"Well, so long as we know what democratic socialism is. And if we know that in countries, in Scandinavia, like Denmark, Norway, Sweden, they are very democratic countries, obviously. The voter turnout is a lot higher than it is in the United States. In those countries, health care is the right of all people. And in those countries, college education, graduate school is free."
Stephanopoulos suggested that Republicans would likely jump all over him for saying the US should be like Scandinavia. Sanders replied:
"That's right. And what's wrong with that? What's wrong when you have more income and wealth equality? What's wrong when they have a stronger middle class in many ways than we do, higher minimum wage than we do, and they are stronger on the environment than we do?"
The problem, however, that many of the so-called "content" Swedish are not so content as many dislike the extremely high taxation which would be a foundational reality for any country who purposely establishes itself as a welfare state, (ie, sharing the wealth and income equality). And, if there ever was a thing called "income equality" it's existence was for a very short time. There's always someone or some group who finds a way to increase their own spending budget.
