What does the rise of Bernie Sanders mean for suburban moms?
These six suburban mothers have mixed reactions to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and his proposed policies.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is leading the 2020 Democratic presidential race. But, what does that mean for suburban mothers?
In a panel on "Fox & Friends" with host Ainsley Earhardt, reaction to the democratic socialist candidate was a mixed bag.
Republican voter Barbara Majeski told Earhardt that she thought Sanders' controversial "Medicare-for-all" health care plan is "reckless."
"He just takes it to an extreme that really instills fear in me," she added. "I know that we need reform in health care but his ideas are way too off the board for me to feel comfortable about it or support him."
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Democratic voter Kammi Reiss – who has a husband with a chronic illness – said she thought his plan catered to his younger voting base and would "be more than sufficient for them" and would "seem fabulous."
"They need to learn on their own the same way I needed to learn on my own," she stated. "I don't know that those younger able-bodied kids can understand the possible things that will come up and the obstacles they may need to face."
Independent voter Karith Foster said she believed Sanders appealed to voters of "all walks of life" because he was talking about things that "other people aren't."
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks during First in the South Dinner, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020, in Charleston, S.C. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
In a sitdown interview on "60 Minutes" with host Anderson Cooper which aired Sunday, Sanders expressed his disdain for those who have expressed skepticism at the possibility that enough funding existed for all of his ideas — which also included "Medicare-for-all," free college tuition and eliminating student debt.
"I get a little bit tired of hearing my opponents saying, 'Gee, how are you going to pay for a program that impacts and helps children or working-class families or middle-class families? How you going to pay for that?'" Sanders said.
However, the frustrated Vermont senator told Cooper said he couldn't "rattle off to you every nickel and every dime" about his proposed expenditures.
On Monday night, Sanders unexpectedly released a fact-sheet explaining that he'd pay for his sweeping new government programs through new taxes and massive lawsuits against the fossil fuel industry, as well as by slashing spending on the military, among other methods.
On health care, Sanders has previously vowed to provide benefits, including health care, even to illegal immigrants. The issue is not mentioned at all in Sanders' fact-sheet.
Instead, although some nonpartisan estimates have put the cost of Sanders' "Medicare-for-all" proposal at over $32 trillion, Sanders' fact-sheet simply doubled down on a "proposed a menu of financing options that would more than pay" for the program.
Republican voter Beth Parlato added that while Sanders may be leading in the polls, socialist ideology is not leading.
Former Nevada State GOP Chairwoman Amy Tarkanian said that while Sanders' promises of tuition-free college and "Medicare-for-all" sound wonderful, they are "empty promises."
"Nothing is free," she remarked. "So, I don't believe that he is going to succeed with that message."
"And, I think suburban voters — they are not buying into his rhetoric. I mean, he is a socialist. And, we have brave men and women who have fought for the freedoms in our country. And everything that Bernie and his revolution are standing for are going against the foundation of our freedoms and the liberty — it's going directly against it," she said.
Democratic voter Marissa Caro-Cortese had a different opinion.
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"I think one of the big concerns with suburban voters, though, is, 'How are we going to pay for this?" she queried. "Bernie is a socialist — all of these things. He said in his town hall last night, 'Yes, I'm a democratic socialist. I'm not against America. I love this country.' But, it has to be all done the right way."
"So people are fearful of the tax hikes that they think he is going to impose on. There is actually a website called bernietax.com that was put out by his campaign...and I think that it's just important for people to educate themselves on everything that's out there," she concluded.
Fox News' Gregg Re and Vandana Rambaran contributed to this report.
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