After losing millennial support in the New Hampshire primary 84 percent to 15 percent, Hillary Clinton came to Thursday night’s Democratic presidential debate with a message for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT): level with the kids.
From his healthcare plan to his vision for free college tuition, Clinton urged Sanders to get more specific.
“I am conscious of the fact that we have to also be very clear, especially with young people, about what kind of government is going to do what for them and what it will cost,” Clinton said.
Clinton encouraged voters to ask the “hard questions” when vetting she and Sanders’ proposals.
“In my case, whether it’s health care or getting us to debt-free tuition or moving us toward paid family leave, I have been very specific about where I would raise the money, how much it would cost, and how I would move this agenda forward,” Clinton said in a dig at Sanders, whom her campaign has tried to frame as inexact and unclear about his progressive policy ideas.
“I tried to be as specific to answer questions so that my proposals can be vetted because I feel like we have to level with people,” she added.
Clinton pledged that her health care plan would cost $100 billion a year, money she would raise by closing tax loopholes and raising taxes on the ultra-wealthy. Clinton projected that she would have the political capital to raise those funds once she was elected.
“Well, Secretary Clinton, you aren’t in the White House yet,” Sanders fired back. “And let us be clear that every proposal that I have introduced has been paid for.”
Sanders said taxing Wall Street would cover the cost of his own proposals.
“Yeah, I do believe that now after the American people bailed Wall Street out, yes, they should pay a Wall Street speculation tax so that we can make public colleges and universities tuition-free,” Sanders said. “We bailed them out. Now it is their time to help the middle class.”
