Bipartisan Support for Drug Reimportation

The Republican agenda is collapsing on all fronts.

Most recently, it began with GOP abandonment of ANWR oil exploration. Then, congressional Republicans backed away from a series of draconian budget cuts. Some majority lawmakers have even suggested the need for a windfall profits tax on the oil industry.

Now, GOP recalcitrance on drug reimportation is dissolving. Kentucky Republican Anne Northup is joining Michigan Democrat Debbie Stabenow in slapping down opposition to one of the pharmaceutical lobby's biggest demons. In this, they are issuing a direct challenge to the Bush Administration.

Recent agreements effectively prevented drug importation by requiring the consent of drug patent owners.

The trade representative's office opposed the provision, arguing that blocking its ability to make such agreements would impinge on pharmaceutical manufacturers' intellectual property rights.

Sponsored by Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and Rep. Anne Northup, R-Ky., the provision would only last for one year. That leaves the big fight - congressional approval of drug importation itself - looming in the future.

But an ideologically diverse group of lawmakers said that this was an important first step.

"The pharmaceutical companies know we're going to win on reimportation. (The current rule) is to always have a back door open when Congress voted," said Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill. The new provision, he said, "shut that back door."

"It sends an unmistakable message to the trade rep that he can no longer do this and that Congress is watching," Northup said.

You would think that for all their tough talk, Republicans would be able to stand a bit more firmly against the collapse of public support for their agenda. After all, are these not matters of GOP principle? Integrity is the ability to adhere to your principles even when they become inconvenient. Congressional Republicans should be holding to their vaunted ideals even if it means losing their seats come election time.

Instead, what we see is the party moving left as its polling numbers move south. It is amazing how quick they are to compromise. Could it have anything to do with the fact that recent polls show Americans would like to replace their Republican representatives with Democrats? Could the off-year election results really have scared them that much? These are dark days, indeed.

The Republican Party is without leadership. Bush is overwhelmed with scandal and bad numbers. Even the most hardcore conservatives are stepping away from Bush, lest they be tainted with his stink. The majority leaders of the House and Senate are under investigation, indictment or both. There is no one besides their media mouthpieces, who have little in comparison to lose, who are willing to hold fast.

For now, it is so-called moderate Republicans who are trying to blur the lines between themselves and the Democrats. But, fear is a powerful motivator. Very soon, there will cease to be any meaningful difference between GOP moderates and the majority of their brethren.

So, let's open up a discussion. What will be the next plank of the GOP agenda to crack or crumble as Republicans start to worry about their viability in '06, '08 and beyond?