'Conversation with the Candidate' with Bernie Sanders: Part 2 Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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ANNOUNCER: "CONVERSATION WITH THE CANDIDATE" CONTINUES. ADAM: WELCOME BACK TO OUR CONVERSATION THIS EVENING WITH SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS OF VERMONT AND WE'LL JUMP INTO THINGS WITH THE NEW HAMPSHIRE VOTERS, THE TOWN HALL AUDIENCE WITH QUESTIONS ON DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN POLICY AND WE'LL START WITH LAURA. LAURA: WELCOME, SENATOR SANDERS. NICE TO MEET YOU. WELCOME TO NEW HAMPSHIRE. I AM A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND I'VE WORKED WITH TEENS AND CHILDREN FOR DECADES. I'VE NEVER SEEN THE STAGGERING NUMBERS OF ANXIETIES THAT THEY'RE COMING IN WITH, ESPECIALLY ABOUT THEIR SAFETY. THEY'RE AFRAID TO GO TO SCHOOL. THEY'RE AFRAID TO GO TO THEIR SYNAGOGUES AND CHURCHES AND MOSQUES. RECENTLY A TEEN TOLD ME SHE WAS AFRAID TO GO TO THE MALL, A PLACE WHERE ALL TEENAGERS LIKE TO HANG OUT IN SAFER TIMES. ONE TEEN RECENTLY TOLD ME THAT FOR EVERY FIVE STEPS SHE TAKES FORWARD, HALF OF THOSE STEPS SHE'S LOOKING BEHIND HER, FEARFUL THAT SOMEONE WILL RANDOMLY HURT HER AND HARM HER AND HER FRIENDS OR FAMILY. WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HAVE FOR OUR FRIGHTENED YOUTH AND MAYBE MORE IMPORTANTLY WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS TO HELP OUR FAMILIES STAY SAFE? BERNIE: I WOULD ECHO EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID. THAT IS WHAT I'VE HEARD ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE, YOU HAVE TO TAKE A STEP BACKWARDS. SCHOOL HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PLACE YOU FEEL SAFE AND HANG OUT WITH YOUR FRIEND AND YOU LEARN AND THE IDEA THAT KIDS ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, VERMONT AND ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY ARE FRIGHTENED ABOUT GOING TO SCHOOL, WHAT A HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE SITUATION THAT IS. I THINK WHAT WE CAN SAY IS FIRST OFF WE HAVE GOT TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO END THE KIND OF INCREDIBLE GUN VIOLENCE THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THIS COUNTRY. I'M NOT GOING TO TELL ANYBODY THIS IS AN EASY SITUATION. WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND THIS COUNTRY, PEOPLE WHO HAVE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF GUNS IN THIS COUNTRY AND YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO PERHAPS SHOULD NOT BE OWNING THOSE GUNS SO WHAT WE NEED TO DO FOR A START IS MOVE TOWARDS SERIOUS GUN SAFETY LEGISLATION, THAT'S NUMBER ONE. THERE'S A NUMBER OF PROVISIONS I CAN TALK TO YOU BUT SECOND OF ALL, YOU KNOW WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, YOU'RE A PSYCHOLOGIST AND WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND. LET ME TELL YOU A PERSONAL STORY, IN MY OFFICE AND EVERY SENATE OFFICE WE GET CALLS FROM PEOPLE. I GOT A CALL FROM A SISTER WHO SAID I WORRY ABOUT MY BROTHER WHO MAY DO SOMETHING TERRIBLE TO MYSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE AND HE CAN'T FOUND THE COUNSELING HE NEEDS THAT HE CAN AFFORD. WE HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IN AMERICA AND PEOPLE CAN'T GET THE HELP THEY NEED WHEN THEY NEED IT AT A COST THEY