Warren's Plan To Fight The Opioid Crisis

[Milchshake]

So far the most detailed plan to combat the Opioid Crisis from any major candidate or sitting president.

Direct federal funding to communities. Bypassing governors or state assemblies that are intransigent about spending public money on health or drug addiction.





In deep-red West Virginia, Warren touts plan to fight opioid crisis

Kermit, W.Va. — "Anyone here know someone who's been caught in the grips of addiction?"

Nearly every hand in a fire station in this tiny West Virginia town shot up in response to the question posed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Not many presidential candidates pass through Kermit, but Warren came to tout her $100 billion plan to combat the opioid crisis that has devastated communities across the country.

Kermit, with a population of about 400, is deep Trump country. Four out of five voters in rural Mingo County cast their ballots for President Trump in 2016. But the scourge of opioid addiction is as bad here as it is anywhere else — and residents feel forgotten.
The small town made national headlines several years ago when a single drug manufacturer was found to have delivered more than 9 million pills to a local pharmacy over the course of just two years.

On Friday, a dozen locals in full Trump garb stood watch in a nearby parking lot while about 150 people listened to one of the most progressive Democratic candidates in the race discuss her plan to devote billions of dollars to address the crisis. Those who attended were hopeful, but wary of being let down by lofty promises from an out-of-state politician.

"Is the money going to go to the bigger cities like Huntington and Charleston and places like that, or is it going to come here to us where we can make a difference?" asked Kermit Fire Chief Tommy Preece, who lost his brother to an opioid overdose.

That's what brought Warren to Kermit: to show she wants to fight addiction in the areas of the country where it has done the most damage. Warren's proposal calls for $2.7 billion each year to go directly to the cities and counties hit hardest by opioid deaths, places like Kermit, where the local government could then make a plan tailored specifically to its needs. Her plan would provide communities in West Virginia about $24.6 million a year to address opioid addiction.

"We got to go community by community to fix this," Warren said. "The deliberate design of this is to bypass the state government so you don't have another level of politics, and to try to keep it simple."

Other voters gave the Massachusetts Democrat their attention simply because she showed up.
Kevin Southers of nearby Logan County voted for Mr. Trump in 2016, but said he would go to an event any presidential candidate held in his area. "Nobody stops here," he said.

Like several of her other policy proposals, the Massachusetts senator's opioid plan relies on the success of her "ultra-millionaires tax." She has long painted the American economy as being controlled by the rich and giant corporations in Washington and Wall Street.

"I believe in an America that works not just for those at the top, but for everyone else, and that's why I'm here in Kermit," she said.

The stop kicked off Warren's first campaign trip to West Virginia and Ohio, states which Mr. Trump carried in 2016. They also have the highest two rates of fatal opioid overdoses in the country.

At events in the more Democratic-leaning Cincinnati and Columbus, however, she drew crowds of voters who generally wavered between supporting her and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. For those voters, Warren has tried to differentiate herself by presenting fully-detailed policy proposals.

[Azadina]

If she wants to win the presidential ticket to push that idea forward, then I couldn't imagine a worse plan to get voters in a country of 327 million, than going to random small towns of 400 trumpkins. What's the best case scenario even? Couple dozen votes?

[Combatbutler]

How about not handing out strong painkillers like fucking candy.

[Azadina]

Media exposure of her going to small towns? You don't go to the small town for the local voters, you go there so all the people in small towns can see you on the TV going to small towns.

The problem tends to be with what media exposure the small villages are exposed to. They tend to be exposed to fantastic sources like Fox News. Now Fox News...I wouldn't be surprised if their version of headline had something to do with how heroic Trump supporters stand for freedom against communist Warrens deep state propaganda. Or something much more out of the box.

[Eveningforest]

Warren can never win the Presidency since she has the charisma of a really ugly snail but dammit she should be the VP of whoever ends up running. She is the only one that actually has PLANS.

She isn't even an ugly snail; she is pleasant, on top of really knowing her stuff. And this is why we can't have her. We're a nation of morons which has neither the capacity nor the patience to listen to her policies. We don't deserve her.

[Elegiac]

She isn't even an ugly snail; she is pleasant, on top of really knowing her stuff. And this is why we can't have her. We're a nation of morons which has neither the capacity nor the patience to listen to her policies. We don't deserve her.

Yeah, there are precious few politicians cut from the same cloth as her these days.

Whichever Democrat might take the Presidency should definitely include her in the Cabinet.

[Adam Jensen]

Warren can never win the Presidency since she has the charisma of a really ugly snail but dammit she should be the VP of whoever ends up running. She is the only one that actually has PLANS.

Trump won and he has the charisma of a hemorrhoid.

[Stormspellz]

she's my leading candidate, between her record, and current policy proposals, she's definitely the best choice for the country, problem as a women she will turn off many independents in fear she is another Hillary and of course America has far to short of attention spirit to listen to actual policies

[Shadowferal]

She's one of the few candidates that seems to give a shit.
Definitely should make VP.

[Sunseeker]

I'd rather spend 100 billion to crush the big pharma and insurance industries.

But hey pick your battles.

