Former presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders returned to the Bay Area Saturday with his intentions set on spurring California voters to support a hotly-debated and spending-soaked proposition on the November ballot.
The U.S. Senator from Vermont hosted a rally in San Francisco and urged Californians to vote "yes" on Proposition 61, which would curb the cost of prescription drugs.
"I think it is high time that the American people starting right here in California stand up to the greed of the pharmaceutical industry, which is charging us by far the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs while they're making tens of billions in profit every single year," Sanders said. "That's wrong."
If adopted, the proposition would allow prescription drugs to be purchased by state agencies for an amount that would be at or below the price paid by the United State Department of Veterans Affairs, which pays the lowest for prescription drugs than any other federal agency.
Passing such a law would protect those facing serious medical issues and may set precedent for the rest of the country, Sanders said.
"What you do here in California will reverberate all over this country," he said. "I hope that Proposition 61 is passed."
Opponents say the ballot measure is defective and a mistake.
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"I understand that people are frustrated and worried about drug pricing, but Proposition 61 isn't the solution," anti-Proposition 61 advocate Kathy Fairbanks said. "It's badly flawed."
Fairbanks added that the proposition is deceptive in that it wouldn't apply to 88 percent of Californians. She also said that the legislation is bad for taxpayers and could harm veterans.
"The United States Department of Veterans Affairs evaluated (Proposition) 61 and they figured that if it passes, they could be on the hook for up to 3.8 billion dollars in higher costs," she said.
Aside from the proposition talk, Sanders took time to talk about the race for the White House and reiterated his confidence in Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton while lambasting Republican nominee Donald Trump.
"I think (Trump is) completely unfit to become the president of the United States," Sanders said.