CAN AFFORD WHICH IS, BY THE WAY, ANY MEDICARE FOR ALL PROGRAM WHICH STREETS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THE SAME AS THEY TREAT ANY OTHER TYPE OF ILLNESS. SO I THINK WE NEED TO MOVE AGGRESSIVELY IN GUN SAFETY. I THINK WE NEED TO MOVE AGGRESSIVELY IN MAKING SURE PEOPLE GET THE COUNSELING THAT THEY NEED. ADAM: A QUICK FOLLOW-UP. YOUR STATE OF VERMONT HAVE A LOT OF GUNS BUT ALSO IS A SAFE. WHY IS THAT? BERNIE: IT'S SAFE BECAUSE PEOPLE IN VERMONT USE GUNS PRIMARILY FOR HUNTING AND FOR TARGET PRACTICE. AND THANK GOD, I DON'T WANT TO JINX ANYTHING BUT THANK GOD WE DON'T HAVE THE GANG VIOLENCE MANY OTHER STATES CURRENTLY HAVE. BUT THE ISSUE HERE I THINK IS RIGHT NOW THERE IS OVERWHELMING FOURTH SOME THIS COUNTRY FOR COMMON SENSE GUN SAFETY LEGISLATION WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE TO ELIMINATE THE GUN SHOW LOOPHOLE. YOU HAVE TO EXPAND THE BACK GROUND CHECKS AND IN MY VIEW YOU HAVE TO DO AWAY WITH THE SALE AND DISTRIBUTION OF ASSAULT WEAPONS. THOSE WEAPONS ARE DESIGNED FOR MILITARY REASONS TO KILL LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE. I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD BE IN THE HANDS OF CIVILIANS, TO BE FRANK WITH YOU. THE PSYCHOLOGIST'S QUESTION IS EXACTLY RIGHT. THERE ARE A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY WHO ARE WALKING AROUND WITH SERIOUS PROBLEMS AND THEY CANNOT GET THE TREATMENT THEY NEED AND WE HAVE TO EXPAND THAT AS WELL. ADAM: NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM JOAN WHIT WITHWORTH. JOAN: GOOD EVENING. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE TYPE OF CIRCUMSTANCES A PRESIDENT SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT ISSUE A EXECUTIVE ORDER, AND AS PRESIDENT WOULD YOU SUPPORT SETTING LIMITS ON THEIR USE? BERNIE: THE ANSWER IS YES. LOOK, LET ME BE -- YOU INTRODUCED THE MAGIC WORD "THE PRESIDENT." LET ME JUST SAY THAT I THINK TRUMP IS THE MOST DANGEROUS PRESIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY. I THINK WE SHOULD BEGIN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRIES THROUGH THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE. I THINK HE HAS VERY LITTLE UNDERSTANDING OR RESPECT FOR THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE SEPARATION OF POWERS AND I THINK HE HAS OVERUTILIZED THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS. EXECUTIVE ORDERS IS A PREROGATIVE FOR THE PRESIDENT BUT WE HAVE A LEGISLATIVE PROCESS BY WHICH THE HOUSE AND SENATE PASS BILLS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT AND I WORRY VERY MUCH, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THAT WE HAVE A PRESIDENT MOVING THIS COUNTRY INTO AUTHORITARIAN WAYS AND NOT JUST THROUGH THE OVERUSE OF OPTIONS. >> MY QUESTION IS REGARDING THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE, WHERE DO YOU STAND ON THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF ELIMINATING IT, HOW DO YOU FEEL A SMALL STATE LIKE NEW HAMPSHIRE YOU GET A FAIR SAY IN ANY FUTURE ELECTION? BERNIE: HERE'S THE BOTTOM LINE. IT'S SOMETHING I THINK SHOULD BE EXPLORED. IN THIS SENSE. IT IS HARD. WE BELIEVE IN DEMOCRACY. WE BELIEVE A MAJORITY RULES. TURNS OUT DONALD TRUMP GOT THREE MILLION VOTES VIEWER THAN SECRETARY CLINTON DID BUT HE IS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. IS THAT FAIR? HARD TO ARGUE