Sanders criticizes Kamala Harris’ new health plan.
Ahead of the second Democratic debate tomorrow, Bernie Sanders’ campaign has commented on Sen. Kamala Harris’ Health Care Plan: “Call it anything you want, but you can’t call this plan Medicare for All.”
This comment comes after Harris announced her healthcare plan today. Harris was the first Democratic co-sponsor of Sanders’ Medicare-for-all bill, but since beginning her presidential campaign she has since revised her position. Her new plan would involve privatizing Medicare—and it is this aspect that concerns the Sanders campaign. This privatization, says the comment, is Harris “folding to the interests of the health insurance industry… enriching insurance executives and introducing more corporate greed and profiteering into the Medicare system.”
This negative comment from the Sanders’ campaign is indicative of the rising tension ahead of the next round of Democratic debates. The Biden campaign released a comment this morning criticizing both Sanders and Harris’ approaches to healthcare. To stand out among the crowded field, it seems candidates are willing to go negative earlier. Expect this tension to be reflected in the debate tomorrow, and expect healthcare to be a hot question.