Kijamki,
Yes. collective bargaining, unions, or any kind of forum that would make it easier for the common citizen to be heard above the fray and logjam of lobbyists and unlimited money being "bestowed" on our politicians by special interests is made to look "verboten" and becomes, after a fashion, conventional wisdom.
One good thing that Medicare Part D threw in was a free membership at the gym for grandma and grandpa so all that Viagra and Cialis that pharma are pushing will be put to good use. I shudder to think of poor grandma being chased by a revitalized grandpa who is now in his second childhood.