Ron Johnson Opposes Efforts to Lower Drug Costs
MADISON, Wis. — Today, in a Senate Finance Hearing examining prescription drug shortages and supply chain issues, Ron Johnson once again argued against government action to lower drug costs for Americans.
Rather than back efforts to lower costs for millions of Americans, Johnson cynically called for “free market discipline” and “the marketplace” to take care of lowering prices on prescription drugs.
This is hardly the first time Ron Johnson has called for leaving Americans at the mercy of Big Pharma:
- Johnson proudly bragged that “I’ve always been a big supporter of big pharma”
- Johnson complained allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices was “punishing the pharmaceutical industry”
- Johnson justified his vote against capping the price on insulin by claiming “price controls lead to reduced supply, availability & new drug development”
Democratic Party of Wisconsin Communications Director Joe Oslund released the following statement:
“While President Biden and Vice President Harris fight to lower costs, Ron Johnson has no problem leaving Wisconsinites at the mercy of big pharma. Johnson voted against capping insulin for our seniors at $35 a month and he complained allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices was ‘punishing the pharmaceutical industry.’ Ron Johnson is the poster child for an extreme MAGA agenda intent on padding profits for big drug companies at the expense of Wisconsin seniors and working families.”
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
Ron Jon has no clue what a “free market” actually is. A free market exists when their is a balance between those demanding a product, and those supplying the product. This is not the case with Big Pharma and most other industries dominated by a small number of corporations. The term used to describe this situation is monopolistic capitalism. Historically, it was called Mercantilism. Monopolistic price gauging IS NOT a function of a free market. It is a function of mercantilism. The practices he so proudly supports are actually mercantilist, the very the antithesis of Adam Smith’s free market.
It is time for Ron Jon and other supports of corporate monopolies and “supply side economics” to return to the 17th century where they belong.