Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders lamented the Koch brothers’ influence in politics and criticized Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush on Sunday.
The independent Vermont senator attacked Bush’s Thursday comment that Democratic voters are looking for “free stuff,” saying to John Dickerson on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that the former Florida governor “will fight to cut Social Security and Medicare and programs that tens of millions of elderly people and middle-class people and working-class people depend upon.”
“I happen to believe, John, that in a democratic, civilized society, all people should be entitled to healthcare as a right. Yeah, I do believe that.”
He added that Bush, who is sixth is the Washington Examiner‘s presidential power rankings, is proposing “massive tax breaks for the richest people in this country.”
In addition to touting his plan for tuition-free public colleges, Sanders returned to a familiar talking point and blasted the influence of “billionaire donors” on presidential races, hitting out at the Koch brothers specifically.
He said he wished that the Koch brothers would not donate any more after they spent $900 million on the failed campaign of Gov. Scott Walker, R-Wis.
“But, John, I’m not sure that the Koch brothers learned that lesson,” added Sanders.
