Poll: Most Dems Admit Free College and Healthcare are Socialist

ashley.rae | May 6, 2016
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Most Democrats admit free college tuition and free healthcare are socialist programs.

A new Economist/YouGov poll conducted from April 22-26 asked 2,000 Americans whether they believe certain major government policies constitute socialism. The poll found 55 percent of Democrats, including 60 percent of likely Democratic voters, believe free college tuition is socialist.

Clinton and Sanders both support forms of free college tuition. While Clinton advocates for free community college, Sanders supports free tuition for all public colleges and universities.

The poll shows 54 percent of Hillary Clinton supporters and 67 percent of Bernie Sanders supporters claim free tuition is socialist.

Asked whether “free healthcare for all” is an example of socialism, 60 percent of Democrats, and 63 percent of likely Democratic voters, said free healthcare is socialist.

Clinton supports a “public option,” while Sanders supports a single-payer universal “Medicare for all” policy.

The poll shows 56 percent of Clinton supporters and 71 percent of Sanders supporters think “free healthcare for all” is socialist.

The results come as 47 percent of Democrats, and 53 percent of likely Democratic primary voters, say they have a “favorable” view of socialism. Fewer Clinton supporters (45 percent) had a “favorable” view of socialism than Sanders supporters (69 percent).

The Economist/YouGov poll was conducted via Web-based interviews and has a margin of error of ± 2.8% (adjusted for weighting).

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