Bernie Sanders wants to lead "a political revolution" to make America more Scandinavian

"What's wrong with that?" he wondered.

Published May 4, 2015 1:47PM (EDT)

Independent presidential candidate Bernie Sanders appeared on ABC's "This Week" and told host George Stephanopoulos that he wants to lead "a political revolution" in America that would leaving it looking a lot like a Scandinavian country.

The Vermont senator struck a few familiar notes -- decrying the influence of billionaires like the Koch Brothers and Sheldon Adelson and wondering whether a candidate "who stands for working families [can] actually win an election" -- before singing the praises of the Scandinavian countries whose democracies function in a manner superior to America's.

"In countries like Denmark, Norway, Sweden -- very democratic countries -- voter turnout is a lot higher than it is in the United States," he said.

"In those countries, health care is the right of all people," Sanders added. "College education and graduate school is free. Retirement benefits [and] child care are stronger than the United States of America. In those countries, by and large, government works for ordinary people and the middle class, rather than, as is the case right now in our country, for the billionaire class."

Stephanopoulos replied with a smile, saying "I can hear the Republican attack ads right now: 'He wants America to look more like Scandinavia!'"

"What's wrong with that?" Sanders asked.

Watch the entire interview via ABC News below.


By Scott Eric Kaufman

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