Another Broken Reed : Sen. Cory Booker

In a vote this week against a budget resolution amendment jointly proposed by Senators Bernie Sanders and Amy Klobuchar to allow both pharmacies and people with prescriptions to order their pharmaceuticals from Canada and other countries, where they sell for significantly cheaper prices than in the United States, the following Democratic Senators voted against it: Michael Bennet of Colorado, Bob Menendez and Cory Booker of New Jersey, Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray of Washington, Tom Carper and Chris Coons of Delaware, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Jon Tester of Montana and Mark Warner of Virginia.

Some of those Senators said they voted for other measures to drive down drug costs and they cited safety concerns as the reason for their opposition to the Klobuchar-Sanders measure. A very iffy excuse in my opinion, and it's one said to have been used regularly in the past by those whose political coffers are topped up by pharmaceutical industry $$$$$$$. It's a wee bit heartening that 12 Republican senators did vote "yes"; the measure would have easily passed had Democrats remained loyal, and walked the walk.

What most disappointed me was seeing Cory Booker's name among the "no" votes. Way back in 2008 when his name first came to my notice, (see my blogpost Drive-by Astrology - Cory Booker) I had high hopes about him. I thought Booker to be a definite "one to watch", one with true leadership skills. A pair of later posts about Senator Booker are here,
from that one:

I hope that life in the Senate will not change Booker, that he will not be infected by what appears to be a spreading disease of uselessness among congressional Democrats, or be co-opted by monied interests. I can hope, but do not feel optimistic. We shall see.

We saw!
A third post on him is here.

Booker's support for Hillary Clinton rather than for Bernie Sanders was disappointment number one. From what I'd gleaned, Booker's original style would have been the perfect partner to Sanders'. What a pair they could have been! I fear that the old Cory Booker of 2008 vintage has been well and truly "got at". He chose the establishment route, with accompanying corporate donations, including, it seems from the pharma people. Another broken reed. I'd have expected better - much, much better!