Episode 762 | The Problem with Pete's Plan | No. You're Not Rich | Social Conservatives Like Bernie?

Published: Dec. 2, 2019, 5:49 p.m.

Episode 762 |

Mayor Pete is pushing hard against providing college for the rich kids of CEOs. This is a disingenuous argument that creates a means-tested program destined to collapse in the future. It is also an argument that leaves the families that make between $100,000 to $150,000 a year without free college.
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The way Pete is able to make this argument is the same way Democrats and Republicans have been able to make this argument for years: people who think they're rich but really aren't are the ones who bare the brunt of these means-tested programs. This inevitably sows dissent and discord around the program. It eventually leads to more animus between the working class and people who think they're rich but they're really not.
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Ross Douthat of the New York Times put out a piece championing a case for Bernie Sanders based on the idea that Sanders will not stoke the wedge issues of social liberalism (abortion, LGBTQ rights, Race issues, etc.) The problem is, Republicans will still label Bernie a social radical and, even if he is, would we want him to go mum on these issues to appeal to social conservatives?

Let's discuss.