A few nice class action lawsuit list images I found:
For McKesson Corporation, the Mission is Price Manipulation (g1a2d0053c1)
Image by watchingfrogsboil
FOR MCKESSON CORPORATION, THE MISSION IS PRICE MANIPULATION
Global Revolution 1: American Revolution 2: Day 53: Communication 1
IronBoltBruce’s Kleptocracy Chronicles for 8 Nov 2011 (g1a2d0053c1)
How many examples of greed and corruption must you see before you act?
With 2010 revenues of 8.7 billion and earnings of .2 billion, McKesson
Corporation ranks #15 on the Fortune 500. It is the nation’s largest
healthcare provider, with pharmaceuticals distribution being the backbone of
the company: One-third of all medicines used in the U.S. run through the
McKesson pipeline. The company is also the dominant player in healthcare
information systems, as more than 70% of our major hospitals use its
technology to digitize prescriptions and patient medical records.
McKesson is also one of the U.S. government’s largest contractors with
billions in federal contracts awarded annually, over .6 billion in 2010
alone. It also ranks high in the POGO (Project On Government Oversight)
Federal Contractor Misconduct Database (FCMD), with 14 documented instances
of misconduct totalling more than .3 billion.
tinyurl.com/7xl7yws
Aside from a history of securities fraud beginning with the infamous
McKesson-Robbins scandal of 1938 to their more recent McKessonHBOC debacle,
the focus of McKesson’s white-collar criminal activity is the manipulation
of prices paid for pharmaceuticals. As they compete with the CIA for the
"America’s Drug Dealer" moniker, obviously the more they charge for each
prescription that moves through their pipeline the more money they make.
Here’s a judge’s description of how one of their recent schemes worked:
"Beginning in 2001, FDB and McKesson reached a secret agreement to raise the
markup between WAC (wholesale average cost)and AWP (average wholesale price)
from its standard 20% to 25% for over four hundred drugs. … McKesson
communicated these new 25% WAC to AWP markups to FDB, which then published
AWPs with the new markup… McKesson has estimated that by 2002, 95% of all
prescription drug manufacturers used the inflated 25% markup, and by 2004,
99% of all prescription drug manufacturers did so. … The scheme ended on
March 15, 2005, when FDB told its customers that it would ‘no longer survey
drug wholesalers for information relating to’ AWP. The scheme resulted in
higher profits for retail pharmacies that purchase drugs on the basis of WAC
but are reimbursed on the basis of AWP, a differential called ‘the spread’.
… McKesson implemented the scheme in order to provide a greater ‘spread’
to important retail pharmacy clients like Rite Aid as well as to its own
pharmacy related businesses."
Nobody went to jail over this, but thanks to a class-action lawsuit McKesson
was forced to pay a 0 million penalty:
"The prices of about 1,400 branded drugs are about to get a little cheaper
because of a 2.7 million class action settlement with wholesale drug
distributor McKesson… In addition to the payment, the prices of 1,442
medicines will be lowered by 4 percent, according to a federal court
ruling… The court-approved deal wraps up a lengthy case in which McKesson
and First Databank were accused of engaging in a ‘racketeering enterprise to
fraudulently increase the published ‘average wholesale price’ (‘AWP’) of
over four hundred branded drugs by five percent from late 2001 to 2005,’
Judge Patti Saris wrote. MediSpan published the same false prices…
Affected drugs include Lipitor, Claritin, Prozac, Nexium, Plavix, Allegra,
Wellbutrin, Ambien, Prilosec, Zantac, Valtrex, Zyprexa, Celebrex, Imitrex,
Risperdal, Seroquel, and Neurontin."
tinyurl.com/7feoxy3
In April 2011 the U.S. Supreme Court decision in the "AT&T Mobility v.
Concepcion" case made it easy for corporations to shield themselves from
class action lawsuits like this going forward. But even if that shield is
taken away, McKesson has an ample 2 million litigation reserve set aside
so they can continue to focus on profits regardless of propriety:
tinyurl.com/7evs5bx
Related Image:
www.dc37.net/news/pep/12_2008/images/25drugCartoon.jpg
Related Videos:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XsJfn2Kd_0
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDQVxT81mpQ
This document contains links shortened using tinyurl.com to
facilitate emailing. If you are concerned that we would use them to cloak
phishing or malware, you should open them with this: longurl.org
###
SHOW ME WHAT KLEPTOCRACY LOOKS LIKE! THIS IS WHAT KLEPTOCRACY LOOKS LIKE!
