Bernie Sanders began to unravel his 'democratic socialist' views in Iowa yesterday.

The independent, who became a Democrat to run for president, contended at an Iowa City house party yesterday that basic, government-provided services such as police and fire squads are 'socialist institutions' and the social safety net is composed of 'socialist programs.'

'When you go to your public library, when you call your Fire Department or the Police Department, what do you think you’re calling?' Sanders said, according to the New York Times. 'These are socialist institutions.'

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Bernie Sanders began to unravel his 'democratic socialist' views in Iowa yesterday. 'To me, democratic socialism means democracy,' Sanders explained. 'It means creating a government that represents all of us, not just the wealthiest people in this country'

'To me, democratic socialism means democracy,' Sanders explained. 'It means creating a government that represents all of us, not just the wealthiest people in this country.'

Social Security, Medicare - those are based in socialism, he said.

'I will remind the American people that there are socialist programs out there that are some of the most popular programs in America.'

Sanders says he would add to the patchwork of socialist programs already in existence. Paid family leave and paid medical leave top the list of new entitlement programs - expected to cost billions - the U.S. senator says he'd push for as president.

'We are the only major country that doesn’t provide family and medical paid leave,' he said Sunday. 'We’re the only major country that doesn’t provide health care to all people. Our tax system is extremely regressive.'

Those are the issues he says he will explain in the context of his democratic socialist views in a major policy speech at a yet-to-be disclosed place and time.

'I think we have some explaining and work to do,' he acknowledged, according to the Washington Post.

'Democratic socialism,' he admitted, makes people 'very, very nervous.'

'When you go to your public library, when you call your Fire Department or the Police Department, what do you think you’re calling?' Sanders said. 'These are socialist institutions'

As Sanders rises in the polls, more focus is being placed on his atypical political ideology, which he has yet to fully explain.

He rails against big banks and the billionaires. He wants free college tuition for all. He thinks every dime of income should be taxed, and he openly admits he doesn't support unbridled capitalism.

'Do I consider myself part of the casino capitalist process by which so few have so much and so many have so little by which Wall Street's greed and recklessness wrecked this economy? No, I don't,' he said last Tuesday in Last Vegas at the first showdown between Democrats seeking the presidency.

But, Sanders says he's not against the private ownership of business.

'I think everybody is in agreement that we are a great entrepreneurial nation. We have got to encourage that,' he told Democratic rival Hillary Clinton during the debate. 'Of course, we have to support small and medium-sized businesses.'

At the same time, he said, 'we have to make sure that every family in this country gets a fair shake.

Clinton has a double-digit lead over Sanders in the race for the presidency.

In Iowa, where he seemed to be closing the gap over the summer, Sanders is nearly 12 points behind Clinton, on average.

A CNN post-debate poll released this morning has Clinton - who is perceived as the winner of last week's debate by two-thirds of registered Democrats - at 45 percent nationally and Sanders at 29 percent.

She's seen as stronger on the economy by similar percentages of Democrats and crosses the 50 percent threshold when it comes to healthcare. Sanders comes closest to her on the issue of income inequality, where she leads by five points, 43- 38 percent.

In Iowa, where he seemed to be closing the gap over the summer, Sanders is nearly 12 points behind Hillary Clinton, on average. Voters says they are still learning about him, though, and many don't know what to think of the atypical politician yet

Voters say they are still learning about Sanders, though, and many don't know what to think of him yet.

Among registered voters Sanders is viewed as favorably as Clinton, the survey found. She's liked by 43 percent of voters. He's viewed positively by 42 percent.

Clinton's unfavorable ratings are 22 points higher than Sanders, but no one told poll-takers they were unfamiliar the former first lady and cabinet official.

She scored poorly with 52 percent of registered voters. A mere three percent said they had no opinion of her.

Sanders, on the other hand, was disliked by 30 percent of voters in the same pool, was unknown to 17 percent and 10 percent offered up no opinion on him at all.