Posted on 02/24/2020 2:51:00 PM PST by Kaslin
Coming off the heels of his big victory in the Nevada Caucus, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) sat down for an interview with Anderson Cooper for the CBS newsmagazine 60 Minutes. The discussion touched upon several topics, including Sanders highly touted democratic socialist policies.
Yet, despite the best attempts by Cooper to glean information about Sanders stance on several issues, the savvy socialist seemed unwilling to go into depth about many of his controversial comments and what his vision of America would actually entail.
For starters, when asked, What is democratic socialism? Bernie dodged and weaved a la Muhammad Ali v. George Foreman.
Sanders responded, When Donald Trump was a private businessman in New York, he got $800 million in tax breaks and subsidies to build luxury housing. Thats called corporate socialism. What democratic socialism is about is saying, Lets use the federal government to protect the interests of working families.
Sanders completely avoided defining democratic socialism. Instead, he pivoted into an attack against President Trump and then waxed rhetorically about the federal government helping hard-working families. Unfortunately, Cooper failed to press Sanders on what exactly his political philosophy actually means.
Later in the interview, Cooper questioned Sanders about the cost of his programs. Cooper set up the question, Theres profound skepticism in Congress about Sanders ability to get his agenda passed. Two-thirds of Democrats in the Senate have not signed on to Medicare for All, which would cost an estimated $30 trillion to $40 trillion over ten years. And thats just one of Bernie Sanders many proposals. Theres also free public college, cancellation of all student debt, a federal job guarantee, and a Green New Deal to rapidly reduce carbon emissions.
When simply asked, How much will that cost? Sanders answer was literally laughable.
Obviously, those are expensive propositions, but we have done our best on issue after issuein paying for them, Bernie said.
Sorry Bernie, but if you want to pass legislation that would cost tens of trillions of dollars, we have done our best in paying for them is not good enough. This is not a first-grade spelling bee, where everyone gets a trophy for trying their best.
As if that answer was not bad enough, it got even worse, if you can believe it. When asked, Do you have a price tag for all of these things? Bernies reply was rather telling: No, I dont.
Just in case you are wondering, the combined cost of Bernies programs is close to $100 trillion over the first decade, $97.5 trillion to be exact, give or take a few trillion.
At the end of the interview, Sanders unveiled a new programuniversal child care and pre-kindergartenwhich would cost $1.5 trillion over the next decade. When asked how he would fund this new program, Sanders dismissively responded, We have a tax on wealth to pay for that.
Upon close examination, Sanders reply should send shivers down the spine of every single American. A tax on wealth, which is what Sanders is calling for, is unconstitutional and flies in the face of everything America stands for.
In this response, Sanders unwittingly revealed what he really wants to do. Of course, Bernie wants to tax the you-know-what out of billionaires and corporations. That we know. However, when he starts talking about a tax on wealthnot on incomeBernie reveals his true socialist bona fides.
A tax on wealth is as unAmerican as it gets. Then again, remember that this is coming from the same guy who praised Cubas Fidel Castro and Venezuelas Hugo Chavez, and chose to honeymoon in the Soviet Unionnot exactly the most romantic destination on the planet.
Yet, for Bernie, a full-fledged socialist who pretends to be a democratic socialist (whatever that means), is there anywhere in the world that could make his heart tingle more than the now-defunct Union of Soviet Socialist Republics? Apparently not.
Everyone’s pretending that he’s not psychotic.
What the hell else do you need to know about Sanders???
which helps explain his love-affair with Russia and communism over the years - its in his DNA!!
This is the main thing. He’s absolutely crazy. Check out his porno writings.
We know he is a socialist. The problem is all the people that think socialism is just dandy.
shows how worthless the Dem debates have been...
I expect CBS (and Doomberg) to come after Crazy Bernie hard tomorrow nite.
However like Trump, the corrupt media cannot destroy Crazy Bernie bc they did not create him...
He's a shrewd con man. He's insincere.
Yeah... and Hitler built good roads4
Comrade Bernie and his Keystone Commies - the true face of the Democrat Party
Exactly.
Bernie Sanders has been in public life since he was elected mayor of Burlington, VT in 1981.
He has been an open book on every imaginable issue since then—in fact it is almost impossible to get the guy to shut up!
He does not care how much programs cost, and he couldn’t care less about stuff like budgets. He has been very clear on those points.
There is nothing to “vet”!
Nevada triggered DefCon3 for the DNC. So they have the talking points out to their controlled media mouthpieces. Vetting of Angry Berd begins. After that will be DefCon2 skeletons in the closet, either real or imaginary. If that doesn’t work, it’s DefCon1 - the demonrat final solution.
Whereas Biden is clearly senile.
If that doesnt work, its DefCon1 - the demonrat final solution.
Hillary, now more than ever!!
Some woman on Twitter posted a video of herself proudly voting for Bernie and saying “I know he’s going to take care of me”.
What frightens me isn’t so much Bernie as people who vote for him.
No, that's called using legal counsel to effectively use tax laws and loopholes written by your colleagues in Congress, Sanders.
...a need for more vetting -- of 60 Minutes.
Partisan Media Shills update.
I have changed my mind about free college tuition and federal jobs for all.
As soon as all professors and federal workers agree to work for free.
That almost solves the student debt problem ... still working on that.
Hitlery is calling the Suicide Hotline to place an order.
Oh dear
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.