Many of my friends are socialists, though they don’t know it.
In an interview with NPR, Bernie Sanders stated:
“What I am trying to do in this campaign is to tell Americans what many of them don’t know. That the benefits for working people are a lot, lot stronger in many other countries around the world.”
The kind of socialism Bernie Sanders supports is the “intelligent” form of Democratic socialism seen in Scandinavia and other countries in Europe. Those governments support paid sick leave, universal health care, and free higher education. It is not the communism of China or the former Soviet Union.
Bernie Sanders added:
“How many Americans know that in virtually every major industrialized country people are guaranteed vacation time, paid vacation time? That when you have a baby, moms and dads are guaranteed family leave?”
Bernie Sanders lays out his priorities on his website. These are some excerpts from Bernie Sanders’ website, expressing his beliefs and concerns:
On buying members of Congress:
“The reality is that for the past 40 years, Wall Street and the billionaire class has rigged the rules to redistribute wealth and income to the wealthiest and most powerful people of this country.
“Our democracy is under fierce attack. Billionaire families are now able to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to buy the candidates of their choice. These people own most of the economy. Now they want to own our government as well.
On racial injustice:
“African Americans are twice as likely to be arrested and almost four times as likely to experience the use of force during encounters with the police.
“We are far from eradicating racism in this country. In June, nine of our fellow Americans were murdered while praying in a historic church because of the color of their skin. This violence fills us with outrage, disgust, and a deep, deep sadness. Today in America, if you are black, you can be killed for getting a pack of Skittles during a basketball game. These hateful acts of violence amount to acts of terror. They are perpetrated by extremists who want to intimidate and terrorize black and brown people in this country.”
On income inequality:
“Millions of Americans are working for totally inadequate wages. We must ensure that no full-time worker lives in poverty. The current federal minimum wage is starvation pay and must become a living wage. We must increase it to $15 an hour over the next several years.
“We must also establish equal pay for women. It’s unconscionable that women earn less than men for performing the same work.”
On climate change:
“The United States must lead the world in tackling climate change, if we are to make certain that this planet is habitable for our children and grandchildren. We must transform our energy system away from polluting fossil fuels, and towards energy efficiency and sustainability.”
Bernie Sanders has not run from the label “democratic socialist” even as he surges in his race for president.
Featured image via Flickr
