Properly Subversive/Sherman R. Frederick

If another politician — Democrat or Republican — lies one more time about

Sherman Frederick

how they are working oh-so hard to lower prescription drug prices, I’m going to send them a bill for my latest trip to the pharmacy with a note that says: “I’ll pay the amount I paid two years ago – you pay the rest!”

As some readers who have been with me a while know, I’m on every drug known to man for an ongoing heart problem. After 18 stents and open heart surgery over the last 20-some years, I’ve been on an escalating regimen of lifesaving drugs. And, trust me, I am not whining about the miracles of modern medicine. I am very glad to be ticking past my due date.

But look, my pharmacy costs have gone up – not down. Last weekend I was at a dinner party with a bunch of Las Vegas friends of my vintage. I conducted an informal survey. I could not find one person who thought they were paying less for prescription drugs today than they were at this time last year. Not one single person.

Of course, that’s anecdotal evidence. So, let’s get specific.

In early 2024, my cardio team (yes, they like to call themselves a “team”) put me on a new blood thinner. It’s called Brilinta. I went to have it filled at Walgreens. The cost came to a whopping $500 for a 30-day supply, with insurance. (I’m using round numbers, so please don’t write back and tell me you get it for $486.50.)

I emailed the “team” about the cost and asked whether there was another option. They fired back: “No,” Brilinta was best for me. They then recommended using a Canadian pharmacy.

Canadian? Why? I was skeptical, but followed up. Now I get Brilinta for $120 a month. No insurance, of course.

So, the moral of this story is to first ask Congresscritters everywhere to please stop lying about how you’re working to lower drug prices. You’re not doing Jack. Call Canada. Fix it.

And secondly, please don’t lay this off on universal healthcare. I’m American. I’m not paying 45% of my income to prop up the spotty Canadian system. Yet, I can get drugs from Canada for one third the price than Walgreens?

Something ain’t right.

HARD STATS

How bad are Joe Biden’s approval numbers? Worse than any first-term president at this point since 1956. That’s according to a new Gallup poll. Mr. Biden is at 38.7%. The president with the highest approval ratings in his 13th quarter of presidency was Ike Eisenhower at 73.2%.

Doesn’t mean Mr. Biden can’t come back, but he’ll be defying history if he does.

WILD WEST BORDER

You could pretty much guess that no jury of George Alan Kelly’s peers were going to convict him of killing an illegal immigrant crossing his ranch on the border of Southern Arizona.

The government gave it a go, but the case, tried in the border town of Nogales, Arizona, ended in hung jury on Friday, April 19.

Flimsy from the start, prosecutors tried to convince a jury that Mr. Kelly, who is 75, inadvertently killed Gabriel Cuen Buitimea, 38, an immigrant who had crossed the border illegally and come on to Mr. Kelly’s ranch. Mr. Kelly and his wife have put up with scores of bad hombres flooding across President Biden’s “secure” border and trespassing on his land. He said he saw 5 men armed with rifles, carrying backpacks crossing his ranch. He fired nine shots from his AK-47 over their heads from about 100 yards away to ward them off from coming closer to his home.

The body of Mr. Buitimea was later found.

The death bullet was not found.

The coroner couldn’t establish a time of death.

The government’s primary witness said there were only three illegal immigrants, he and two others. They were unarmed and not carrying backpacks. They were trying to elude border patrol when Mr. Kelly shot at them. But the witness evaporated on the stand when inconsistencies in his story came to light and it was revealed the witness was a convicted drug smuggler. The defense suggested the witness may have fired the shot that killed Mr. Buitimea to hide his drug smuggling.

Look, there are a number of details in the case that led prosecutors to zero in on Mr. Kelley. I get how they got to that point. But, for the life of me I don’t see how they thought they could get a conviction with this lousy set of facts. Looks more like a political show trial to me.

Prosecutors are now huddling as I write this to decide whether to proceed with a second trial. The first trial was deadlocked at 11-1 in favor of acquittal. Unless something new pops up, no jury will convict.

ONE MORE THING

Thanks for reading. Until next time, remember to laugh a little, avoid soreheads and always question authority. You can see more Properly Subversive on Substack – https://shermanfrederick.substack.com/.