Kleptocracy [klep-TOK-ruh-see]: A government or state in which those in
power exploit national resources and steal; rule by a thief or thieves. See
also the United States of America where, as Goethe said, "None are more
hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." Want
documented examples of the corporate greed that corrupts our government and
fuels the Revolution? Find dozens here, with more to come:
kleptocracychronicles.com
###
IT IS NO COINCIDENCE THAT OF THE LAST 14 U.S. PRESIDENTS, 7 HAVE BEEN
DEMOCRATS AND 7 HAVE BEEN REPUBLICANS.
Our Kleptocracy-controlled media focuses on America’s two-year election
cycles as if who wins or loses in the swinging of the pendulum was a matter
of life or death, when in fact even at the Presidential level it makes no
more difference than the outcomes of Monday Night Football, American Idol,
Dancing With The Stars, Hillbilly Handfishing or the trial of Michael
Jackson’s doctor. U.S. elections are staged primarily to give Sheeple the
illusion of control so they will (a) vent their frustrations and expend
their energy, emotions and resources supporting or attacking the Puppet on
the Left hand or the Puppet on the Right, and consequently (b) never
recognize and challenge the common omnipotent Puppetmaster.
There was no real change in 2008. There was no real change in 2010. There
WILL be real change in 2012, but it won’t be coming from tele-brainwashed
couch potatoes, manipulated voter lists, rigged voting machines or
predetermined ballot counts. It will be coming from us…
The 99 Percent
corporategreedchronicles.com
###
I AM NOT ANONYMOUS. I AM AN AMERICAN.
I am not just a Consumer. I am a Citizen.
I will no longer be labeled Left or Right, Liberal or Conservative,
Demopublican or Republocrat.
I will no longer follow Puppets labeled Left or Right, Liberal or
Conservative, Demopublican or Republocrat.
I am the People. And I am coming for the Puppetmasters.
I am part of the 99 Percent. And I demand the following:
1. End the Fed.
2. Reverse Citizens United.
3. Repeal PATRIOT Act.
4. Expose 9/11 Truth.
5. End Profit Wars.
6. Refund Taxpayer Trillions.
7. Imprison the Kleptocrats.
8. Single Term Limits.
Or, if these demands are not addressed promptly:
1. Regime Change.
ironboltbruce.com
###
LABELS (A POEM OF PROTEST)
"Democrat", "Republican",
The parties of the system;
Puppets both, for sale their votes,
No character or wisdom.
"Liberal", "Conservative",
For change or status quo?
Pick either one, the change is none,
All charlatans and whores.
Far "Left" we place the Anarchists,
Libertarians claim far "Right";
Yet both decry the government:
False continuum brought to light.
For oil, "We" bomb their mud huts,
Strip them bare, then offer "Aid";
And fake their retribution as
Pretext – a false flag raised.
Unarmed hundred thousands killed
By weapons of "Defense",
While rights are lost for "Freedom" sake -
On profit, all depends.
With stroke of pen, the "Patriot" Act,
And patriots’ gifts are taken;
Then "Citizens United" leaves
Our citizens forsaken.
We protest loss of liberties,
Put "World Wide Web" to use;
Cloudmark Authority censors us
For "messaging abuse".
They label us to finger-point,
With labels, "They" deride us;
Their labels keep us all at bay,
For with labels, "They" divide us.
ldrlongdistancerider.com
###
JOIN THE GLOBAL REVOLUTION!
Occupy Wall Street/OWS:
occupywallst.org/
Occupy DC/Stop the Machine:
october2011.org/
Occupy Together:
occupytogether.org/
Watch these Videos:
tinyurl.com/kleptocracytutorial
Take this Pledge:
wp.me/p19dS3-9o
How many examples of greed and corruption must you see before you act?
corporatecriminalsexposed.com
###
PLEASE HELP US STAY IN THIS FIGHT…
Freedom isn’t Free! The revolution needs resources, folks: Your donations
will be used to pay our living and operating expenses so we can continue to
devote our full time and attention to informing the People and exposing the
Kleptocracy pulling all strings Left and Right. Any amount you can spare
will make a difference, so please click or go here today:
www.wepay.com/donate/ironboltbruce
Rise Up! The System Is Broken!
