MEMO: Democrats Should Keep Their Promise on Medicare and Drug Pricing Reform
TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Guy Cecil, Chairman of Priorities USA
DATE: October 1, 2021
RE: [NEW POLL] Democrats Should Keep Their Promise on Medicare and Drug Pricing Reform
Since taking control of the White House and both chambers of Congress, Democrats have delivered tremendous progress for the American people. From vaccine distribution to economic relief, Democrats have already kept their word on many key issues.
However, if Democrats fail to deliver on either their promise to reform Medicare or lower drug costs, there could be consequences. If a tiny fraction of the Democratic majority is able to tank a key priority, Democrats may not get another chance to make real progress on this issue.
New polling conducted by Priorities USA in key states demonstrates that the Democratic plan to reform Medicare is incredibly popular, both on its own and relative to any other item on either party’s agenda.
In a poll of new Biden voters, who did not vote in 2016 but turned out for Biden in 2020, expanding Medicare and controlling drug costs ranked fourth out of twenty-five issues as the most convincing reason to vote for Democrats. Among traditional swing voters, who broke for Biden by 8 points, the issue ranked second.
The exact statement voters were shown is:
“Democrats are working to expand Medicare coverage to cover hearing, dental, and vision care and fighting to give Medicare the power to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies for lower prices.”
The only issue that ranked higher for swing voters was the Democratic proposal to make the wealthy and corporations pay their fair share in taxes. New Biden voters only ranked the Democratic tax proposal and the American Rescue Plan, both its Democratic support and GOP opposition, as more convincing reasons to support Democrats.
Additionally, when asked to rank the importance of nine key issues on which Democrats should follow through on their promises, “making health care more affordable” ranked second only to controlling the pandemic among both swing voters and new Biden voters.
When it comes to critical issues that Democrats should pass and run on in the 2022 midterm elections there is nothing more obvious than lowering drug prices and expanding Medicare. It is good policy, good politics and every Democrat (and Republican, for that matter) who stands in the way does so at the expense of their constituents and at their own political peril.
Democrats ran in 2018 and 2020 on the promise that once we had a majority, we’d take bold action on real issues facing the American people. It’s time to act.
The data could not be more clear. If Democrats expand Medicare and reform drug pricing, fulfilling a banner campaign promise, they will be rewarded by key voting blocs next November.
This poll was conducted with Global Strategy Group between August 26th and September 23, 2021. The poll included 1022 New Biden Voters (CI: +/-3.3%) and 735 Swing Voters (CI: +/-3.7%) in AZ, FL, GA, NV, NH, NC, PA, WI.