A lot of people feel Bernie Sanders could never win an election for President; however, he did something Tuesday (May 19th) that, to me, is probably the most intelligent and savvy move we’ve seen yet in the game of politics. So, I have to disagree.
He did a Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) open forum. Reddit is a social media forum that is?actually huge and much more informative than Facebook and Twitter put together. It’s actually overwhelming (at least for me). With 169 million monthly visits (unique), the potential that Reddit has is endless.
Basically, he reached out to the young people of America and answered their questions online. So,?anyone in the country could ask him a question?and get a direct response about anything. That includes science, economics, military, foreign affairs, etc. Hell, I imagine someone could ask him what his favorite color was. There were 12,100 comments in total between participants and Sen. Sanders in the forum. There was that much discussion. Compare that with Senator Ted Cruz who swears that net neutrality is a bad thing. This is what I’ve been going on about. We need discussion. We need interaction between the people and the candidates and more importantly between us as individuals.?
I found out too late about the Reddit AMA session sadly. Despite the disappointment, I’ve looked through the forum, and I’m going to share 16 of the 22 Q&As below so you can see how Senator Sanders reached the people in Reddit AMA style.
Enjoy! #Bernie2016
1. Redditor CarrollQuigley asked Sanders what he felt was the “single best way” for the every day American to get the attention of their representatives. Also, the user asked what?could we do to stop the TPA, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the TTIP, and TISA.
Sen. Sanders:
“Thank you. I believe that the TPP is a disastrous agreement and I am working as hard as I can to see it defeated. One of the reasons that the middle class of this country is disappearing is because we have lost some 60,000 factories since 2001 and millions of good-paying manufacturing jobs. We need trade agreements that protect and benefit working families, not just the CEOs of large corporations.
In terms of getting the attention of elected officials, writing letters and emails as well as phoning is very important. But, what is even more important is grassroots organizing. Putting together a meeting of 100 people about an issue and inviting that elected official to that meeting to hear comments would be a huge step forward in making politicians aware that you know what’s going on and that you want your concerns addressed. I have done hundreds of town meetings as an elected official and urge citizens to organize them as fast as they can.”
2. User denibir asked?what his thoughts were on electoral reform and whether he would support a single transferable voting system for Congress that would “allow smaller parties to compete.” The user also asked what his thoughts were on?reforming or doing away with the Electoral College.
Sen. Sanders:
“The major issue in terms of our electoral system is truly campaign finance reform. Right now, we are at a moment in history where the Koch brothers and other billionaires are in the process of buying politicians and elections. We need to overturn Citizens United with a constitutional amendment. We need to pass disclosure legislation. We need to move toward public funding of elections. We also have got to see an increased federal role in the outrageous gerrymandering that Republican states have created and in voter suppression. These are the main issues that I’ll be tackling in the coming months.”
3. User PaulWebster90 asked?what his first dispositions would be if he won the presidency.
Sen. Sanders:
“My first effort would be to rally the American people to demand that Congress pass a progressive agenda which reverses the decline of our middle class. We have got to create millions of decent-paying jobs rebuilding our infrastructure, we’ve got to raise the minimum wage to a living wage, we’ve got to overturn this disastrous Citizens United Supreme Court decision and we have to transform our energy system in order to protect us from climate change. If the American people are politically active and demand that Congress act on their behalf, we can accomplish those goals and much more.”
4. User Afrisker asked?what his opinion was on possible?military operations in the Middle East against ISIS or Bashar Asad in Syria.
Sen. Sanders:
“I voted against the war in Iraq and I voted against the first Gulf War. I am strongly opposed to sending American combat troops into Iraq and Syria. At the end of the day, the war against ISIS will only be won when the Muslim countries in the area fully engage and defeat ISIS and other groups that are distorting what Islam is supposed to be about. The United States and other western countries should be supportive of the efforts of those governments, but cannot lead them. The nightmare, which I believe a number of Republicans want to see, is perpetual warfare in the quagmire of the Middle East.”
5. ?User?MirKvant asked what his plans?were to keep America “competitive with the rest of the world.” The user also asked what he would do to improve scientific literacy in the country.
