“Your question is a Republican talking point.” That’s a reply from Bernie Sanders in July, asked by Jake Tapper about whether the poor polling of his costly “Medicare for all” proposal might cost him the election if he’s nominated. The best evidence suggests it would make him less likely to defeat President Trump. But Sanders had an easy dodge. Calling it “Republican” allowed him to put the question out of bounds.
Sanders is a fan of this rhetorical strategy. “Open borders? That’s a Koch Brothers proposal,” he famously said, dismissing an idea that has in fact gained clout among the leftist intelligentsia as well as some elements of the libertarian fringe. But I don’t mean to beat up on him. Of all the politicians running for the presidency, he’s certainly not the one who’s most evasive about his views and policies. At least he’ll own up to what his healthcare policy actually is and whether tax hikes for the middle class will be necessary to fund it.
