McConnell: We’re Seeing ‘Full Socialism on Display’ in the 2020 Dem Presidential Primaries

Thursday on Fox News Channel’s “Special Report,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) acknowledged that it was his view “full socialism” was on display in the Democratic Party, especially among that party’s 2020 presidential hopefuls.

McConnell was asked about a proposal by his colleague Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) to make Medicare available for all. The Kentucky Republican said that was a sign of just how the Democratic Party has embraced socialism.

“Not as long as I’m majority leader. It ought to be called Medicare for none because as the setup piece pointed out 180 million American’s would lose the private health insurance that many of them negotiated for at work. Medicare itself — the current recipients have been paying into all these years would be completely drained by adding all these additional people. If you want to turn American into a socialist country, this is the first step, that coupled of course with the Green New Deal, which would eliminate a whole lot of jobs.

“I think what we’re seeing here is full socialism on display in the Democratic primaries for president, and even those who are skeptical about it like Senator Klobuchar, are saying a public option,” he continued. “Well, that’s not much different because if you have a public option, I guarantee you the public option will also drive all the private insurance companies out of business. So look, this is a prescription for turning America into a Western European country.”

Later, McConnell was asked which Democratic candidate he “feared most.” He declined but predicted the eventual nominee would moderate.

“You know I’m not going to answer that question. I’ll tell you this: I think any Democrat who ultimately wins the nomination is probably going to say, ‘Oh, of course, I’m a capitalist,'” McConnell replied. “But I think what we need to look at is what they’re advocating, not what they call themselves. And any Democrat who is sympathetic to packing the Supreme Court, getting rid of the Electoral College, the Green New Deal, Medicare for all is in my view taking America in the direction of socialism.”

Follow Jeff Poor on Twitter @jeff_poor