THAT'S FAIR. IT IS HARD, ALSO, TO ARGUE IN MODERN DAY POLITICS THAT REALLY THE ELECTION REVOLVES AROUND 14 OR 15 STATES IN THIS COUNTRY, INCLUDING SO-CALLED BATTLEGROUND STATES, WHICH YOU LIVE IN CALIFORNIA IS A STRONGER DEMOCRATIC STATE OR YOU LIVE IN WYOMING IS A STRONGLY REPUBLICAN STATE, WHO WILL COME AND VISIT YOU? WYOMING WILL GO REPUBLICAN AND CALIFORNIAS GO DEMOCRAT. IS THAT A GOOD IDEA AS WELL? IT'S AN ISSUE WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH. I'LL TELL YOU ONE OF THE REPERCUSSIONS OF THAT IS THAT RURAL AMERICA, VERMONT AND NEW HAMPSHIRE, MANY RURAL STATES ARE HURTING NOW. WE'RE SEEING DEPOPULATION OF RURAL COUNTIES AND HOSPITALS CLOSED DOWN AND NOT ENOUGH ATTENTION IS BEING PAID TO RURAL AMERICA. I'M NOT SURE THAT WE DON'T NEED CANDIDATES GOING OUT TO RURAL AMERICA MORE THAN THEY HAVE. THE BOTTOM LINE IS WHEN WE'VE HAD IN THE CASE OF BUSH AND TRUMP CANDIDATES WINNING, BECOMING PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND NOT WINNING THE POPULAR VOTE, IT IS SOMETHING I THINK YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT. >> THANK YOU. ADAM: THE NEXT COMES FROM SOCIAL MEDIA, WHY DOES THE SENATOR THINK ANY VIOLATING THE LAWS OF THE LAND STILL ENJOYS OF PRIVILEGE OF CASTING VOTES IN THE LAND? BERNIE: IT'S NOT A PRIVILEGE, IT'S A RIGHT. AND WHAT I WORRY ABOUT RIGHT NOW IS YOU HAVE REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY INCLUDING THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR HERE WHO IS TRYING TO SUPPRESS THE VOTE. NOW, I BELIEVE THAT IN A DEMOCRACY, WE HAVE TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO VOTE. I WANT MORE PEOPLE TO VOTE AND NOT FEWER PEOPLE TO VOTE. I BELIEVE IT'S NOT A QUESTION WHETHER YOU'RE A NICE PERSON OR SMART PERSON OR GOOD PERSON, ARE YOU AN AMERICAN CITIZEN? IF YOU'RE AN AMERICAN CITIZEN, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE. AND WHAT WE ARE SEEING NOW IS COWARDLY REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE OF COLOR WHO MIGHT VOTE AGAINST THEM DON'T VOTE AND YOUNG PEOPLE DON'T VOTE, POOR PEOPLE DON'T VOTE. AND WE END UP HAVING ONE OF THE LOWER VOTER TURNOUT RATES OF ANY MAJOR COUNTRY ON EARTH. SO I HAPPEN TO BELIEVE THAT THE CRITERIA FOR VOTING IS NOT WHETHER YOU'RE GOOD OR BAD BUT WHETHER YOU'RE 18 YEARS OF AGE AND AN AMERICAN CITIZEN AND THEN YOU CAST YOUR VOTE FOR ALL PEOPLE. ADAM: NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM TERENCE. TERENCE: THANK FOR YOU JOINING US. AS A LEGAL IMMIGRANT WHO IS NOW PROUDLY A U.S. CITIZEN, I UNDERSTAND COMING TO THE UNITED STATES AND BEING PART OF THE AMERICAN DREAM. WELL, THAT BEING WELL SAID, I UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. AND THE CHALLENGES THAT THOSE WHO ARE HERE ILLEGALLY FACE. IF YOU'RE PRESIDENT, HOW WOULD YOU SUPPORT THAT POPULATION? BERNIE: LET ME MENTION THAT I'M THE SON OF AN IMMIGRANT. MY FATHER CAME TO THIS COUNTRY WITHOUT A NICKEL IN HIS POCKET, NEVER MADE MUCH MONEY BUT HE CAME FROM POLAND AT THE AGE OF 17 AND BECAME THE PROUDEST AMERICAN THAT YOU EVER SAW BECAUSE THIS COUNTRY ENABLED HIM TO RAISE TWO KIDS AND AT LEAST WITH THE WORKING CLASS STANDARD OF LIVING. I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF IMMIGRANTS, AND I AM DISGUSTED, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, BY THE DEMONIZATION THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP