- With the Midterms approaching, Bernie Sanders has a message for Democrats: focus on the economy.
- In a new opinion piece, Sanders said Democrats should “blame Republicans for the crooks they are.”
- He said it’s time to do things like make health care more affordable and reintroduce the child tax credit.
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With the midterm elections looming — and the current razor-thin Democrat majority at risk — Bernie Sanders has one piece of advice: Fix the economy.
In an op-ed for the Guardian, Sanders writes that the country has been plagued by “structural economic crises” for decades. He said it’s time for Democrats to confront Republicans with them — “and expose their anti-working class views on the most pressing issues facing ordinary Americans.”
That means pushing for things like extending the $300 child tax credit, increasing Social Security benefits, introducing paid vacations, raising the minimum wage, higher taxes for the ultra-rich, and more affordable health care. By supporting policies that address injustice and giving Americans more economic support, “the Democrats must stand with the working class of this country and expose the Republicans for the swindlers they are.”
Many of these measures have made it into Democratic bills, only to be rejected by key centrists in their party. However, as Sanders notes, no Republican has been willing to back things like a $15 minimum wage or 12 weeks of paid family leave.
“The list goes on: childcare, housing, home health care, college affordability. On each of these enormously important issues, the Republican Party has virtually nothing to say to address the desperate needs of low- and middle-income Americans,” writes Sanders. “And what they suggest will usually make a bad situation worse.”
It’s not a new perspective for Sanders, who has warned Democrats could face a tough 2022 if they don’t throw their support behind the resurgent labor movement and working class. He again pointed to growing wealth inequality and profit-driven inflation.
However, his latest comments come after the Biden administration made unexpectedly large economic moves, passed anti-inflation legislation and announced forgiveness of up to $20,000 in student debt for some borrowers. As reported by Insider’s Walt Hickey, Biden experienced a huge upswing in the polls in late August when this economic policy was announced. And Biden’s recent moves on marijuana could also prove to be an economic boon for Americans with federal marijuana crimes — and winning politics on the vote.
However, Sanders’ urging of Democrats for more aggressive economic policies – which he says is not radical, just “extremely popular” – still faces a major obstacle: other Democrats.
Senator Joe Manchin pushed back on paid leave and the child tax credit. Senator Kyrsten Sinema memorably voted down the $15 minimum wage and steadily increased tax increases for the wealthy. Both have opposed larger and more far-reaching economic proposals, with the smaller inflation-reducing law accommodating Manchin’s desire to reduce the deficit. Sinema successfully preserved provisions that benefited wealthy investors when Democrats passed that legislation.
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