wish to preserve and reform Social Security, not eliminate it."

"The question is, will Porter eliminate Social Security? According to a interview he did on FOX with Craig Benfield he will eliminate Social Security."

[The World Capitalist Confederation]

"There's no need to get belligerent, Secretary, but I don't think it's unfair for ordinary American taxpayers to be concerned about the fact you're proposing we expand welfare in this country to the extent that it threatens to triple the federal deficit. That money could be spent on giving people infrastructure jobs, defense jobs - decent, patriotic American jobs. Or spent on giving besieged Americans a well-deserved relief from the burden of tax altogether. Rather than signing off checks with no qualification or means test to people who have done nothing to earn the money."

"I've heard a lot of discussion about Universal Basic Income recently, whether or not its a left win idea or a right wing idea. Milton Friedman famously liked the idea in concept and Senator Westra has proposed a very similar plan to Secretary Porter, and I don't think anyone here will say Senator Westra is a libertarian or Friedman a socialist..."

"The difference is that Friedman proposed it to replace welfare programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. I disagree with Friedman on this, as I wish to preserve and reform Social Security, not eliminate it."

"The question is, will Porter eliminate Social Security? According to a interview he did on FOX with Craig Benfield he will eliminate Social Security."

"Friedrich Hayek himself was a supporter of the basic income directly, once saying that "The assurance of a certain minimum income for everyone...appears to be a wholly legitimate protection against a risk common to all.". He supported the basic income, too, in that direct form.

Let me be clear: the average American, no matter their age - will not lose out from my plan. Their incomes will either be the same or increase, depending on their exact situation. I will ensure that retired people are still paid roughly the same amount as before, or perhaps even more."

[Greater Arab State]

"The point is, mathematics aside, he is selling insulin for at a nearly 5000% markup. It is indeed shameful, and an act of extortion. I did slip a bit on the mathematics, yes, as I misheard him, but nonetheless it is not ethically acceptable to sell a product that people need to live at several orders of magnitude higher than the production cost.

It is extortion, no less."

“As I’ve said before, Secretary, that is primarily as a result of individual pharmacists rather than Sanabex itself, which had has sold it at a lower markup that allows us to fund greater levels of research and benefit the health of the American people. However, I think it’s best if we focus on the issue of vaccination Secretary.

I support vaccination, and I consider it to be a benefit to the American people that they are protected from such damaging diseases that have previously been widespread in this country such as polio and tuberculosis

Overall, vaccination is a safe system that allows us to advance further research into diseases and limit their spread within our society, that being said however, I think we do have to exercise a level of caution in the way that we use vaccines, particularly with regard to limiting the potential dangers of developing health conditions.

I support vaccination and want more to vaccinate, but I can't support the state overriding people's sincere religious objections, that would be both immoral and unconstitutional. Senator Merriam's amendment in the Senate was good to that effect but we know Democrats wouldn't settle for that.”

[Gordano and Lysandus]

"With all due respect, the federal deficit won't be tripled - it'll be eliminated completely. And I do intend to use the future federal surplus for giving more jobs, whether in infrastructure or defence. Let's hear your budget plan then - and how you'll end the deficit and poverty at the same time, something my plan and nobody else's - as far as I've seen - does."

"Well, what my budget plan won't do - which is what yours will do - is eliminate social security. I am not going to raid the pensions of our seniors to fund a whole new welfare system. Americans are proud, Americans are dignified, and they do not want handouts, they want work. Decent work. Honest, Christian work. My budget plan focuses on investment in work - in infrastructure jobs, in construction jobs, in defense jobs. Restricting government procurement to American companies so that we support the American industrial sector. I'm going to combine a manageable minimum wage rise with a reduction in the price of everyday essentials - as I detailed earlier in the debate - to make real wages grow further. Raising taxes like you and the Democrats want to, Secretary, will leave America's workers poorer than before, even with a minimum wage rise. The pathway out of poverty is gainful employment, and my plan delivers on gainful employment. Not just by making work pay and by expanding public sector jobs, but by waging a full scale war on red tape that prevents businesses from operating and providing private sector jobs. And when we lift Americans out of poverty so that they can re-invest in the economy, and can afford to pay taxes, then we have a more solvent, less deficit-reliant federal government."

