Democrats onstage Tuesday night at the CNN/Des Moines Register debate in Iowa were challenged repeatedly by moderators on the cost of major plans like Sen. Bernie Sanders' Medicare for All—scrutiny that was missing in the first half hour when the questions focused on endless war and a potential attack on Iran.
"Wonder if CNN asked how much going to potential war with Iran cost?" asked artist Karla Ortiz.
"Amazing how the moderators didn't ask how the candidates plan to pay for wars."
Questions on costs and how the presidential candidates proposed to pay for their proposals appeared to use an analysis provided to CNN Tuesday by Larry Summers on the cost of the Sanders agenda. The majority of the questions on cost were directed to Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
But those questions only came in the second hour of the debate, and were absent during the discussion on foreign policy.
"None of the candidates who said they support keeping troops in Iraq were asked how they were going to pay for it," tweeted Sanders campaign national organizing director Claire Sandberg.
Policy analyst Dan Riffle was incredulous at the line of questioning.
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"They just asked 27 questions about sending troops to the Middle East and preventing Iran from developing nukes and not once asked how they'd pay for it," said Riffle. "But not letting poor people die? Whoa, what's the price tag on that?!"
Social media lit up with commentators and observers from the left taking aim at the difference in approach from the moderators.
Amazing how the moderators didn’t ask how the candidates plan to pay for wars — Sarah Lazare (@sarahlazare) January 15, 2020 Why do Dems have to show how they will pay for it when Trump straight up says Mexico will pay for the wall? When Republicans haven't explained how they will pay for their disastrous tax cut? When this country spends trillions on useless wars? We can't find money for health care? — Wajahat "Abu Khadija" Ali (@WajahatAli) January 15, 2020 Amazing how that works. No question about “how we’re gonna pay for it” when Wolf spent 15 questions grilling candidates on whether or not they want to keep troops in the Middle East forever https://t.co/fqTepf4yYd — Adam H. Johnson (@adamjohnsonNYC) January 15, 2020
"If you didn't ask 'how do you pay for it' when it comes to the disastrous war budget, bank bailouts, or oil company subsidies, you have little to stand on," said Sanders surrogate Nina Turner. "Show the receipts!"
adeliberateidler on January 15th, 2020 at 06:03 UTC »
As an American who lived in another country for about 10 years with single-payer, most Americans have no idea how good it could be. With M4A you have no expenses for medical bills. You can see any doctor, just give them your ID and you're in. No worrying howuch something you need done costs. No worrying about which ambulance you can ride in,. No worrying if you'll get worked on my an out-of-network doctor in an in-network hospital and lose your life savings. Specialists and testing, all covered. Having a baby costs nothing. Your boss has no power over your healthcare so you can pursue new jobs or take time to go back to school.
It sounds too good be true not because it isn't, but because that's how bad what we currently have is.
watersnark on January 15th, 2020 at 04:48 UTC »
The cost of medicare for all will be around 50% cheaper than what Americans pay for health insurance and everyone will be covered, no one will go bankrupt paying for medical emergencies, no one has to die and suffer needlessly.
MaximumGamer1 on January 15th, 2020 at 04:43 UTC »
There is no substance to the concept of the "cost of Medicare For All." It costs $2 trillion less than the current system according to every study done on the subject, even the ones funded by the Koch bros. "The cost of Medicare for All" is a right wing, corporatist propaganda talking point.
Edit: Thanks for all the gold and upvotes, guys! However, this has now gained enough visibility to start getting innundated with notifications, and the trolls are of course here in force, and I simply can't respond to you all, so I'm shutting down notifications for this post and am not going to reply to anyone asking for more information further.