The second Democrat debate is off and running, and early on Bernie Sanders expressed a desire to “help” the middle class with his “Medicare for All” plan. But he was asked a follow-up question:

Savannah Guthrie to Sen. Bernie Sanders: "Can I get a direct question? Will you raise taxes for the middle class in the Sanders administration?" #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/TnJ2ci3DxR — NBC News (@NBCNews) June 28, 2019

Sanders did admit that the “free” benefit that he called a “human right” wouldn’t actually be free:

Sanders says he's going to help the middle class by taking more money from the middle class. #DemDebate2 — Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) June 28, 2019

Democrat Bernie Sanders comes out promoting his socialist agenda, dodges answering whether Americans will have to pay more in taxes under his administration After being pressed again, Sanders admits Americans will have to pay more in taxes under his administration pic.twitter.com/t4AXjAD3og — Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) June 28, 2019

And we’re guessing that people wouldn’t love their taxes going way up for “free” health care that involves diminished quality and very long waits to see a doctor.

And we're off. Bernie Sanders just promised to raise taxes on the middle class. — Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) June 28, 2019

Hey, that approach worked out great for Walter Mondale in 1984. Wait, never mind.