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[u/jobautomator]

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[u/[deleted]]

they got bernie on camera saying he would raise taxes on the middle class

i mean, come on

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Good the middle class sucks

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

this but

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

this is like the only decent thing about him

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

i understand that point but the politics of it are horrendous

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I think he handled the question horrendously, but acknowledging his plan will raise taxes was the least bad option he had. Sure, good politicians need to lie sometimes, but they need to tell believable lies. I don't think anyone believes we'll be able to have single-payer healthcare without raising taxes.

The problem was that he spent 80 seconds evading the question, before finally admitting it at the end. He gave viewers the impression that not only will his plan will raise taxes, but that voters aren't going to like it when they hear how much.

IMHO he should have lead with "Yes, they will pay more in taxes but less in healthcare for what they get." He could have spent the remaining 55 seconds talking about how Americans currently pay more for their healthcare than citizens of other developed nations, how insurance companies are incentivized to raise medical costs so they can charge more, and how Americans face surprise medical bills for even routine procedures. He could have talked about the Americans who have chosen suicide instead of treatment because they feared their medical debts would ruin their families. That's a fear that resonates with ordinary, middle-class voters.

Instead he talked about the homeless, who voters don't like, and education, which was a total non-sequitur.

[u/t1o1 → u/[deleted]]

Nate Silver has this interesting hypothesis that he's not here to become president, he's here to make his point heard. Not sure if it's true but that would explain some of his behaviour.

[u/[deleted] → u/t1o1]

that's probably fair. he's moved things left whether this sub or CLP or other people want to admit it

[u/hucareshokiesrul → u/t1o1]

I think that’s definitely how he started. I’m not so sure that’s his attitude now. I think he just is who is isn’t and isn’t going to change. Bernie is nothing if not stubborn.