By Christian Wade | The Center Square contributor

Published: October 2, 2024 11:00pm

A Democratic Maine congressman has filed a bill backing former President Donald Trump's signature economic proposal to set across-the-board 10% tariffs on all imported goods.

Rep. Jared Golden said the Balance Unequal International Labor and Trade for the United States of America, or BUILT Act, would assess a 10% tariff on all goods and services imported into the United States.

The duty would increase or decrease annually by 5%, depending on whether America maintains a trade deficit or surplus, respectively, he said.

"Decades of globalization have transformed our country from an industrial superpower to one that relies on other countries for basic goods," he said in a statement. "To secure our future in an increasingly competitive world, we must move toward self-sufficiency, industrial strength and the homegrown innovation that goes hand-in-hand with a strong, productive economy. These tariffs put us on a path to that future.”

Golden said tariffs have "been embraced by presidents of both parties," noting tariffs on Chinese imports set by Trump during his presidency were kept on the books and, in some cases, expanded under Democratic President Joe Biden.

"Recent history is bipartisan recognition that the era of free-wheeling free-trade that cost Maine so much must come to an end, as a matter of both national security and economic interest," Golden said. "We must act to reposition ourselves in the world economy, to a place of strength and self-sufficiency."

The plan mirrors a proposal floated on the campaign trail by Trump, who has pledged to slash corporate tax rates for companies making products in the U.S. while raising tariffs on products manufactured in foreign countries. He has proposed a 60% tariff on goods from China and up to 20% on everything else the country imports.

“Tariffs are the greatest thing ever invented,’’ Trump said last month in Flint, Michigan, where he pledged to bring back auto manufacturing jobs to the state.

Golden's proposal drew praise from Michael Stumo, CEO of Coalition for a Prosperous America, who called it "a win for revenue, growth, and the revitalization of our domestic industries." He said China and other countries are displacing American workers and manufacturers, "leading to massive trade deficits that drain U.S. demand for American-made products."

https://justthenews.com/nation/states/center-square/maine-democrat-backs-trumps-tariffs-proposal

In a recent development that’s rocked the pharmaceutical industry, two men have pleaded guilty to their involvement in a sophisticated kickback scheme centered around a New Jersey pharmacy. The operation, which swindled millions from health insurers through fraudulent compounded medication prescriptions, was masterminded by Jeffrey Andrews, 73, and Adam Brosius, 59, among others.

Operating out of Main Avenue Pharmacy in Clifton, New Jersey, the group exploited high-reimbursement compound medications such as scar creams and migraine treatments. From 2014 to 2016, they orchestrated a lucrative strategy that identified and pushed these expensive drugs onto the market. As CFO and later president of Main Avenue respectively, Andrews and Brosius were pivotal in coordinating this elaborate fraud.

Their method was straightforward yet deceptive. By creating prescription pads for these high-cost compounds and distributing them to a network of marketers nationwide, they ensured a steady flow of prescriptions. These marketers then collaborated with telemedicine companies and doctors willing to prescribe these medications for kickbacks. Once the prescriptions were filled and reimbursed by insurance programs including Medicare and Tricare, Main Avenue Pharmacy paid out significant sums to those who had helped generate these prescriptions.

The financial toll of their scheme is staggering: about $33 million in reimbursements claimed for compounded medications alone—with more than $5.8 million from TRICARE, the healthcare program serving military personnel and their families.

For their crimes against the healthcare system, Brosius faces up to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and another five years for violating the Anti-Kickback Statute. Andrews also faces up to five years for his role in the scheme. Both could be hit with fines reaching $250,000 or double the gross gain or loss from their offenses—whichever amount is higher.

https://www.thedupreereport.com/2024/10/pharmaceutical-kickback-scheme-millions-fraudulently-reimbursed/

>>21700872

>>21700886

i'm so damn tired of you ungrateful bitchez complaining about gibs

you bitchez need to show more appreciation

i coulda just said fuck you bitchez and gave you nothing