
Rep. Kathleen Rice, D-N.Y., speaks during the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force news conference on the release of the 2018 legislative agenda for the 115th Congress on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018. (Photo: Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)
We're Going to Take on Big Pharma and Win the Fight to Lower Drug Prices
Any politician who puts Pharma profits before the needs of their constituents will lose their jobs. And they will deserve it.
On Wednesday, Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-NY) was one of three Democrats who cast a pivotal no vote in the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Rice shamefully voted against giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices as part of the $3.5 trillion Build Back Better package.
Despite the setback, we're going to win. We're going to give Medicare negotiating power to lower drug prices for everyone. And Pharma is scared.
It's hard to find a policy more popular with voters across the spectrum than taking on Pharma greed and lowering drug prices.
Pharma is so scared that they've launched a massive campaign against giving Medicare negotiating power. Pharma's lobbying frenzy includes multi-million dollar TV ad buys and spending over $6 million from April to June of this year on lobbying (a 19% increase during the same time last year).
Any politician who listens to Pharma and puts profits over people's lives deserves to wear that shame forever. That's why we have a mobile billboard in Rice's Long Island district to let her constituents know she betrayed them. Clearly, Rice needs a reminder that she works for the people of New York's fourth Congressional district, not Pharma.
It will come as no surprise that Rice (along with the other no voters Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA) and Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-OR)) is in the pockets of Pharma. Rice has received $84,259 from campaign contributions from pharmaceutical and health corporations during her congressional career. And Peters and Schrader have collectively taken an appalling $1.7 million from Pharma during their time in Congress.

Rice's betrayal may come as a surprise to her constituents because Rice campaigned for years on taking on Pharma's greed. And that's why Rice is the perfect example of everything wrong with status quo corporate politicians.
Rice claimed to support the lowering of prescription drugs. In an October 2020 campaign ad, Rice promised to "always put the health and safety of Long Island first."
Not to mention, an overwhelming 90 percent of Rice's constituents support giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices. It's hard to find a policy more popular with voters across the spectrum than taking on Pharma greed and lowering drug prices.
But when given the chance to make good on that promise, and represent the interests of 90% of her constituents, Rice still sided with Pharma and betrayed the people she works for.
But that's exactly why we're going to continue to fight for--and win--lower drug prices. We're going to win because the American people--and the vast majority of the Democratic caucus and President Biden--are on our side. We have the people, and we also have some big guns on our side spending money, AARP just dropped $4 million on an ad buy pushing for Medicare negotiation.
That is why carrying water for Pharma is not only a moral failure, it is also a political failure. Any politician who puts Pharma profits before the needs of their constituents will lose their jobs. And they will deserve it.
Pharma shills simply aren't fit to represent the people of their districts.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
On Wednesday, Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-NY) was one of three Democrats who cast a pivotal no vote in the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Rice shamefully voted against giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices as part of the $3.5 trillion Build Back Better package.
Despite the setback, we're going to win. We're going to give Medicare negotiating power to lower drug prices for everyone. And Pharma is scared.
It's hard to find a policy more popular with voters across the spectrum than taking on Pharma greed and lowering drug prices.
Pharma is so scared that they've launched a massive campaign against giving Medicare negotiating power. Pharma's lobbying frenzy includes multi-million dollar TV ad buys and spending over $6 million from April to June of this year on lobbying (a 19% increase during the same time last year).
Any politician who listens to Pharma and puts profits over people's lives deserves to wear that shame forever. That's why we have a mobile billboard in Rice's Long Island district to let her constituents know she betrayed them. Clearly, Rice needs a reminder that she works for the people of New York's fourth Congressional district, not Pharma.
It will come as no surprise that Rice (along with the other no voters Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA) and Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-OR)) is in the pockets of Pharma. Rice has received $84,259 from campaign contributions from pharmaceutical and health corporations during her congressional career. And Peters and Schrader have collectively taken an appalling $1.7 million from Pharma during their time in Congress.

Rice's betrayal may come as a surprise to her constituents because Rice campaigned for years on taking on Pharma's greed. And that's why Rice is the perfect example of everything wrong with status quo corporate politicians.
Rice claimed to support the lowering of prescription drugs. In an October 2020 campaign ad, Rice promised to "always put the health and safety of Long Island first."
Not to mention, an overwhelming 90 percent of Rice's constituents support giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices. It's hard to find a policy more popular with voters across the spectrum than taking on Pharma greed and lowering drug prices.
But when given the chance to make good on that promise, and represent the interests of 90% of her constituents, Rice still sided with Pharma and betrayed the people she works for.
But that's exactly why we're going to continue to fight for--and win--lower drug prices. We're going to win because the American people--and the vast majority of the Democratic caucus and President Biden--are on our side. We have the people, and we also have some big guns on our side spending money, AARP just dropped $4 million on an ad buy pushing for Medicare negotiation.
That is why carrying water for Pharma is not only a moral failure, it is also a political failure. Any politician who puts Pharma profits before the needs of their constituents will lose their jobs. And they will deserve it.
Pharma shills simply aren't fit to represent the people of their districts.
On Wednesday, Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-NY) was one of three Democrats who cast a pivotal no vote in the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Rice shamefully voted against giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices as part of the $3.5 trillion Build Back Better package.
Despite the setback, we're going to win. We're going to give Medicare negotiating power to lower drug prices for everyone. And Pharma is scared.
It's hard to find a policy more popular with voters across the spectrum than taking on Pharma greed and lowering drug prices.
Pharma is so scared that they've launched a massive campaign against giving Medicare negotiating power. Pharma's lobbying frenzy includes multi-million dollar TV ad buys and spending over $6 million from April to June of this year on lobbying (a 19% increase during the same time last year).
Any politician who listens to Pharma and puts profits over people's lives deserves to wear that shame forever. That's why we have a mobile billboard in Rice's Long Island district to let her constituents know she betrayed them. Clearly, Rice needs a reminder that she works for the people of New York's fourth Congressional district, not Pharma.
It will come as no surprise that Rice (along with the other no voters Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA) and Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-OR)) is in the pockets of Pharma. Rice has received $84,259 from campaign contributions from pharmaceutical and health corporations during her congressional career. And Peters and Schrader have collectively taken an appalling $1.7 million from Pharma during their time in Congress.

Rice's betrayal may come as a surprise to her constituents because Rice campaigned for years on taking on Pharma's greed. And that's why Rice is the perfect example of everything wrong with status quo corporate politicians.
Rice claimed to support the lowering of prescription drugs. In an October 2020 campaign ad, Rice promised to "always put the health and safety of Long Island first."
Not to mention, an overwhelming 90 percent of Rice's constituents support giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices. It's hard to find a policy more popular with voters across the spectrum than taking on Pharma greed and lowering drug prices.
But when given the chance to make good on that promise, and represent the interests of 90% of her constituents, Rice still sided with Pharma and betrayed the people she works for.
But that's exactly why we're going to continue to fight for--and win--lower drug prices. We're going to win because the American people--and the vast majority of the Democratic caucus and President Biden--are on our side. We have the people, and we also have some big guns on our side spending money, AARP just dropped $4 million on an ad buy pushing for Medicare negotiation.
That is why carrying water for Pharma is not only a moral failure, it is also a political failure. Any politician who puts Pharma profits before the needs of their constituents will lose their jobs. And they will deserve it.
Pharma shills simply aren't fit to represent the people of their districts.