IS -- THE KIND OF DEMONIZATION OF UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE THAT HE IS NOW WORKING ON EVERY SINGLE DAY. THAT'S WHAT DEMAGOGUES DO. YOU PICK ON THE MINORITY GROUP AND DEMONIZE THEM. I HAPPEN TO BELIEVE WE MOVE TOWARDS COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM AND A PATH TOWARDS CITIZENSHIP AND I BELIEVE WE SHOULD IMMEDIATELY PROVIDE LEGAL STATUS TO THE 1.8 MILLION YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE DACA PROGRAM AND I ALSO BELIEVE WE HAVE TO TREAT IN A HUMANE WAY PEOPLE SEEKING ASYLUM AT THE OURN BORDER AND THAT AMERICAN SHOULD NOT BE ABOUT SNATCHING BABIES FROM THE ARMS OF THEIR MOTHERS. SO COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM, A PATH TOWARDS CITIZENSHIP. ADAM: A QUICK FOLLOW-UP, WHAT DO YOU PROPOSE TO DO WITH THE FAMILIES THAT DO COME TO THE BORDER. WE HAD A SEPARATION UNDER BARACK OBAMA. BERNIE: YOU NEED MORE JOURNALS TO DEAL WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE ARE ELIGIBLE FOR ASYLUM AND WE'RE NOT DOING THAT. WE SHOULD BE DOING THAT. ADAM: NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM BENJAMIN. BENJAMIN: I'VE ALWAYS BEEN TOLD TO GO TO COLLEGE AND GET A DEGREE BECAUSE THAT WOULD HELP ME LATER ON IN LIFE. HOWEVER, THE COST OF COLLEGE AND HIGH AMOUNTS OF STUDENT LOANS ARE STAGGERING. WHAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR LOWERING COLLEGE TUITION AND STUDENT LOANS AND HOW WILL YOU PAY FOR IT? BERNIE: THANK YOU, BENJAMIN, FOR ASKING A QUESTION ON THE MIND OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE YOUR AGE AND SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE OLDER THAN YOU ARE. AND THIS SPEAKS -- I'M GOING TO GET TO BENJAMIN'S QUESTION IN A SECOND. THIS SPEAKS TO NATIONAL PRIORITIES. HOW MANY PEOPLE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE OR AMERICA THINK WE SHOULD GIVE A TRILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS IN TAX BREAKS TO THE RICHEST 1% AND LARGE PROFITABLE CORPORATIONS AND THEN TELL KIDS LIKE BENJAMIN THAT WHEN THEY LEAVE SCHOOL YOU'LL HAVE TO BE PAYING OFF A DEBT OF $50,000 OR $100,000 FOR THE NEXT 20 OR 30 YEARS MAY NOT ENABLE YOU TO GET MARE IYED AND HAVE KIDS -- MARRIED AND HAVE KIDS AND BUY A CAR. THAT'S CRAZY. WHAT BENJAMIN IS TALKING ABOUT IS CHANGING OUR NATIONAL PRIORITIES AND MAYBE -- I KNOW THIS IS A RADICAL IDEA, DEVELOPING POLICY IN WASHINGTON THAT WORKS FOR WORKING FAMILIES AND NOT JUST THE WEALTHIEST PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY. OK. SO YOU ASKED ME SOME OF THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS. FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, WHAT I SAID, AND IT WOULD SEEM TO BE THEN A VERY RADICAL IDEA BUT NOT SUCH A RADICAL IDEA TODAY. WHAT I SAID IS FOR A START THAT EVERY YOUNG PERSON, NOT ONLY YOUNG PERSON BUT EVERY PERSON IN THIS COUNTRY WHO WANTS TO PURSUE A HIGHER EDUCATION SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT REGARDLESS OF THEIR INCOME. THAT K-12 IN TERMS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH IN THE MODERN ECONOMY. SO ISSUE NUMBER ONE. PUBLIC COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TUITION FREE. NUMBER TWO, WE JUST RELEASED LAST WEEK A TAX ON WALL STREET, A PROPOSAL TO TAX WALL STREET SPECULATION. