On October 2, Lake Crystal New Republican shot back at the Mankato Free Press for daring to criticize his much (and deservedly) maligned video we posted about in Rebukes greet New House Republican Jeremy Munson's "$24.88 Life Saving Insulin" video. At the Star Tribune, Jessie Van Berkle dove into the debate in Minnesota GOP legislator touts $25 insulin at Walmart; diabetics say it has drawbacks;GOP lawmaker's video criticized as irresponsible.
In a letter to the Mankato Free Press, In Response: Discussion, not socialism, will solve insulin problem, Munson claimed the Van Berkle article supports his take. An interesting reading--and perhaps why the guy takes criticism as an attempt to silence him cherry picks and paraphrases the Van Berkle piece rather than quotes it.
Munson also notes:
The larger story here is how lobbyists and special interest groups from across the country are using St. Paul, the nation’s sole divided Legislature, as a proving ground for national socialized health-care legislation. They are using Minnesota’s emergency insulin legislation as their vehicle bill and applying enormous pressure to stop any discussion not forwarding their agenda.
An endocrinologist with 35 years’ experience exclusively treating diabetics, and who has testified in front of Congress regarding treatment, submitted testimony to the Minnesota House Health & Human Services Committee, stressing the effectiveness of the Walmart insulins developed in the 1980s.
However, his testimony was not even allowed to be referenced in committee without Democrat-socialists personally attacking him and refusing further discussion.
What's missing there? First, Munson restrains himself from calling his critics "national socialists," a usage we noted in Nazi namecalling: two Southern MN Republicans lose their wits about Warren, insulin critics.
Second, he doesn't name his expert, which is an odd tactic when someone wishes to make an expert's work known,
Fortunately, Twin Cities mother, professional and insulin advocate Lija Greenseid stepped in on Twitter to clarify the situation:
Here's the written testimony from Dr. Dolinar available at last week's MN House hearing. pic.twitter.com/eDcxEYyIy6
— Lija Greenseid, PhD (@Lija27) October 4, 2019
Greenseid then tweets Munson's oped piece, followed by more information:
Here's a link to Open Payments to see all of pharma's contributions to Dr. Dolinar and a screenshot for ease of viewing. https://t.co/iGoocsC3xf pic.twitter.com/r1VSoBj9RE
— Lija Greenseid, PhD (@Lija27) October 4, 2019
Is this the Democratic socialist hearing that gave Munson a sad?
What's more, the video of the committee hearing is available on the MNHouse Information Services Youtube channel. Munson speaks three times about the Alec Smith bill, mentioning the written testimony twice. His first remarks, beginning at the 38:58, address his concern that the bill will encourage insulin manufacturers to price gouge if the state is paying for emergency insulin.
At the 1:04:05 mark, Munson begins talking about the written testimony, noting that the doctor reached out to him about the bill. After Munson suggests that most type II diabetics don't need insulin, Chair Tina Liebling, DFL-Rochester, turns the discussion over to Kelly Morrison, DFL-Deephaven, as a doctor, then to Laurie Halverson, DFL-Eagan, who just after the 1:08 mark mentions Dolinar's affiliation with a conservative think tank (the material that Greenseid dug up and tweeted). Readers can decide for themselves if these moments are personal attacks on Representative Munson and/or Dolinar (the embedded video will scroll forward to the beginning of Munson's remarks):
Just after Halverson's remarks, Chair Liebling notes that four more representatives (two Democrats and two Republicans) are signed up to talk, then the committee will move on to more business. They speak to their concerns, then Munson again addresses the written testimony. The Chair notes that they need to move on, and that the written testimony is in the committee packet. Here's that moment (the embedded video will scroll forward to the exchange between Liebling and Munson):
Perhaps Munson is being a bit sensitive if he considers these "personal attacks." Readers should consider watching the entire hearing to see if Munson's characterization of the goings-on as a massive socialist plot is accurate.
Perhaps he meant a different committee hearing. Perhaps he could tell the readers of the Mankato Free Press which specific hearing he meant, since the House keeps recordings of such events on hand.
We also recommend readers check out Greenseid's appearance in MinnPost's How helping diabetics stay alive became a partisan fight in Minnesota. Peter Callaghan reports:
. . . But [state representative Mike Howard, DFL-Richfield] said the politics are driven by the way the issue affects diabetics and their families.“It hits people in the gut,” he said. “That is what has raised the temperature of this issue and that is what have made people uncomfortable.”
He said he thinks the Senate is responding to political pressure brought by families. “That part has been necessary and will continue to be necessary to drive us toward getting something done,” Howard said.
The Pratt plan could blunt accusations and attacks. “I want to state that I’m grateful that the Senate Republicans have made this issue a priority for your caucus,” Lija Greenseid, whose daughter has type 1 diabetes, told the Senate committee. “I’ll be honest. We didn’t always feel last session that you were listening to us and consequently some of you were the victims of the ferocity that as mama bears we will show if someone isn’t doing enough to protect our kids.
“While we might show our claws if we don’t think you’re with us, we’re also quick to embrace with bear hugs those who join us in this fight.”
Looks like Munson chose the claws, not the bear hugs.
Photo: Lija Greenseid paying $40 at a Taiwanese pharmacy for a box of insulin pens. It's the same medicine that she has paid $700 for in the United States. Photo by Andrew Greenseid, supplied to MPR for the article, American travelers seek cheaper prescription drugs in Mexico and beyond. See also As price of insulin soars, Americans caravan to Canada for lifesaving medicine in the Washington Post.
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