Fascism and Crony Capitalism: Feds Attempt to Oust Howard Solomon of Forest Labs

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l7SDpOWvvrQ/TbcCTE4zJyI/AAAAAAAAE9g/cRX6ircW1b0/s1600/not_facism_democrat.jpg
It was called fascism when Bush did it

by the Left Coast Rebel

Bear with me, this issue may seem convoluted, but it is anything but. As reported by Alicia Mundy in the Wall Street Journal, yesterday:

A government attempt to oust a longtime drug-company chief executive over his company's marketing violations is raising alarms in that industry and beyond about a potential expansion of federal involvement in the business world.

The Department of Health and Human Services this month notified Howard Solomon of Forest Laboratories Inc. that it intends to exclude him from doing business with the federal government. This, in turn, could prevent Forest from selling its drugs to Medicare, Medicaid and the Veterans Administration. If the government implements its ban, Forest would have to dump Mr. Solomon, now 83 years old, in order to protect its corporate revenue. No drug company, large or small, can afford to lose out on sales to the federal government, a major customer.

(SNIP)

A federal court made the deal final in March. Forest Labs representatives said they were shocked when the intent-to-ban notice was received a few weeks later, because Mr. Solomon wasn't accused by the government of misconduct.

Forest is sticking by its chief. "No one has ever alleged that Mr. Solomon did anything wrong, and excluding him [from the industry] is unjustified," said general counsel Herschel Weinstein. "It would also set an extremely troubling precedent that would create uncertainty throughout the industry and discourage regulatory settlements."

There are so many moving parts to this story but I think that, for the most part it comes down to one simple phrase: crony capitalism (and a government so big and intrusive that it now believes it can pick and choose "proper" corporate management).

And as we all know, crony capitalism is the incestuous stepson of a lovely form of government: fascism.

The definition of fascism from Dictionary.com:

fas·cism

[fash-iz-uhm]

(
sometimes initial capital letter )
a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce,and an aggressive nationalism and often racism.

Well, we're not at the nationalism part, yet, given that the crony-capitalist-in-chief hates this nation so much, so we'll have to fudge the definition, just a little. The palpable hatred of business by our rulers betters, though, is a form of irrational hatred, similar to racism as well as a flaming form of collectivism.

Sadly, we live in a nation where a certain (and growing) number of the population would not mind if the hated "rich" captains of industry were thrown into a Siberia-esque prison and left to rot.

I want my country, my Constitution and my liberties back.

Via Memeorandum.

Related must watch: Congressman Ron Paul questions Ben Bernanke on the Free Market vs. Crony Capitalism (look closely when Bernanke answers with a non-answer and you will see that Code Pinko -- what's her name? -- in the crowd as well):


Updated: I wanted my tea-partying, cyclist-libertarian-vegan-populist-capitalist-pig-financial-guru buddy, WC Varone's take on the story. In the inbox:

I think this is the inevitable result of allowing the government to be such a huge buyer in the economy.

When the government is the only customer, what choice do companies have but to obey?

Same thing with Boeing and the NLRB. If they fight, Obama will punish them on procurement.

Yup.

Comments

  1. Well.

    I am offended.

    President Obama is not a fascist.

    He's a Socialist.

    And since I'm offended I will take my crayons and go home. (pout, pout, pout) You hate President Obama only because he's an African-American. (throwing down race card, a sure-fire tactic to deflect from the real issue)

    You mean-spirited meanie, you.

    Donald in Bethel, CT

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tim -We have not been a "capitalist" nation for quite some time. Ayn Rand, Leonard Peikoff, and others recognized this nation was slipping towards fascism (rather than democratic socialism)some time ago.

    Sadly I would have to say their views are now being borne out. And it will be the the left "Liberal Fascism)who will ultimately be responsible for the loss of liberties in what once the land of the free.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You have me figured out, Donald -- and I didn't even know it. I'm packing my crayons and going home...

    Les - I noted at LCR that Peikoff wrote a book on this subject years back, "The Ominous Parallels"

    I haven't read it but I am sure it's an eye-opener.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Outstanding book, well worth the read.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Well, all this talk of "fascism" is really sleazy and stupid. Let's get real. There's a huge difference between these corporate/government essentially intramural battles, and families dragged out in the night and slaughtered. Really, the part of the brain that registers appropiateness must be damgaged for one to make such an analogy.

    And as much as you guys may think otherwise, corporations are not human beings. Human beings operate corporations. Therefore those human beings must be held accountable for their corporations.

    Forest, under Solomons auspices the entire way, just settled a US FRAUD case last year for $313 million dollars.

    God. You conservatives just love crooks and wholly support giving them US taxpayer dollars, huh?

    JMJ

    ReplyDelete
  6. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  7. As usual, Jersey is displaying his ignorance of fundamental political concepts by equating "fascism" with "families dragged out in the night and slaughtered." Fascism (and every other type of statism/totalitarianism) inevitably leads to such things, but such things are not in and of themselves fascism. As is well known by grownups, fascism consists fundamentally of nominal private ownership with governmental control of industry. (Of course, governmental control of industry by definition means that it isn't really privately owned, so fascism is ultimately the same thing as socialism/communism or any other totalitarian system.)

    If we use the term accurately, Barack Obama and his ilk fit the definition of fascist very, very, very well.

    Fascism, socialism, communism, American liberalism: Totalitarianism by any other name still stinks reeks of fecal matter.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Christ guys! Do you really think it's a good idea to do taxpayer business with crooks?

    What the #@$# planet am I living on???

    JMJ

    ReplyDelete
  9. >What the #@$# planet am I living on???f

    That's the question we've all been asking about you.

    ReplyDelete
  10. JMJ - I, perhaps more than most, tolerate a great deal because I dish out a great deal. And as they say... All is far in love and war.

    I now leave you with this thought... Since you wonder what {the #@$#} planet you are on, you can of course feel free to not return. It is after all your free choice.

    Should you choose to return consider limiting yourself to cogent points.

    Oh, and another thing, mild cursing such as h*ll, or da*m, etc. is tolerated. Others are not.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Bastiatarian - Great to see you!

    Not only does JMJ demonstate is ignorance of cocepts such as facism it is obvious he has never read The Ominous Parallels.

    But then again why would he? As a statist mined progressive he would likely fail to see the point of the book anyway.

    ReplyDelete

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