 Democrats are threatening your ability to get cheaper drugs, blocking a proposal to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, which is estimated to save at least $450 billion over the next 10 years, and significantly lower prescription drug prices. Why are these Democrats blocking this? Is it because this policy is unpopular? No. 88% of voters favor allowing the federal government to negotiate lower drug prices, including 77% of Republicans, and at least 90% of these lawmakers' constituents support it. Few policies are as popular. It's so popular, in fact, that both Kathleen Rice and Kirsten Sinema actively campaigned on it. So, what gives? Follow the money. From 2019 to 2020, Kirsten Sinema received over $120,000 in big pharma contributions, even though she's not up for reelection until 2024. Throughout her political career, she's taken over half a million dollars from pharma, PACs, and executives. Just before she came out against allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, a group bank ruled by big pharma began running TV and digital ads and sending mailers, praising her for, quote, fighting as an independent voice for Arizona. Coincidence? Scott Peters, meanwhile, happens to be the house's single biggest recipient of big pharma campaign cash in the 2022 election cycle so far. Since being elected in 2012, he's received over $860,000 from big pharma. The day after his letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi opposing using Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices was published in May 2021, Peters began receiving thousands of donations from executives at pharmaceutical companies and the industry's powerful lobbying group. Another coincidence? Kurt Schrader has raked in nearly $615,000 from big pharma since taking office in 2008. This election cycle, he's already got $24,500 from pharma PACs, the second most of any industry donating to him. One of his top aides left his office earlier this year and soon started lobbying for the industry. According to ethics disclosures, the former aides lobbying focuses on drug pricing. Kathleen Rice has received over $84,000 from big pharma. The grand total, over $2 million in big pharma cash for these four lawmakers. A small investment when you think about the return to the industry, but a huge cost for the rest of us. If you're wondering why these lawmakers would go against their own president and party and the overwhelming preference of voters, including their own constituents, to tank a policy they themselves used to support, well, all you have to do is follow the money and here's something else you can do. Don't vote for them when they are up for re-election. Vote in the primaries for true public servants who care more about advancing the public good than protecting private profits.