Image by watchingfrogsboil
AN OPEN LETTER TO SENATOR PATTY MURRAY, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND THE SUPER
COMMITTEE
Submitted by Barbara & J. Glenn Evans ( www.poetswest.com )
Endorsed & Forwarded by Bruce Arnold ( ironboltbruce.com )
10 September 2011
Why the Budget Deficit?
The wrong steps taken by the Bush and Obama administrations and enabled by
Congress following 9/11 by as yet unproven individuals has compromised
America’s economy and actually weakened its security. The minions in
government displayed incredible incompetence and downright dishonesty in the
government’s response. Bush, Obama and Congress also took this nation into
war on credit while giving tax cuts to the wealthy and to corporations. The
costs of these endless wars and the continued tax cuts are the direct cause
of today’s budget deficit. To add to the venality, Wall Street and the
Federal Reserve committed fraud in the housing bubble that led to a consumer
boom and bust.
Economist Joseph Stiglich estimated the cost of the government’s colossal
and blundered wars at -5 trillion and the costs are still mounting. These
costs include that of returning troops who will require disability payments,
estimated at 0-900 billion. This does not take into account the
incalculable social costs, reflected in veteran suicides, family break-ups,
etc.
Working Americans, the poor and senior citizens have not contributed one
dime to the budget deficit. Social Security is a trust fund paid into by
working Americans and that fund is on course to be solvent for at least two
decades. Congress "borrows" from the trust fund, then relabels it as an
"entitlement", a pejorative label, and dumps the repayment obligation into
the general fund. Social Security is a trust fund, not an entitlement!!
Obama now wants Congress to renew the 2% payroll tax cut approved in
December, which predictably will jeopardize future Social Security
recipients. This just plays into the hands of those in Congress who want to
privatize Social Security and let Wall Street get its hands on the trust
fund.
The makeup of the so-called Super Committee sends a mixed message and gives
the impression that vested interests will prevail. As noted in accompanying
materials, its members are recipients of huge bribes from Wall Street and
other special interests. Two Democrats serve on the Senate Finance
Committee. Senator Murray is from a state with huge military interests.
Congress, the Extreme Court and both houses of Congress are totally corrupt.
The construction of a so-called Super Committee demonstrates yet again the
total disconnect between Congress and the American people. Congress has
abdicated its responsibility by delegating the final decision-making on the
budget to a "gang of twelve." We remember back in the sixties, Mario Savio
said, "There’s a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious –
makes you so sick at heart — that you can’t take part. You can’t even
passively take part. And you’ve got to put your bodies upon the gears and
upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you’ve got to
make it stop. And you’ve got to indicate to the people who run it, to the
people who own it, that unless you’re free, the machine will be prevented
from working at all."
You cannot point to an austerity program that improved the economic health
of a nation. This fight is a no-brainer and it is a fight that must not be
compromised by Obama or by the so-called Super Committee. All the gimmickry
and political theater must be discarded and discussion must focus on
economic and social justice. Otherwise, you will be responsible for
incalculable and unforeseen consequences. Are you willing to take this risk?
FAILURES OF CONGRESS TO REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
Virtually every problem facing this nation can be laid at the feet of
Congress, as outlined below:
Ongoing wars of aggression and military occupation of other countries and
maintaining more than 700 military bases around the globe. Unlimited
spending on predatory foreign wars while our infrastructure crumbles and our
people go hungry and unsheltered. The military budget of the US exceeds
that of all other nations combined. Why does the US continue to occupy
Okinawa? The Japanese people do not want US military stationed there.
Repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act that allowed the fraudulent speculation
extravaganza that caused the financial meltdown. Bailouts of the Wall
Street casinos with little or no regulatory oversight. Failure to hold
banksters accountable for their criminal actions.and then taking no
corrective action to prevent the reoccurrence of fraudulent activity by Wall
Street banksters.
Maintaining unfair tax programs that allow loopholes and excessive tax
breaks for the rich and the corporations to the neglect of the working and
middle class that allows an undue proportion of the nation’s wealth to
accumulate in the hands of a few to the neglect of the many. The resources
of the earth are here for all life, not for just a select few. Why should
certain people be able to accumulate enough wealth for a 1,000 lifetimes
while 1,000 people go hungry?
Allowing corporate welfare and corporate interests to prevail at the expense
of the general welfare of the citizens of this nation.
Failure to provide a responsible health care system for the American people.