Sen. Sanders:
“As the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, I share your concern very deeply. The recently-passed Republican budget makes massive cuts in almost every governmental agency, including those engaged in our scientific research. This is a disaster. If we are going to address the major health issues facing our society — Alzheimer’s, diabetes, cancer, etc. — we need to invest more in research and develop the best research centers in the world.”
6. User GavinraraFonara asked?what he thought about the necessity of wiretapping Americans for national security reasons.
Sen. Sanders:
“I voted against the USA Patriot Act and voted against reauthorizing the USA Patriot Act. Obviously, terrorism is a serious threat to this country and we must do everything that we can to prevent attacks here and around the world. I believe strongly that we can protect our people without undermining our constitutional rights and I worry very very much about the huge attacks on privacy that we have seen in recent years — both from the government and from the private sector. I worry that we are moving toward an Orwellian society and this is something I will oppose as vigorously as I can.”
7. User sambogina, a medical student, estimated that they will accrue $232,000 dollars in student debt by the time they finish med school. Though they know their career will be high paying, they acknowledge that others are not so lucky (I owe $12,000 dollars, and I’m a writer for instance). With all this information, the user?asked?Sen. Sanders what would happen to?individuals?who would have already possessed student debt by the time any legislation made it through.
Simplified: What would happen to people like me (with $12,000 dollars in debt) after 2016 if any such legislation was passed?
Sen. Sanders:
“Great question. Our legislation not only would make tuition free at public colleges and universities, it would also cut student debt in half. It is absurd that millions of college graduates today are carrying debts of $50,000, $60,000, $100,000 or more. Our legislation deals with the issue of student debt in a very significant way.”
8. User littlenicky174, a political science student, asked?what he felt could really be achieved with an increasing corporate influence in politics. They also asked how could we go about having a discussion with Americans who have a “knee-jerk reaction” to social democracy ideals.
Sen. Sanders:
“Excellent questions. You are right. People in general and young people in particular are increasingly alienated and disillusioned with the political process. The middle class is disappearing, the rich get richer, young people cannot afford college, the crisis of climate change is ignored, and Congress continues on its merry way paying attention to the needs of billionaires and multinational corporations. The truth is that we are in a very difficult political moment. But despair of giving up is just not an option. I would not be doing what I am doing if I did not believe that this country could provide health care to all as a right; that we could lead the world in transforming our energy system and dealing with climate change; that we could make education affordable for all. My strong belief is that it is imperative that we maintain our vision of what American can be, and that we fight hard to make that happen. DO NOT GIVE UP.”
Here’s a screenshot of a few comments by readers after his answer that I find extremely significant.
9. User Askew123 asked that, despite being very consistent in his political beliefs, what is a “notable topic” he has changed his opinion on and why.
Sen. Sanders:
“Thank you for the good question. I believe I have been consistent throughout my political life in terms of my basic values and what I stand for. Obviously, when you are a United States senator working in a conservative environment, you often have to do the best that you can within the circumstances that you find yourself. Two particular examples: last year, I helped write the most comprehensive veterans legislation passed in many years. Trust me, I had to change my position on very important aspects of veterans’ health care in order to get it passed. In terms of health care, I am an advocate of a Medicare-for-all single-payer program. I voted for the Affordable Care Act, not because I think it is the end place as to where we should be, but because I was able to get a major provision in it that greatly expanded primary health care — which is helping many millions of people today. So the bottom line is that you have to stick by your values but when you’re in an elected position, especially when you’re in a conservative Congress, now and then you’re going to have to compromise.”
10. User Cicatricks asked?Sen. Sanders what his feelings were?on NASA as he has voted to decrease spending three times on space exploration and NASA.
Sen. Sanders:
“I am supportive of NASA not only because of the excitement of space exploration, but because of all the additional side benefits we receive from research in that area. Sometimes, and frankly I don’t remember all of those votes, one is put in a position of having to make very very difficult choices about whether you vote to provide food for hungry kids or health care for people who have none and other programs. But, in general, I do support increasing funding for NASA.”
