SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS IS THE 2020 DEMOCRATIC FRONTRUNNER
Among Announced Candidates In The 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary, Sanders Leads The Pack By 10 Points
The Real Clear Politics Polling Average Shows That Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) Is Leading The Field Of Announced Democrats Running For The Democratic Nomination For President With 22 Percent Of The Vote. ("2020 Democratic Presidential Nomination," Real Clear Politics , Accessed 3/14/19)
In A CBS Interview Following His 2020 Campaign Announcement, Sanders Said All Of His Ideas From 2016, Including "Medicare-for-all, Raising The Minimum Wage To $15 An Hour, Making Public Colleges And Universities Tuition-Free," Have Become The Political Mainstream." SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS: "What I am very proud of, in a sense this campaign, John, is a continuation of what we did in 2016. You will recall, you may recall that in 2016 many of the ideas that I talked about, Medicare-for-all, raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, making public colleges and universities tuition-free, all of those ideas people were saying, oh Bernie, they're so radical, they are extreme, the American people just won't accept those ideas. Well, you know what's happened that over three years, all of those ideas and many more are now part of the political mainstream." (CBS' " This Morning," 2/19/19)
- When Asked If The Democratic Party Has Shifted Leftward To His Ideas, Sanders Said "I Think Most People Would Say That." CBS' JOHN DICKERSON: "So you're saying the party came your way?" SANDERS: "Well, I don't want to say that, I think most people would say that." (CBS' " This Morning ," 2/19/19)
UNSURPRISINGLY, A LOOK INTO SANDERS' RECORD FROM THE 1970S REVEALS EXTREME SOCIALIST POLICIES AND RADICAL POLITICAL TIES
In The 1970s, Sanders Ran For Multiple Offices Under The Banner Of The Left-Wing And "Radical" Liberty Union Party In Vermont
Sanders Ran For Governor Of Vermont In 1972 And 1976 And For The United States Senate In 1972 And 1974 As A Member Of The Left-Wing Liberty Union Party. "After moving to Vermont in 1968 several years after graduating college, Sanders became an active member of the left-wing Liberty Union Party. Under the Liberty Union banner, Sanders, then in his early 30s, ran for governor of Vermont in 1972 and 1976 and as a candidate for US Senate in 1972 and 1974." (Andrew Kaczynski and Nathan McDermott, "Bernie Sanders In The 1970s Urged Nationalization Of Most Major Industries," CNN , 3/14/19)
Sanders Also Served As The Chairman Of The Liberty Union Party From 1973 To 1975. "Sanders, also served as chairman of the party from 1973-1975." (Andrew Kaczynski and Nathan McDermott, "Bernie Sanders In The 1970s Urged Nationalization Of Most Major Industries," CNN , 3/14/19)
Sanders Eventually Left The Party In 1977 Due To Lack Of Action Within The Party And Said The Function Of This "Radical Political Party" Was To Help Workers "Take Power In A Reasonably Short Time." "Sanders left the Liberty Union Party in 1977, over what he said was the party's lack of activity between elections. Sanders said in his farewell that workers would need to take control for the country to be sustained. 'The function of a radical political party is very simple,' he said. 'It is to create a situation in which the ordinary working people take what rightfully belongs to them. Nobody can predict the future of the workers' movement in this country or the state of Vermont. It is my opinion, however, that if workers do not take power in a reasonably short time this country will not have a future.'" (Andrew Kaczynski and Nathan McDermott, "Bernie Sanders In The 1970s Urged Nationalization Of Most Major Industries," CNN , 3/14/19)
While He Was A Leading Member Of This "Radical Political Party," Sanders Called For The Nationalization Of Most Major U.S. Industries
As Chairman Of The Liberty Union Party, Sanders Called For The Nationalization Of The "Entire Energy Industry." "In 1973, during his time as chairman of the Liberty Union Party, Sanders took to a Vermont paper to oppose Richard Nixon's energy policy and oil industry profits, calling for the entire energy industry to be nationalized." (Andrew Kaczynski and Nathan McDermott, "Bernie Sanders In The 1970s Urged Nationalization Of Most Major Industries," CNN , 3/14/19)
During His First Senate Campaign In 1971, He Said State Utilities Should Be Run On A Non-Profit Basis By The State Of Vermont. "When he launched his first campaign for the Senate in 1971, Sanders said state utilities needed to be run by the state of Vermont on a nonprofit basis and that if revenues exceed expenditures they could be used to fund government programs and lower property taxes." (Andrew Kaczynski and Nathan McDermott, "Bernie Sanders In The 1970s Urged Nationalization Of Most Major Industries," CNN , 3/14/19)
