How did the Left become so Pro Big Pharma, Big Government?

[RationalMale]

The political left in the USA has typically been for less restrictions from the government. Example, legalizing marijuana, less criminal justice penalties, bail reform, etc. They also have long been against big business, such as Occupy Wall Street.

But now the Left is all for Big Pharma, wants to stamp out criticism of their products, and is so against personal liberty many of them support the government forcing medical treatments.

What happened guys? The Left wing people I knew in college were legitimately cool!

[MCheetah]

Both sides become corrupt and (more) evil once they get in power. The right were like this during the George Dubya years and the left has been like this ever since social media tech giants slowly and quietly took over society. It's nothing new, and I used to be a liberal my entire life (technically still am; the "liberals" of today are just anything but liberal).

The TRUE solution would be a mix of left and right wing values; keeping the ones that are good (freedom, free speech, limited government), and dumping the ones that are bad. But no one wants that, even though it'd benefit everyone, because then a few people on either side couldn't become super-rich.

[NamerOfStars]

Political movements don't have only one axis. The Left (in the US, at least) hasn't moved any further on THAT one, but it's become a LOT more authoritarian. As with most political shifts, it was a gradual process. A century ago, an army of brave and largely left-wing men took on the government AND the corporations at Blair Mountain, and that was just one of many battles- and I do mean BATTLES, with machine guns and bombing raids. Nowadays, most of their descendants spend thousands of dollars on Amazon every year and proclaim Donald Trump to be the Devil.

[AviatorTom]

Liberals have always been for big government, compared to Conservatives who have always been for a smaller, efficient government. Big Pharma is a major contributor to Liberals, which is one reason why Liberals are pro Pharma; politicians do what they think is necessary to stay in power.

[Jaysonava]

Because the 'ideals' of the Left are only for people who care about ideals.

For power hungry psychopaths, they just see in the movement an opportunity to exploit and steal.

Think about the left wing ideal of communism. To a 'communist' with ideals, a Mensheviks, there is some kind of human rights element to communism.

To a Bolshevick... they don't care. They just see an opportunity for a power grab. They just see an opportunity to steal and kill.

[Gal67]

That's what I would like to know. The "left" used to be able to present their case without all the hysterical tantrum-throwing and name-calling. Now they can't even string two words together without becoming confused about their "identity". What the hell happened?

[joeldalton]

I don’t know how any rational person can listen to John Abramson and Robert Mallone’s respective podcasts with Joe Rogan and think any of this makes sense.

I think at the end of the day, liberals love authoritarianism. whether it come from government, big pharma, or tech companies. I guess they figure if they are losers at everything in their lives they can at least be best at following rules.

[BillyBalls]

I got the first two Moderna shots.

My insurance company paid $40 per shot. Multiply that out to guesstimate how much Big Pharma made off a vaccine that is ineffective.

Now they want Boosters to be mandatory and there is talk of even a 4th injection in a couple months.

No thank you!!!

[Avicenna]

The ends justify the means for them, and no one has means like the government to implement their nakedly totalitarian agenda. Big Pharma is giving them money, so they're also bought.

[Lliam]

Around the same time that the left went from supporting liberty and freedom and distrusting authority to worshiping authority and becoming authoritarian bullies, themselves.

[NaultD]

Left is also pro universal health care and would nationalized pharmaceuticals in a heartbeat. That would kick the nuts off the big pharma profits having one buyer.

[Juxtapose]

The two parties are in it together and they play good cop and bad cop to throw you off.

But yeah, old school liberalism has no representation. I don't think it really ever did besides the hippies.

[Juxtapose]

And FDR.

[slatyb]

Big Pharma? Why do you say that? Biden has been campaigning to reduce the cost of medication n the US.

[andreasderjuengere]

''Left'' in the U. S. still is ''Right'' elsewhere :)

[WindAtMyBack]

Where do you get such crazy ideas? The US is one of the most liberal countries in the world.

[andreasderjuengere]

@WindAtMyBack That's what YOU guys tell yourselves :D
If you ask me: ''Left'' begins with Bernie Sanders. Liberalism is rather a right-wing attitude - it just does not support fuddy-duddy traditionalism.
U. S. lifestyle is too egocentric to consider the needs of your neighbours. With the occasional exception, of course.

[WindAtMyBack]

You really have no idea what you are talking about. This isn't entirely subjective like you imply. There are all kinds of ways that the US has been more progressive than most of the world.

You are just making stuff up, or listening to whatever nonsense you hear, without actually looking into it.

[andreasderjuengere]

@WindAtMyBack So do you. What needed to be said, was now said.

[WindAtMyBack]

Do some research.

[andreasderjuengere]

@WindAtMyBack /// Not so arrogant please, Mr. Smartarse. In almost 6 decades I saw a few things; and you did the same - admitted. What I try to convey is: - that liberalism is not the same as ''leftism'' --- and: - that the definition of certain terms certainly is not universally ruled by U. S. thinking. On your own island your ideas may be valid; but they aren't necessarily somewhere else.

[WindAtMyBack]

It's true that liberal means different things in different places, but there is also a lot of commonality. The difference is more about implementation. If you compare to places that are considered very liberal, the US is right there with them, or not far behind. For example much of Europe is the most liberal part of the world. Compared to parts of Europe, the US might be slightly conservative. But compared to the world as a whole it's very liberal.

One thing for certain, pretty much of the world is a heck of a lot more liberal than it was 50-60 years ago. Things that are considered liberal today were barely even conceived of 50 years ago, or even 10 years ago in some cases.

[LightOfTruth]

One dumb choice at a time. All joking aside I don’t think they did. I think the leader that “represent” them are off the rails.

[Anonymous]

They haven't been more liberty minded than the cultural right for years. You're late to the party, but welcome.

[OddBeMe]

interesting. I thought we wanted higher taxes on corporations.

[fireforeffect]

Because the left is making Millions off of it.