[rad-green] CNN Moderators, Alarmed by Cost of Medicare for All, Ignore Price Tag of Endless War

*https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/01/14/cnn-moderators-alarmed-cost-medicare-all-ignore-price-tag-endless-war
<https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/01/14/cnn-moderators-alarmed-cost-medicare-all-ignore-price-tag-endless-war>*

Common Dreams           January 14, 2020

CNN Moderators, Alarmed by Cost of Medicare for All, Ignore Price Tag of
Endless War

"None of the candidates who said they support keeping troops in Iraq were
asked how they were going to pay for it."

by Eoin Higgins, staff writer

[image: Former Vice President Joe Biden listens as Sen. Bernie Sanders
(I-Vt.) makes a point during the Democratic presidential primary debate at
Drake University on January 14, 2020 in Des Moines, Iowa.]

*Former Vice President Joe Biden listens as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)
makes a point during the Democratic presidential primary debate at Drake
University on January 14, 2020 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo: Scott
Olson/Getty Images)*

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
<https://twitter.com/kortizart/status/1217279892032634880> artist Karla
Ortiz.

"Amazing how the moderators didn't ask how the candidates plan to pay for
wars."
—Sarah Lazare

Questions on costs and how the presidential candidates proposed to pay for
their proposals appeared to use an analysis provided
<https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/14/politics/bernie-sanders-proposals-cost/index.html>
 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.

Progressives quickly noted the disconnect.

"None of the candidates who said they support keeping troops in Iraq were
asked how they were going to pay for it," tweeted
<https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/01/14/Claire%20Sandberg> Sanders
campaign national organizing director Claire Sandberg.

Policy analyst Dan Riffle was incredulous
<https://twitter.com/DanRiffle/status/1217282711733374977> at the line of
questioning.

"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.
[image: image.png]

"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!"

-- 

--- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Sid-l" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/sid-l/CACKppcyHyg%2Bcnr-KkHe31Z7ZnQJSGgsL2MFanwRQE0_M%2BY74kg%40mail.gmail.com.

---
To unsubscribe: <mailto:[email protected]>
List help: <https://riseup.net/lists>