[Doctor Amadeus]

After much research and being unsure for the last 24 months. I finally come to the conclusion this whole opioid epidemic is a fucking scam. Basically paranoia mixed with a lot of stupidity this is very much like the alternative medicine shit.

I do like Warren I really do, but shit like this gives me abuse on supporting her. Among other things.

[Doctor Amadeus]

Explain, please, how this real phenomenon is a scam.

No. And it’s not a real phenomena.

[DarkTZeratul]

No. And it’s not a real phenomena.

What's not a real phenomena, that an unprecedented number of people are addicted to opioids because of pharmaceutical companies pushing them without regard to their highly addictive nature?

[Adam Jensen]

No. And it’s not a real phenomena.

You're not fooling anyone Richard Sackler.

[Doctor Amadeus]

What's not a real phenomena, that an unprecedented number of people are addicted to opioids because of pharmaceutical companies pushing them without regard to their highly addictive nature?

Yep. It’s a bunch of nonsense that unfortunately like the anti vaccination bullshit is spreading. As I said mostly due to paranoia and stupidity. The same with GMO crap and the rest. There is no epidemic or at least not at the level that’s being pushed.

The real issue is that highly effective pain killers are being targeted and people that need much needed pain medication are being harmed especially the elderly and people who have been through condition who don’t abuse their medication are being put through hoops and consequently driving up the cost.

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You're not fooling anyone Richard Sackler.

Lol yeah as I said I was on the fence with this. Mostly due to my own stupidity and assuming because be companies like Purdue do shady things like pay Doctors to push medications pain killer or otherwise. But when I started looking a little deeper it’s not that simple.

There are some seriously fucked up practices used by big pharmaceutical companies, but this opioid crisis bullshit isn’t specifically one of them.

All pharmaceutical companies push drugs, this isn’t new and some with a lot worse problems than possible addiction. However the opioid addiction is just but one part of it.

Talking about heart medications, antibiotics even diabetes drugs.

Now overall it’s easy to say there is problem across the board, however the problem is there isn’t.

The reason opioids are being noticed more people is because it’s getting more attention do to nature of the drug.

So as I said I was on the fence. Is this a problem? By in large no, not unless you’re position is that doctors due to influence prescribe more medications at the risk of their patients.

If that’s the case then by the data itself that’s the issue not just opioids.

Also if that’s the case what’s the solution. The truth is many of those in the camp of Doctors over treating and over prescribing are the same brains lobbying against vaccination and advocate for bullshit like Alternative Medicine.

Which in and of itself is what it is.

But my stance on this took a while and so far it comes down to big evil pharmaceutical companies or fucking alternative medicine quacks.

Again it’s bullshit and a political device.

The data itself isn’t as compelling if you ignore the politics.

Yes opioid addiction is the thing but when you look into why. It’s not as simple as blaming big evil pharmaceutical companies.

Which are and can be evil. But this time this devil this time isn’t guilty.

[Gestopft]

After much research and being unsure for the last 24 months. I finally come to the conclusion this whole opioid epidemic is a fucking scam. Basically paranoia mixed with a lot of stupidity this is very much like the alternative medicine shit.

Yeah, totally fake news...

[Flarelaine]

Warren can never win the Presidency since she has the charisma of a really ugly snail but dammit she should be the VP of whoever ends up running. She is the only one that actually has PLANS.

She may not win but she is pushing the window left like Bernie did. Therefore what she is doing certainly has a point. If her policies are popular, they'll be a plank or two in the Democratic platform.

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She's one of the few candidates that seems to give a shit.
Definitely should make VP.

Definitely not. VP is the most toothless position anyone could have come up with. She has much more fight in her than the rest of the senior Dem lineup. She should be in a position where she can effect change.

[gobio]

Doesn't matter if you side with Warren. She is only going to make a fool out of herself against Trump.

You may say she is too nice, or too educated, or too classy, or whatever to handle trump, but she simply can't.

Even when she is fully prepared to counter Trump's troll moves via videos she made it looks super cringe as hack, if you really support Warren why would you want to see her responding to Trump live on TV.

Seriously, only Trump supporter, the one that enjoy seeing him humiliate women would want Warren to run.

[Deja Thoris]

herpa derpa derp

Thats the dumbest stream of consciousness drivel I've read in a while, and being on this website means I'm exposed to a lot of dumb shit.

"After 2 years of research" lol

[Doctor Amadeus]

Beyond the pale dude, beyond the pale. You're so reactionary that it makes me sick. If a person you dislike comes up with something good, you'll just attack them regardless and dismiss their good point based on who they are.

I really wonder what made you act like this, imagine saying that opiate addiction and its complications are not real.

The context of what I said is clear it’s really that simple. Right now in my opinion like many issues this is taking place with a lot of theatre. And yes information is very important based on where it comes from.

This issue has too many people just reacting.

Again is over prescribing a thing? Yes or No

If it’s yes then opioids aren’t the only drugs.

If it’s no then the problem is a drug problem we have always had.

The issue of not enough oversight is a separate argument.

Which really lands in the wheel house of what I said. Modern medicine vs Quackery.