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Yesterday, 2020 presidential candidate Bernie Sanders tore into the current healthcare system; the self-professed Democratic-socialist even went as far as to state that health insurance companies ought to be "eliminated" altogether.

Sanders on Healthcare in America

During an interview with MSNBC, Sanders explained why he believes private healthcare ought not to exist.

He delivered the following remarks on Tuesday:

"You are not going to be able, in the long run, to have cost-effective, universal health care unless you change the system; unless you get rid of the insurance companies, unless you stand up to the greed of the drug companies and lower prescription drug costs. That’s the only way that you can provide quality care to all people."

The Democratic-socialist furthermore doubled down on this commentary via Twitter:

https://twitter.com/BernieSanders/status/1110721463307456512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1110721463307456512&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthehill.com%2Fpolicy%2Fhealthcare%2F436033-sanders-youre-damn-right-health-insurance-companies-should-be-eliminated

The War on Private Healthcare

Bernie Sanders is not the first leftist to call for the end of private healthcare. He is also not the first presidential candidate to call for the end of private healthcare. Sen. Kamala Harris affirmed her support for the eradication of healthcare as we know it earlier this year.

In her own words:

"The idea is that everyone gets access to medical care, and you don't have to go through the process of going through an insurance company, having them give you approval, going through the paperwork, all of the delay that may require."

Both Sanders and Harris are fervent supporters of Medicare-For-All. This is a healthcare proposal which many conservatives have denounced as socialism. The leftist calls for ending private healthcare also come as the 2020 presidential election is right around the corner. Over the past few months, Democrats have attracted censure for what many Americans view as left-wing radicalism.

Medicare-For-All is a frequent source of criticism by the right-wing. Conservatives have noted that seemingly "free" care always comes with certain, notable pitfalls. The pitfalls in question include, but are not necessarily limited to longer waiting times and decreases in quality. Moreover, doing away with private healthcare would serve as disruptive to many Americans who rely upon it.

Is calling for the end of private healthcare in the best interest of the Democrats? Will this prove to be a winning strategy? Sanders seems to think so.

Only time will tell.