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BAILED OUT WALL STREET 10 YEARS AGO AND IT IS TIME FOR WALL STREET WHO IS MAKING ENORMOUS PROFITS TODAY TO START HELPING THE MIDDLE CLASS. THAT TAX WOULD PAY FOR MAKING PUBLIC COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TUITION-FREE AND VERY, VERY SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCING STUDENT DEBT IN THIS COUNTRY. SO THAT'S THE ANSWER. ADAM: NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM CAROLYN. CAROLYN: MANY PEOPLE UNDER 65 DO NOT REALIZE WE DO PAY FOR MEDICARE. SO YOUR MEDICARE FOR ALL PLAN, I PAY A PREMIUM OUT OF MY SOCIAL SECURITY AND I PAY PREMIUM FOR MY PART D DRUG AND I ALSO OPT TO TAKE THE SUPPLEMENT AND PAY A THIRD PREMIUM. MEDICARE FOR ALL UNDER YOUR PLAN, WOULD ANY OF MY COSTS BE ELIMINATED? BERNIE: YES, ALL OF IT WOULD. THANKS VERY MUCH FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION. I HAVE PRESIDENT TRUMP ATTACKING ME EVERY DAY ON THIS ISSUE. LET'S BE CLEAR. WE ARE THE ONLY MAJOR COUNTRY ON EARTH THAT DOES NOT GUARANTEE HEALTH CARE TO ALL PEOPLE AS A HUMAN RIGHT. IF YOU GO TO CANADA YOU HAVE HEART SURGERY, DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH YOU PAY FOR THAT HOSPITAL BILL? ZERO. THAT'S WHAT YOU PAY. AND YOU GO TO ANY DOCTOR YOU WANT TO AND ANY HOSPITAL YOU WANT TO, IT'S FREEDOM OF CHOICE AND YET WE END UP SPENDING TWICE AS MUCH PER PERSON ON HEALTH CARE AS DO THE PEOPLE IN CANADA. YOUR POINT IS A VERY INTERESTING POINT BUT NOT DISCUSSED ENOUGH. AND THAT IS PEOPLE SAY WELL, I HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE BUT YOU MAY HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE BUT YOU'RE STILL PAYING A FORTUNE OUT OF YOUR OWN POCKET IN TERMS OF PREMIUMS, IN TERMS OF DEDUCTIBLES AND IN TERMS OF CO-PAYMENTS. WE ELIMINATE THAT. AND BY THE WAY, FOR PEOPLE 65 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER, MEDICARE IS A GOOD PROGRAM, DOES IT COVER DENTAL CARE? NO, IT DOESN'T. DOES DOES IT COVER HEARING AIDS? NO, IT DOESN'T. DOES IT COVER EYEGLASSES? NO, IT DOESN'T. WE EXPAND IT. THAT'S ALL GREAT, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PAY FOR IT? WE PAY FOR IT STARTING WITH THE ASSUMPTION WE'RE SPENDING TWICE AS MUCH PER PERSON ON HEALTH CARE AS DO THE PEOPLE OF ANY OTHER COUNTRY AND WE PAY FOR IT IN A PROGRESSIVE MANNER THAT WILL SAVE THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ON THEIR HEALTH CARE BILLS. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, MEDICARE FOR ALL WILL PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE TO ALL PEOPLE WITHOUT DEDUCTIBLES AND WITHOUT CO-PAYMENTS AND IF YOU THINK THAT'S TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE IT EXISTS IN MANY OTHER COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE HAVE NOT YET DONE WHAT CANADA AND OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE DONE IS THE INCREDIBLE POWER OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY AND THE INSURANCE COMPANIES. ALL RIGHT. YOU DIDN'T ASK ME ABOUT THE COST OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. WHY DO YOU THINK WE PAY TWICE AS MUCH FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS A THE PEOPLE OF ANY OTHER COUNTRY? LAST YEAR THE TOP 10 DRUG COMPANIES MADE $69 BILLION IN PROFIT AND ONE OUT OF FIVE AMERICANS CAN'T AFFORD THE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS THEIR DOCTORS PRESCRIBE. THESE