- Sanders Went Further In 1976, Calling For "Public Ownership Of Vermont's Private Electric Companies Without Compensation To The Banks And Wealthy Stockholders" And Public Ownership Of The Telephone Company. "'I will be campaigning in support of the Liberty Union utility proposal which calls for the public ownership of Vermont's private electric companies without compensation to the banks and wealthy stockholders who own the vast majority of stock in these companies,' he said in a July 1976 press release. 'I will also be calling for public ownership of the telephone company -- which is probably the single greatest rip-off company in America.'" (Andrew Kaczynski and Nathan McDermott, "Bernie Sanders In The 1970s Urged Nationalization Of Most Major Industries," CNN , 3/14/19)
- Sanders Believed The Utility Companies Were Engaged In "Economic Blackmail" And His Views Went Beyond The Calls Of The Liberty Union Party For A Public Takeover Of State Utilities. "Sanders argued utility companies engaged in 'economic blackmail,' saying the state gave the companies the right to charge 'outrageous' rates for utilities or have consumers suffer from poor service. Sanders' comments went beyond the Liberty Union's proposal for public takeover of state utilities, which said investors and bondholders with more than 100 shares would have to convert their holding to non-voting stock and income bonds which carry no fixed claim to dividends or interest payments." (Andrew Kaczynski and Nathan McDermott, "Bernie Sanders In The 1970s Urged Nationalization Of Most Major Industries," CNN , 3/14/19)
In A 1976 Press Release, Sanders Said Business Should Get Permission From Workers And Residents To Relocate From A City And Businesses Would Have To Pay Two Years Of Severance For Workers And Ten Years Of Taxes To The City If They Do Not Get Permission. "'We have got to begin to deal with the fact that corporations do not have the god-given right to disrupt the lives of their workers or the economic foundation of their towns simply because they wish to move elsewhere to earn a higher rate of profit,' Sanders said in a press release in August 1976. Sanders' plan would require large businesses attempting to leave cities to get permission from the towns and the workers in them. If the company did not get that approval they would be required by law to pay a guaranteed two years of severance for workers and 10 years of taxes for the town." (Andrew Kaczynski and Nathan McDermott, "Bernie Sanders In The 1970s Urged Nationalization Of Most Major Industries," CNN , 3/14/19)
Sanders' Campaign Literature From 1976 Said "Major Industries In This State And Nation Should Be Publicly Owned And Controlled By The Workers Themselves." "Campaign literature that year from Sanders, including a 1976 brochure for the party, said, 'I believe that, in the long run, major industries in this state and nation should be publicly owned and controlled by the workers themselves.'" (Andrew Kaczynski and Nathan McDermott, "Bernie Sanders In The 1970s Urged Nationalization Of Most Major Industries," CNN , 3/14/19)
- Sanders Believed That Legislation Should "Bring About The Public Ownership Of The Major Means Of Production And Their Conversion Into Worker-Controlled Enterprises." "Nationally, Sanders said, legislation corporations leaving cities would have to be dealt with by turning the means of production over to the workers. 'In the long run, the problem of the fleeing corporations must be dealt with on the national level by legislation which will bring about the public ownership of the major means of production and their conversion into worker-controlled enterprises,' he said." (Andrew Kaczynski and Nathan McDermott, "Bernie Sanders In The 1970s Urged Nationalization Of Most Major Industries," CNN , 3/14/19)
Sanders Called For "Public Control Over Capital" And It Is "Not Tolerable" That A "Handful Of People Sitting At The Head Of The Main Banks" Controls The Destiny Of Vermont. "'There is a handful of people sitting at the head of the main banks controlling the destiny of underprivileged nations, the country as well as Vermont's economy,' Sanders said. 'That is not tolerable. That control cannot be held by them. We need public control over capital; and the capital must be put to use for public need not for the advancement of those who made the investments.'" (Andrew Kaczynski and Nathan McDermott, "Bernie Sanders In The 1970s Urged Nationalization Of Most Major Industries," CNN , 3/14/19)
- Sanders Called For Vermont's Banking Laws To Be "Radically" Revised And Said The State And The Public Should "Determine In What Manner Our Savings Are Invested." "Sanders called that year in a policy paper for Vermont's banking laws to be 'radically' revised, so that the public and the state 'determine in what manner our savings are invested so as to make Vermont a better place to live.'" (Andrew Kaczynski and Nathan McDermott, "Bernie Sanders In The 1970s Urged Nationalization Of Most Major Industries," CNN , 3/14/19)
