Regulating Big Pharma: Don’t limit alliances like the one that led to COVID vaccine

Battling bigness

Regarding “Battling bigness: Congress eyes action against monopolies,” (March 16) and related articles:

The Federal Trade Commission and prominent members of Congress announced goals last week of reducing the power of large companies.

Pharmaceutical companies — Big Pharma — have been mentioned as likely targets of anti-trust policy. It would be useful for regulators to be aware of the role of “small pharma,” especially in rapid development of a COVID vaccine.

Work on the Pfizer vaccine was initiated by a start-up company, BioNTech. Once it developed the vaccine, BioNTech partnered with Pfizer for production and distribution.

The partnership between “small pharma” and Big Pharma was beneficial for both and for millions of consumers. It would be unfortunate if regulators, in their zeal to punish bigness, would prohibit similar partnerships as monopolistic.

If regulators demonstrate excessive opposition to bigness, they could stifle socially beneficial medical innovation.

Thomas Grennes, Raleigh

Biden tax plan

President Biden is proposing what may be the largest tax increase since WWII. Taxes will increase for corporations and those earning $400,000 or more per year.

Don’t be fooled!

Corporations, some large businesses, and professionals like lawyers and doctors and will pass along the burden to customers. There will be corporate tax increases on companies such as McDonald’s, Amazon, General Motors and Ace Hardware. Get the picture?

If you are not a high earner your taxes won’t increase, according to Biden and his merry band. But you will face increases from people and corporations whose services you buy. And the politicians hope you don’t realize it.

Charles Baker, Trinity

The relief plan

It is ironic that Republicans opposed to the relief plan don’t seem to mind spending the stimulus checks. Nothing President Biden does will satisfy Trump’s supporters.

Biden’s relief plans to bring the country together. The Trumps are fired. God Bless America.

Nedra Mills, Holly Springs

Protecting women

The U.S. House voted Wednesday to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act and 29 Republicans broke with their party to support it.

The bill offers women protections from domestic violence, sexual assault and other harassment. Provisions in it have widespread bipartisan support, including state grants for sexual assault and domestic violence services and housing assistance for domestic abuse survivors. The bill also closes the “boyfriend loophole,” preventing convicted abusers from obtaining a firearm.

Unfortunately, North Carolina Republican Reps. Dan Bishop, Ted Budd, Madison Cawthorn, Virginia Foxx, Richard Hudson, Patrick McHenry, Greg Murphy and David Rouzer did not support the House bill. They’d rather protect gun rights than protect women from abusers who might be allowed to own firearms.

Female voters in North Carolina need to protect themselves by not voting for these members of Congress. Their lives may depend on it.

Stephen Berg, Chapel Hill

Senate vote

It is past time for the U.S. Senate to renew the Violence Against Women Act, which expired in 2018. Renewal must include closing the “boyfriend loophole.” While the Second Amendment includes the right to keep and bear arms, it does not allow men to use guns to murder or assault their girlfriends and domestic partners or any family member. Let’s make this clear at last.

Carolyn Christman, Mebane

Voter rights

As someone who has voted in every major election since 1972, I believe that a robust democracy should encourage voting.

A bill that just passed by the House, the For the People Act, does that.

This bill strengthens voting, elections, campaign finance and ethics laws. By voting for this bill in the Senate, Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis will have an opportunity to ensure that states do not actively promote barriers to voting.

If the senators do not support the bill, North Carolina and our country’s future will be ill-served.

Kathleen Klesh, Cary

Climate change

Climate change is here; hurricanes are getting worse and sea levels are rising. Last week, a New York Times piece highlighted the Outer Banks town of Avon’s fight against beach loss.

To save the Outer Banks for our children, Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis need to work with President Biden to reduce carbon emissions.

A bipartisan approach — supported by both Wall Street Journal and Citizens’ Climate Lobby — is the carbon fee/carbon dividend proposal. A quick explanation:

Carbon fee: Oil, coal and natural gas companies would pay a fee of $15 per ton of carbon they take out of the ground. The fee increases by $10 each year. This will raise the cost of gasoline and natural gas. To save money, consumers will buy more electric cars, and Duke Energy will generate more solar and wind power.

Carbon dividend: The carbon fees collected would be distributed to consumers, similar to the way Alaska sends oil revenue checks to residents.

If we don’t act, the Outer Banks are doomed.

David Sokal, Durham