Senate Minority Mitch McConnell walked into a big Democratic trap when he claimed that lowering the cost of prescription drugs is socialism.
McConnell told reporters:
McConnell, staking out GOP position against Democratic plan to let Medicare negotiate drug prices: saying Democrats want “to put socialist price controls between American innovators and new cures for debilitating diseases.”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) July 18, 2022
The second-ranking Democrat in the Senate Dick Durbin (D-IL), sprung the trap after McConnell’s comments.
Video of Durbin:
The American people are sick and tired of overpriced prescription drugs, and @SenateDems have a plan to lower costs. If Senator McConnell and Senate Republicans want to side with Big Pharma over patients in this fight, then bring it on. pic.twitter.com/htLTRQmDJj
— Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) July 18, 2022
Sen. Durbin said on the Senate floor, “It is not unreasonable for us to ask, it is not socialistic for us to ask as American citizens that they negotiate fair prices for all Americans. They do it for veterans. They can do it for Medicare and others, and if Sen. McConnell is signaling that we’re in for a fight on this issue, all I have to say are three words. Bring it on. Bring it on. The American people are sick and tired of the overpricing of these drugs. and I think it’s time that we have this debate, and if the Republicans want to stay on the side of pharma, and say that the Democrats are wrong, let’s take that to the American people in November.”
Mitch McConnell is supposed to be smart, but his position of sticking with Big Pharma during the middle of a pandemic-induced inflationary crisis is dumb. McConnell defies lots of special interests that write him and his PAC checks, so money isn’t the sole reason for his strategic blunder.
With failing Republican Senate candidates littered across the country, and his hopes of becoming Senate Majority Leader again dimming by the day, Mitch McConnell is attempting to revive the socialism attack to rally Republican voters around the country.
Democrats set a trap for Senate Republican candidates around the country, and Mitch McConnell just walked his caucus right into it.
Senate Democrats are aching for this fight, and it is a battle that could finish off any hope Republicans once had of taking back the Senate in November.
Mr. Easley is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association