Sanders Explicitly Said He Believes In "Socialized Medicine, Public Ownership Of The Drug Companies And Placing Doctors On Salaries." "Asked about healthcare, Sanders said there would need to be publicly-controlled drug companies. 'I believe in socialized medicine, public ownership of the drug companies and placing doctors on salaries. The idea that millionaires can make money by selling poor people drugs that they desperately need for highly inflated prices disgusts me,' he said." (Andrew Kaczynski and Nathan McDermott, "Bernie Sanders In The 1970s Urged Nationalization Of Most Major Industries," CNN , 3/14/19)
In 1974, Sanders Called For Making It Illegal To Earn More Than $1 Million Annually, Believed That "Nobody Should Earn More Than A Million Dollars," And Would Tax Income At 100% Over This Amount. "During his 1974 Senate run, Sanders said one plan to expand government included making it illegal to gain more wealth than person could spend in a lifetime and have a 100% tax on incomes above this level. (Sanders defined this as $1 million dollars annually). 'Nobody should earn more than a million dollars,' Sanders said." (Andrew Kaczynski and Nathan McDermott, "Bernie Sanders In The 1970s Urged Nationalization Of Most Major Industries," CNN , 3/14/19)
SINCE THE 1980'S, SANDERS HAS BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR COMMUNIST REGIMES
Since At Least 1985, Sanders Has Defended Fidel Castro's Rule In Cuba
In A Video From 1985, Sanders Said That "Everybody Was Totally Convinced That Castro Was The Worst Guy In The World" And "Forgot That [Castro] Educated Their Kids, Gave Their Kids Healthcare, Totally Transformed The Society." "Clinton's remarks followed the debate moderators screening a 1985 video - first reported by Buzzfeed - of Sanders praising Castro. 'Everybody was totally convinced that Castro was the worst guy in the world,' Sanders says in the archival video. 'All the Cuban people were going to rise up in rebellion against Fidel Castro. They forgot that he educated their kids, gave them healthcare, totally transformed the society.'" (Jonathan Swan, "Sanders Defends Past Praise Of Fidel Castro," The Hill , 3/9/16)
- When Later Asked About The Comments, Sanders Simply Referred To His Original Comments Without Any Clarification. "Asked whether he regretted those sentiments, Sanders's campaign pointed to his original comments, offering no new clarity on the matter." (Sean Sullivan, "Sanders Could Face More Scrutiny For Socialist Leanings," The Washington Post , 2/26/19)
Speaking At The University Of Vermont In 1986, Sanders Said He Was Excited To Watch Castro "Rising Up Against The Ugly Rich People" And Recalled Feeling Sick When Watching President John F. Kennedy Speak Out Against Communism In Cuba. "Video: @BernieSanders, University of Vermont, 1986, recalls his excitement watching Castro's revolution 'rising up against the ugly rich people.' & his sick feeling watching JFK speak out against communism in Cuba. Also bashes the @nytimes for lying about communism." (The Reagan Battalion, Twitter Feed , 2/21/19)
Sanders Has Been Called A "Long-Time Admirer Of Fidel Castro And What He Has Done For The Cuban People" And He "Very Much" Wanted To Meet Castro. "An editorial in the Daily Herald later called Sanders 'a long-time admirer of Fidel Castro and what he has done for the Cuban people and dismissed suggestions about rampant U.S. misery as 'anti-American propaganda.' Before the trip, the paper had noted, 'Sanders said he would like very much to meet Fidel Castro but did not know if that would happen.'" (Patricia Mazzei, "Bernie Sanders Traveled To Communist Cuba And Urges A 'Political Revolution.' Will Exile Miami Take Him Seriously?," The Miami Herald , 2/29/16)
After Visiting Cuba During His Tenure As Mayor Of Burlington, Vermont, Sanders Called Castro's Cuban Revolution "Far Deeper And More Profound Than I Had Understood It To Be." "The small-town U.S. mayor flew to Cuba for an eight-day visit with his wife, back when those trips were rare. The year was 1989. The goal was to meet Fidel Castro. No meeting took place. The American had to make do with the mayor of Havana instead. He returned home calling the Cuban revolution 'far deeper and more profound than I had understood it to be.' He represented the town of Burlington, Vermont. His name was Bernie Sanders." (Patricia Mazzei, "Bernie Sanders Traveled To Communist Cuba And Urges A 'Political Revolution.' Will Exile Miami Take Him Seriously?," The Miami Herald , 2/29/16)
SANDERS' POLICY PLATFORM, THAT MANY DEMOCRATS ARE ADOPTING, REFLECTS HIS RADICAL SOCIALIST IDEAS
Sanders Has Pushed For A Single Payer Healthcare System That Would Cause "Pain" And Cost An Estimates $32 Trillion
In 2017, Sanders Introduced Bill S.1804 - Medicare for All Act of 2017, Which Was Also Co-Sponsored By Senators Booker, Gillibrand, Harris, And Warren. ("S.1804 - Medicare for All Act of 2017," Congress , 9/13/17)