Seventy percent of the American people and sixty percent of the doctors in
this nation want Single Payer health system, one that would cost less per
capita and provide improved health care outcomes. Congress repeatedly
ignores public opinion and denigrates the participation of citizens in the
political process. What Congress did pass was a free ride for the insurance
industry. Congress even passed legislation banning negotiations on drug
pricing.
Defunding of regulatory agencies and departments, including EPA, FDA, Food
Safety and Inspection, Education, etc.
Ongoing funding of the so-called war on drugs: Legalization and regulation
would eliminate or reduce the criminal elements, including the exportation
of arms into Mexico, reduce the costs to taxpayers of the myriad federal
agencies involved, reduce the cost and number of people being incarcerated,
and add to the tax base by collection of tax revenues.
Eliminating the usury laws that allow predatory lending on the unwary and
helpless.
Allowing the exponential rise in secret national security agencies to commit
all kinds of crimes against humanity, including assassination of leaders in
other countries under the guise of fighting terrorism. We can expect a
flurry of lawsuits being filed by citizens of other nations who have been
subject to rendition, torture, unlawful imprisonment, and military courts,
all abetted by both administrations and Congress.
Passage of laws without reading them, including the Patriot Act, and failure
to take action to rescind the most offensive provisions. Failure of
oversight of Homeland Security and myriad other federal agencies that abuse
the Constitutional rights of American citizens.
Lack of Congressional reforms to set term limits, limit campaign funding and
time spent on reelection campaigning. We elect representatives to represent
citizens of this nation, not spend their paid time campaigning and seeking
campaign funds for the next election months, even years ahead of time.
Members of both houses of Congress act to favor their careers, rather than
as representatives of their constituents.
Lack of follow-through from Congressional committee hearings that leads to a
feeling of no confidence by American citizens in the government. Committee
hearings have been compared to dog and pony shows.
Failure of Congress to impeach members of the Extreme Court in its Citizens
United decision, a decision that undermines the will and participation of
the American people in decision-making affecting their own welfare.
Allowing and encouraging the privatization of our public schools, prisons,
and other vital systems that belong in the public sector.
Contracting private security firms to do the jobs that government agencies
and the military should be doing at much lower costs to the taxpayers.
Continuing to fund the rogue state of Israel that has been committing crimes
against humanity in Palestine and killing American citizens, including the
crew on the USS Liberty, Rachael Corrie and Furkan Dogan, with no
compensation and no apologies. The US government takes no responsibility
for the safety of its own citizens.
Failure to provide a thorough investigation of 9/11 and bringing to justice
those actually responsible.
Failure to conduct hearings into the war crimes of the Bush Administration.
Media consolidation: The Telecommunications Act of 1996 was supposed to
increase competition but its failures are demonstrated in the weakness of
the Fairness doctrine and other abuses. Media consolidation has resulted in
a general dumbing down of the general public.
The blatant hypocrisy of the US government in its rhetoric and its actual
policies on its relationships with dictators throughout the world and
specifically that of Saddam Hussein and Colonel Muammar Qaddaffi, and
others, too numerous to name here.
The abdication of Congress in transferring the responsibility for printing
the currency of this nation from the US Treasury to the Federal Reserve and
then paying interest on its loans.
Remember that the US Constitution places the sovereignty of this nation with
the people, not with Congress, its legions of lobbyists, the corporations,
the Extreme Court, or the White House.
Congress, as an institution, is a failure. The system is broken.
###
Copyright (c) 2011 J. Glenn Evans and Barbara Evans
(Feel free to copy and distribute as broadly as possible)
J. Glenn Evans, Managing Director
ACTIVISTS FOR A BETTER WORLD
1100 University St., #17A
Seattle WA 98101
206.682.1268
JGE@poetswest.com
www.poetswest.com
J. Glenn Evans: Founder of Activists for a Better World, PoetsWest and
hosts PoetsWest at KSER 90.7FM, a weekly radio show, and is author of four
books of poetry: Deadly Mistress, Window in the Sky, Seattle Poems and
Buffalo Tracks, author of two novels, Broker Jim and Zeke’s Revenge, several
political essays including a chapbook called Uncommon Common Sense. Evans
is a former stockbroker-investment banker, part Cherokee and native of
Oklahoma and has lived in Seattle since 1960. Worked in a lumber mill,
operated a mining company and co-produced a movie, Christmas Mountain, with
Mark Miller, staring Slim Pickens. Evans, an award-winning poet and in
addition to poetry books is author several local community histories
including a history of Seattle’s Pike Place Market and has been published
many literary Journals. Listed in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the
World.
