Chuck Todd to Bernie Sanders: Have Dems ‘Done Enough’ to ‘Stop’ Tax Reform?

NBC News’ “Meet the Press” host, Chuck Todd, appeared on Sunday to take sides: In particular, he asked Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) if he thought Democrats had “done enough” to “stop” the GOP’s tax reform bill , which is moving toward final passage.

“I know you’re not a fan of this bill at all. OK. I know where you believe the priorities are all wrong,” Todd said to Sanders. “[Has] the Democratic Party collectively done enough, you think, in the institutions of the House and the Senate, to stop this bill?”

In response to the question, Sanders complained that the tax bill “is about nothing more than a gift to billionaire campaign contributors to the Republican Party” — without directly answering or addressing Todd’s point.

“This is not a tax bill designed to help the American people. It is a tax bill designed to help the wealthiest people in this country and the largest corporations,” Sanders said. “And I’m going to do everything I can to see that it is defeated.”

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Sanders, a Vermont independent who caucuses with Senate Democrats, blasted Republican congressional leaders for the “absurdities of this whole process” that allowed the Senate to pass its version of the House bill.

But Todd expressed concern that the legislation could pass — and pressed Sanders for concrete details of the Democratic Party’s strategy to kill the tax reform bill.

“I understand that. But what’s realistic?” Todd asked. “I mean, you don’t have the votes. Is it trying to find one more Republican … or where are you on this?”

Related: Did Jeff Flake Vote for the Tax Bill Only to Help Illegal Immigrants?

Sanders noted key GOP senators still have concerns about the measure, including Sens. Bob Corker (Tenn.), Marco Rubio (Fla.), John McCain (Ariz.), and Susan Collins (Maine).

But Sanders offered nothing else on the Democrats’ strategy.

“What’s realistic?” Todd asked. “I mean, you don’t have the votes … “

“I would hope that the American people would say that at a time of massive income and wealth inequality, where the top one-tenth of 1 percent owns more wealth than the bottom 90 percent, why would we be giving massive tax breaks to people who don’t need it and then cut back on programs that middle-class people do need?” Sanders said.

PoliZette writer Kathryn Blackhurst can be reached at [email protected].