Bush ignores foreign-drug pledge

To the editor:

"If they're safe, they're coming." These were the words of candidate George W. Bush during a televised pre-election debate. He was referring to cheap drugs from Canada. If his drug task force reported that drugs via Canada were safe, he would allow them in the country and cut medical costs for Americans, an especially critical issue for fixed-income seniors.

But now that the task force has concluded that the drugs are safe, the Bush administration is balking. Rather than allow drugs into the country unimpeded so our seniors can obtain the health care they deserve, Bush states that he will veto any legislation that does not protect the profits of U.S. drug companies. Of course, while these drug companies are the problem, they were also huge contributors to Bush and Republican election campaigns. So now their payoff comes in the form of protectionism. Since the task force report was largely written by U.S. drug companies, little wonder that its demand for protectionism serves those same companies.

When free trade will boost the profits of American companies and the incomes of corporate executives, Bush and his Republican allies are all for it. But when free access to foreign products serves the health needs of Americans, they are totally against it. My family values say our seniors should be able to afford the drugs that they need. For Bush and congressional Republicans, corporate profits are far more important.

JENNIFER ST.CLAIR, Cape Girardeau