Something to Know - 27 March

1.  Here's the deal:  Big Pharma drug makers pay off those companies who intend to make generic substitutes for sale to the public, so that they don't make and sell them.  Does this sound like free-market Capitalism?  It sounds like the corruption that goes inside Capitalism where the playing field is skewed so that consumers get screwed every time.   This is why government regulation and oversight is needed to police the guys who tilt the playing field in their favor:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/supreme-court-justices-skeptical-of-drugmakers-deals-to-delay-generics/2013/03/25/f5984252-9595-11e2-b6f0-a5150a247b6a_story.html?wpisrc=nl_politics

2.  David Brooks steps into the morass of the gun violence conversation.  In doing so, he misses the mark totally.   He should be asking questions such as - does it make any sense to register the sale of weapons?  - does it make any sense to ascertain that the person buying a weapon is legally prohibited from buying one? - does it make any sense to make assault weapons available to the general public?   Oh no, instead, he goes on a rhetorical hunt that avoids the issue:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/26/opinion/brooks-the-killing-chain.html?pagewanted=print

3.  Rand Paul has blossomed on the stage lately for the GOP.   It's like the mascot-of-the-month for that group.  Jindal, Rubio, Cristie, etc.  We get a new one until the next guy (no women allowed) says something that strikes an odd sound that garners much attention.  So, Paul unfurls a sail that gives him instant gravitas with the press and mascot-starved Republicans.   Only problem is that underneath that sail, there is a boat load of stupid stuff:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/26/opinion/bruni-rand-pauls-loopy-ascent.html?emc=eta1&pagewanted=print

4.  Maureen Dowd takes you into the world of the US Supreme Court and the give and take of the discussion between the Justices and the lawyers:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/27/opinion/dowd-courting-cowardice.html?ref=opinion&pagewanted=print

--

Juan

"If it weren't for Philo T. Farnsworth, inventor of television, we'd still be eating frozen radio dinners."
       -- Johnny Carson