U.S. Sen. Bernie SandersĀ made a pledge last night at the CNN-sponsored Democratic Presidential Candidate Town Hall Forum.
The self-proclaimed “democratic socialist” said he will “raise taxes” to pay for his universal health insurance plan if he’s elected president of the United States.
Interesting, you know?
Here’s why.
The last national politician I can remember who made such a promise was the 1984 Democratic nominee for president, former Vice President Walter F. Mondale.
He stood before the party convention, accepted his party’s nomination and then said that President Ronald Reagan (against whom he ran that year) also will raise taxes. “He won’t tell you; I just did.”
I recall liking Mondale’s honesty at the time. It struck me that it was a bold statement to make.
But how well did it play with American voters that fall?
Not well . . . at all.
The president pulled in 59 percent of the popular vote; he beat Mondale by about 17 million ballots; President ReaganĀ won 525 electoral votes; what’s more, he came within about 2,000 votes of winning all 50 states, losing only Mondale’s home state of Minnesota.
Promising to raise taxes never is a good idea, Sen. Sanders.