The 2020 Democrats are promising free things left and right. But when you dig into it, nothing is really free.
Bernie Sanders is promising Medicare for all if he gets elected. During last week's debate in Detroit, another candidate, Tim Ryan, questioned Bernie on the specifics. That earned him the "I wrote the damn bill" line we've all been talking about ever since.
Then there is Elizabeth Warren forgiving college debt. Kamala Harris has a $500 a month tax credit for you. The list goes on and on. But U-T Arlington political scientist Allan Saxe tells KTRH their definition of free isn't what you think it is. Because it's not really free.
"None of of that is really possible unless you raise the taxes almost extraordinarily on a lot of people," Saxe explained, adding you couldn't pay for this by simple taxing the rich. Middle lass taxes would have to go up as well.
And besides, Saxe doesn't think you really want a socialist society. Because that's what it would take to get all of this. And you wouldn't like the way it looked.
"There would be no private property. There would be no private employment. Everything would be government. That's where the problem would be," Saxe explained.
And if one of these candidates got elected, taxpayers would be on the hook for billions of dollars.