11. User Stack0verf10w asked?what his stance was on Universal Basic Income (UBI) and?if in favor, how did he see the US progressing?towards having a UBI. If against, the user asked what other alternatives could he think of.
Sen. Sanders:
“So long as you have Republicans in control of the House and the Senate, and so long as you have a Congress dominated by big money, I can guarantee you that the discussion about universal basic income is going to go nowhere in a hurry. But, if we can develop a strong grassroots movement which says that every man, woman and child in this country is entitled to a minimum standard of living — is entitled to health care, is entitled to education, is entitled to housing — then we can succeed. We are living in the richest country in the history of the world, yet we have the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major country and millions of people are struggling to put food on the table. It is my absolute conviction that everyone in this country deserves a minimum standard of living and we’ve got to go forward in the fight to make that happen.”
12. User ImLivingAmongYou asked what Sen. Sanders felt would have to be done as more Americans became unemployed because of automation replacing humans.
Sen. Sanders:
“Very important question. There is no question but that automation and robotics reduce the number of workers needed to produce products. On the other hand, there is a massive amount of work that needs to be done in this country. Our infrastructure is crumbling and we can create millions of decent-paying jobs rebuilding our roads, bridges, rail system, airports, levees, dams, etc. Further, we have enormous shortages in terms of highly-qualified pre-school educators and teachers. We need more doctors, nurses, dentists and medical personnel if we are going to provide high-quality care to all of our people. But, in direct response to the question, increased productivity should not punish the average worker, which is why we have to move toward universal health care, making higher education available to all, a social safety net which is strong and a tax system which is progressive.”
13. User BEEPBOPIAMAROBOT asked?what?he felt he could realistically accomplish in a first term as President that the 18-30 age bracket could get excited about.
Sanders:
“The answer is that everything depends upon the kind of strong grassroots movement that we can develop. If we do not have tens of millions of people actively involved in the political process, there is very little that any president can do because of the power of big money over the political and economic process. So what I have said time and time again is that we need a political revolution in this country, which means that 80 percent. of the people vote, not 40 percent, and which means that people demand that Congress represent the middle class and working families of this country and not just the billionaire class.”
14. User Nitroxium asked?if he approved of the current handling of the relationship with Latin America and if he thought there was any way of having a more mutually beneficial relationship. Nitroxium also asked how he felt about the DNC only scheduling six debates for the primaries and if that would be enough to get the issues out there.
Sen. Sanders:
“Great question. Given the fact that Latin America is our next-door neighbor, I have been very distressed about the lack of attention that we have paid to Latin America. I applaud President Obama’s effort to normalize relations with Cuba, a country which I have visited on several occasions. But I think much more can be done to bring the United States and Latin America closer and to improve relationships with a continent that faces many economic and social problems.
No I don’t think six debates are enough and we will be interacting with the DNC to try to create a situation where we have as many debates as possible. There are huge issues facing our country. Candidates are entitled to different points of view. The American people need to hear a serious discussion on these issues, so I hope there will be far more debates than what the DNC has proposed.”
15. The founder and moderator of /r/SandersForPresident, Vermonty_Python, asked?what, as a community, is the single best way our passion, creativity, and energy can help the cause.
Sen. Sanders:
“Thank you very much for your support. And we look forward to your ideas as to how we can run the most effective grassroots campaign possible. Certainly one of the areas that redditors can help on is in making sure that young people throughout this country understand the importance of politics and government. It is an American tragedy that in the last election, about 80 percent of young people did not vote. That is exactly what the ruling class of this country wants and we have got to change it. So mobilizing, educating and organizing young people is very much at the top of my agenda.”
16. User ynmidk asked?what his position was regarding the war on drugs.
“Let me just say this — the state of Vermont voted to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana and I support that. I have supported the use of medical marijuana. And when I was mayor of Burlington, in a city with a large population, I can tell you very few people were arrested for smoking marijuana. Our police had more important things to do.
Colorado has led the effort toward legalizing marijuana and I’m going to watch very closely to see the pluses and minuses of what they have done. I will have more to say about this issue within the coming months.”