[The World Capitalist Confederation]

"With all due respect, the federal deficit won't be tripled - it'll be eliminated completely. And I do intend to use the future federal surplus for giving more jobs, whether in infrastructure or defence. Let's hear your budget plan then - and how you'll end the deficit and poverty at the same time, something my plan and nobody else's - as far as I've seen - does."

"Well, what my budget plan won't do - which is what yours will do - is eliminate social security. I am not going to raid the pensions of our seniors to fund a whole new welfare system. Americans are proud, Americans are dignified, and they do not want handouts, they want work. Decent work. Honest, Christian work. My budget plan focuses on investment in work - in infrastructure jobs, in construction jobs, in defense jobs. Restricting government procurement to American companies so that we support the American industrial sector. I'm going to combine a manageable minimum wage rise with a reduction in the price of everyday essentials - as I detailed earlier in the debate - to make real wages grow further. Raising taxes like you and the Democrats want to, Secretary, will leave America's workers poorer than before, even with a minimum wage rise. The pathway out of poverty is gainful employment, and my plan delivers on gainful employment. Not just by making work pay and by expanding public sector jobs, but by waging a full scale war on red tape that prevents businesses from operating and providing private sector jobs. And when we lift Americans out of poverty so that they can re-invest in the economy, and can afford to pay taxes, then we have a more solvent, less deficit-reliant federal government."

"Raising taxes on whom? I'm cutting taxes for the majority of people, as the payroll tax cut will benefit most people more than the payroll tax. Once more, I will indeed invest the surplus created by my plan towards infrastructure, housing and defence. In the same interview where you claimed I would eliminate social security, I specifically said that I will increase infrastructure and housing spending by 250 billion a year. Under my administration, our infrastructure will turn from D to B. This includes everything from bridges to railways to our ageing nuclear infrastructure, which has seen extensive degradation in recent years. It is truly shameful that we have not yet repaired our ailing nuclear infrastructure, which may soon lead to a possible nuclear accident. My plan will not only end poverty, it will end homelessness too, along with providing millions of construction jobs - we'll work to build massive new sections of cities, filled with government-provided housing at low rent levels, much cheaper than private housing. It will be a revenue source for the government too, increasing the surplus significantly over time. My budget plans are clear - from my basic income to the New American Housing Project, we will be investing in the future, to eclipse every other nation on this great Earth. American workers will be richer than ever before, living in better houses than ever before and driving on better roads than ever before. We will promise to attack the problems of congestion in our city, and do so skillfully. My plan is simple and easy, and it will usher in a new era of growth and prosperity like never before."

[Sanabel]

All candidate microphones are cut.

Moderator (Mike Oxlong): “Candidates, please answer the question and stay on topic or you will be muted for the remainder of the debate.”

[Velahor]

Moderator: (Mike Oxlong): “Candidates our next and sixth question is about a topic that has also been in the news lately- vaccination. During the 2016 Republican Primary debates, President Wolf made the implication that vaccines may in fact cause autism in young children, which is a contested claim used by the so-called anti-vax movement. Now, we are seeing legislation related to mandatory vaccination in Congress. As President, would you sign mandatory vaccination legislation? What is your stance on the long-standing practice of vaccination?”

Congresswoman Diane Paulson
Republican Presidential Primary Debate
FOX News

“Does big government have any business over what we do or don’t put in our bodies, or our children’s bodies? Absolutely not. Mandatory vaccines are a massive overreach of big government, and a massive violation of your bodily autonomy, your right to have control over your body, which is a fundamental natural right.”

“On the other hand, this anti-vax movement is an epidemic of misinformation. One study with dubious methods showed a correlation between vaccines and autism, the study that our President is citing, but that study has been disproven for almost 20 years.”

“The science is clear, vaccines save lives.”

“In the face of Democratic opposition that bases their arguments on emotion and hysteria, it’s our job as the Republican Party to be the party of facts and reason. That means both recognizing that vaccines are beneficial and giving people the choice to not use them if they choose.”