ARE VERY POWERFUL ENTITIES. THE INSURANCE COMPANIES HAVE UNLIMITED AMOUNTS OF MONEY AS THEY RIP OFF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND SO DO THE INSURANCE COMPANIES. BUT I THINK WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IS THAT HEALTH CARE IS A HUMAN RIGHT, THAT ALL PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET THE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS THEY NEED WITHOUT BEING RIPPED OFF AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ON THE DRUG COMPANIES AND TAKE ON THE INSURANCE COMPANIES AND HERE ON WMUR YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'LL SEE? A LOT OF 30-SECOND ADS ATTACKING BERNIE SANDERS AS A TERRIBLE HUMAN BEING BECAUSE THESE GUYS LOVE THE STATUS QUO. C.E.O.'S GET HUGE COMPENSATION PACKAGES, THESE GUYS MAKE BILLIONS. THE TIME IS NOW TO FINALLY SAY HEALTH CARE IS A HUMAN RIGHT. EVERYBODY SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET THE HEALTH CARE THEY NEED WITHOUT THOSE DEDUCTIBLES AND WITHOUT THOSE CO-PAMES. LONG ANSWER BUT IT'S IMPORTANT. ADAM: WE HAVE TWO MINUTES LEFT FOR TELEVISION AND WE HAVE GAIL WITH THE LAST QUESTION. GAIL: SENATOR, IT'S AN HONOR. ONE ISSUE I HAVE NOT HEARD CANDIDATES ADDRESS AND THAT IS WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE, WILL MY VOTE COUNT? BERNIE: YOU'RE AFRAID OF CYBERWARFARE AND MANIPULATION? YEAH. WE LIVE IN CRAZY -- WE STARTED THIS DISCUSSION BY SAYING THAT KIDS ARE NERVOUS ABOUT GOING TO SCHOOL AND WE'RE ENDING THIS DISCUSSION HERE BY SAYING YOU'RE NERVOUS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT YOUR VOTE IS GOING TO BE COUNTED. AND ALL I CAN SAY IS YES, THE RUSSIANS DID INTERFERE IN THE ELECTION IN 2016. NO, WE HAVE NOT BEEN AS VIGOROUS AS WE SHOULD. WE'RE MAKING SOME PROGRESS. BUT THE BASIC -- WE HAVE GOT TO DO MORE IN TERMS OF CYBERSECURITY AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT ELSE I THINK WE SHOULD BE DOING. I THINK YOU SHOULD BE HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND VERMONT, WE DO IT IN MY CITY, YOU SHOULD BE VOTING WITH PAPER BALLOTS THAT CAN BE TRACKED, OK. THAT WE HAVE A REPORT OF HOW YOU IN FACT VOTED. I DO GET A LITTLE NERVOUS WHEN EVERYTHING IS DONE BY COMPUTERS AND MAY NOT BE ABLE -- AND THOSE COMPUTERS COULD BE HACKED. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT IMPORTANT QUESTION. AND YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE STRUGGLING FOR IS A DEMOCRACY WHERE YOUR VOTE ACTUALLY COUNTS AND WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO ON THAT. ADAM: THANK YOU, GAIL. REALLY QUICK, 20 SECONDS OR SO, WHAT WERE YOU GOING TO DO AGAINST RUSSIA, SANCTION MORE? BERNIE: LOOK, IF RUSSIA IS ATTACKING AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND NOT JUST AMERICAN DEMOCRACY, THEY'RE DOING THIS ALL OVER THE WORLD, THAT IS AN ACT OF WARFARE. AND INSTEAD OF SEEING PUTIN AS TRUMP'S BEST FRIEND, WE HAVE GOT TO TELL HIM THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE AND THERE WILL BE VERY SEVERE REPERCUSSIONS. ADAM: THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON TELEVISION. THE CONVERSATION WILL CONTINUE ONLINE OR MOBILE APP. JOIN US THERE. NEXT WEEK WE'LL HAVE SENATOR BENNET JOINING US. UNTIL THEN HAVE A GREAT NIGHT AND DO JOIN US ONLINE AND AN OUR MOB

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