During The Interview With CNN's Chris Cuomo, Sanders Said "'There Will Be Pain' And Some People Will Lose Jobs If His Plan For Single-Payer Healthcare Is Implemented." "In an interview with CNN's Chris Cuomo, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) acknowledged 'there will be pain' and some people will lose jobs if his plan for single-payer healthcare is implemented." (Ian Schwartz, "Bernie Sanders on Cost Of Single Payer Health Care: 'There Will Be Pain,'" Real Clear Politics , 6/9/18)
Sanders Added That People In The Healthcare Industry Will Just Have To "Deal With That Pain." "'There will be a transition just as the same way to transform our energy system away from fossil fuel. We create more jobs but there will be pain and you got to deal with that pain,' Sanders said about costs and people in the healthcare industry who will lose their jobs." (Ian Schwartz, "Bernie Sanders on Cost Of Single Payer Health Care: 'There Will Be Pain,'" Real Clear Politics , 6/9/18)
A Number Of Co-Sponsors Are Now Running For President, Including Senators Kamala Harris (D-CA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), And Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). "Even more telling is the number of potential 2020 contenders who have decided to get on board with the plan. Sens. Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand, Cory Booker, and Elizabeth Warren each took turns at the podium Wednesday extolling the virtues of socialized health insurance." (Jordan Weissmann, "Bernie Sanders' Big Single-Payer Proposal Skips Over The Hardest Thing About Single-Payer," Slate , 9/13/17)
The Urban Institute's Health Policy Center Estimated Sanders' Health Care Plan Would Cost $32 Trillion Over Ten Years. "In total, federal spending would increase by about $2.5 trillion (257.6 percent) in 2017. Federal expenditures would increase by about $32.0 trillion (232.7 percent) between 2017 and 2026..[.]" (John Holahan, et al., "The Sanders Single-Payer HealthCare Plan," The Urban Institute , Accessed 9/20/17)
The Mercatus Center Found That Sanders' Current Single-Payer Plan Would Add Approximately $32.6 Trillion To The Federal Budget During The First Ten Years Of Implementation . "M4A would add approximately $32.6 trillion to federal budget commitments during the first 10 years of its implementation (2022-2031)." (Charles Blahous, "The Costs Of A National Single-Payer Healthcare System," The Mercatus Center , 7/30/18)
Sanders Joined Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) In Championing Her Green New Deal, Which Would Cost Trillions To Implement
On February, 7, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), And Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) Introduced A Framework Defining Their Goals For A Green New Deal. "Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., think they have a start to a solution. Thursday they are introducing a framework defining what they call a 'Green New Deal' - what they foresee as a massive policy package that would remake the U.S. economy and, they hope, eliminate all U.S. carbon emissions. That's a really big - potentially impossibly big - undertaking." (Danielle Kurtzleben, "Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Releases Green New Deal Outline," NPR , 2/7/19)
In Response To The Bill's Announcement, Sanders Tweeted That He Is "Proud To Be An Original Co-Sponsor Of The Green New Deal Proposal." "I am proud to be an original co-sponsor of the Green New Deal proposal. We must address the existential crisis of planetary climate change, while at the same time creating millions of good-paying jobs in our country." (Bernie Sanders, Twitter Feed , 2/8/19)
Senators Kamala Harris (D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), And Bernie Sanders (I-VT) Have Cosponsored The Green New Deal. ( S.R. 59 , Introduced 2/7/19)
Estimates Of The Cost Of The Green New Deal Are As High As $93 Trillion. "The so-called Green New Deal may tally between $51 trillion and $93 trillion over 10-years, concludes American Action Forum, which is run by Douglas Holtz-Eakin, who directed the non-partisan CBO from from 2003 to 2005." (Ari Natter, "Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Green New Deal Could Cost $93 Trillion, Group Says," Bloomberg, 2/25/19)
Sanders Announced A Federal "Jobs Guarantee" Program That Would Provide All Americans A Job At A Cost To The Taxpayer
In April 2018, It Was Announced That Sanders Would Introduce Legislation That Would Require The Federal Government To Guarantee A Job Paying $15 An Hour With Healthcare Benefits For American Workers Who "Want[ed] Or Need[ed] One." "Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) will announce a plan for the federal government to guarantee a job paying $15 an hour and health-care benefits to every American worker 'who wants or needs one,' embracing the kind of large-scale government works project that Democrats have shied away from in recent decades." (Jeff Stein, "Bernie Sanders To Announce Plan To Guarantee Every American A Job," The Washington Post , 4/23/18)
- Sanders' Jobs Guarantee Would Provide Americans A Job Through The Various Deficiencies In The Job Sector And Provide Job Training For Those That Need It In Order To Perform The Specific Job. "Sanders's jobs guarantee would fund hundreds of projects throughout the United States aimed at addressing priorities such as infrastructure, care giving, the environment, education and other goals. Under the job guarantee, every American would be entitled to a job under one of these projects or receive job training to be able to do so, according to an early draft of the proposal." (Jeff Stein, "Bernie Sanders To Announce Plan To Guarantee Every American A Job," The Washington Post , 4/23/18)
Support Of The Plan Has Gained Momentum From Other Possible "2020 Contenders" Such As Gillibrand And Booker. "The Vermont senator joins two other possible 2020 contenders, Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), who have also expressed support for similar proposals in recent weeks." (John Bowden, "Sen. Sanders To Announce Proposal Promising Jobs To All Americans," The Hill , 4/24/18)
According To An Estimate From The Liberal Center Of American Progress (CAP), An Expanded Public Employment Program With A $15 Per Hour Minimum Wage Could Cost Nearly $158 Billion. "Such an expanded public employment program could, for example, have a target of maintaining the employment rate for prime-age workers without a bachelor's degree at the 2000 level of 79 percent. Currently, this would require the creation of 4.4 million jobs. At a living wage-which we can approximate as $15 per hour plus the cost of contributions to Social Security and Medicare via payroll taxes-the direct cost of each job would be approximately $36,000 annually. Thus, a rough estimate of the costs of this employment program would be about $158 billion in the current year." (Brendan Duke, et. all, "Toward A Marshall Plan For America," Center For American Progress , 5/16/17)
An Estimate From The Center On Budget And Policy Priorities Estimated The Cost Of A Job Guarantee Program To Be $543 Billion Annually. (William Darity Jr, Darrick Hamilton and Mark Paul, "The Federal Job Guarantee - A Policy To Achieve Permanent Full Employment," Center On Budget And Policy Priorities , 3/9/18)
Sanders Introduced Legislation That Would "Eliminate Tuition" At An Enormous And Unsustainable Cost
In April 2017, Sanders Introduced Legislation That Would Establish Free College Tuition For Students And Families. "Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) introduced legislation Monday to make public colleges and universities tuition-free for working families and to significantly reduce student debt." (Press Release, "College For All Act Introduced," Sen. Bernie Sanders , 4/3/17, p. 1)
- The Legislation Would Eliminate Tuition And Fees At Four-Year Public Colleges And Universities For Families Making Up To $125,000 And Make Community College Free For All. "The legislation would eliminate tuition and fees at four-year public colleges and universities for families making up to $125,000 - about 80 percent of the population - and make community college tuition- and fee-free for all." (Press Release, "College for All Act Introduced," Sen. Bernie Sanders , 4/3/17)
The College-For-All Act Currently Has Seven Co-Sponsors Including Senators Harris, Warren And Gillibrand. ("S.806 - College For All Act Of 2017," Congress.gov , Accessed 8/14/17)
According To An Estimate By The Tax Policy Center, Sanders' Bill Could Cost The Federal Government $807 Billion Over The Next 10 Years. "We estimate that federal spending under the program, net of reductions in education tax credits, would increase by $807 billion over 10 years." (Len Burman, Gordon Mermin and Frank Sammartino, "An Analysis Of Senator Bernie Sanders's Tax And Transfer Proposals," Tax Policy Center , 5/9/16, p.2)
The Estimate Relied On The Assumption That College Attendance Would Not Increase, Students Would Not Switch From Private To Public Colleges And That Public College And Universities Would Not Increase Tuition. "This estimate relies on three important assumptions: (1) college attendance would not increase, (2) students would not switch from private to public colleges, and (3) public colleges and universities would not increase tuition." (Len Burman, Gordon Mermin and Frank Sammartino, "An Analysis Of Senator Bernie Sanders's Tax And Transfer Proposals," Tax Policy Center , 5/9/16, p2.)
- However, If Those Conditions Did Not Hold "Federal Costs Could Be Significantly Higher." "Federal costs could be significantly higher if those assumptions do not hold." (Len Burman, Gordon Mermin and Frank Sammartino, "An Analysis Of Senator Bernie Sanders's Tax And Transfer Proposals," Tax Policy Center , 5/9/16, p2.)
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