Exploring another side of Sen. Bernie Sander’s becoming US President (and the economy doesn’t collapse!)
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYY2T8tssv0[/embedyt] In this interview I heard recently (shared below) I understood most clearly that Bernie’s policies wouldn’t bankrupt the US as he pursues free health care, free college and living wages for all. I’ll admit that I’m a free market advocate and libertarian who hates crony capitalism and doesn’t believe our government can solve most problems US citizens ask it to. One of my degrees is in Economics. There are far too many awesome social programs the US has invested in that haven’t yielded the results we were going for. I don’t trust the US Government to solve problems and find they often make more problems, especially nation-building through military actions. And there isn’t enough honesty and objectivity imo about where we’ve failed to achieve goals. (An interview related to that is here) As a staunch pro-peace advocate, in this interview one of his staffers explains that Bernie would restrict military spending, adding up to enough to keep us safe (defensively, while offering the “Defense” department less money to play with off for offensive nation building) and also improve the well being of those who need help, re-deploying the tax monies already in the US system. I’ve definitely heard that if Bernie were President, tax rates for the higher income brackets would sky rocket… sorry that I don’t know if he has said that or not. But it isn’t what’s touched on in this interview. I approached this podcast with an open mind, and learned some things. And I like to learn things (smile). You may enjoy this, too. And if you are already a Bernie lover, but others don’t seem to get it, maybe they’ll hear this like I did and think more deeply and see more clearly what Bernie is actually intending (sharing links of this post are on side or below for your convenience). Because if this interview podcast shared below is sincere, Bernie’s actual plans are being wildly mis-characterized by all major media outlets… And if the Military Industrial Complex is as powerful as I think it is, I can easily see why the established power players who help people get elected, would not want him in the White House, or anywhere near it. It makes me curious about voting for Bernie for President, knowing that he wouldn’t use the Executive Order power for military conflict. And, if his ideas were too crazy and too far left from the mainstream, then his proposals won’t get through the Congress (our balance of powers at work). We don’t elect Kings. We elect Presidents and their ideas matter. But, the President often doesn’t get what they want. President’s platforms that got them elected often don’t materialize; just like Obama wasn’t able to close down Guantanamo, even though that was a campaign point he used when running for election. Therefore, for those concerned about Bernie, if he did start pushing the US too far towards socialism then the constitution allows and/or the Congress will support, then his budget won’t get passed and his more socialist plans won’t come to be. I understand international relations are very complex issues. Neither political side has been able to put to bed what we started in 1990. I do recommend watching the Eisenhower’s warning about the Military Industrial Complex here. I observe both Democrats and Republicans actively going along with use of military force, and with over confidence. How many times have we heard from the US since 199o that “this will be easy. We will be in and out.” And we are still there, with no signs of ever fully leaving… Sanders could be a breath of fresh air on that point alone. Matt Taibbi and Katie Halper Interview Ro Khanna on their Useful Idiots Podcast video here
(I like the podcast and listen to it often. Their ability to thoughtfully criticize both the right and the left in a single setting is refreshing (albeit biased towards Bernie, but, again, for their own well thought out reasons).)
Offered with love, Jill Related Articles: JRF Explores the 2008 Mortgage Lending Crisis (Scam) and Resulting Bank Failures JRF Explores Troll Behavior, Manufactured Drama and Voter Manipulation
Given all the media pushback against Bernie Sanders’ “socialism,” it’s important to understand what socialism is and how it differs from democratic socialism. Democratic socialism is widely (and successfully) practiced in Europe today and is closer to what Bernie Sanders advocates. To that end, I recommend the following:
https://ips-dc.org/whos-afraid-of-socialism/?emci=c8df309a-544f-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&emdi=cfa9fd96-554f-ea11-a94c-00155d039e74&ceid=3899705 — “The sobering truth is that all political systems are capable of either great violence or social uplift. That’s why we need resilient social movements, whatever system we use — and why we’re poorly served by propaganda from any corner.”
https://ips-dc.org/understanding-socialism-and-democratic-socialism-today/ — A conversation between two leading Black intellectuals about socialist elements in activist movements here in the U.S., particularly Black activism, and how they relate to preserving/reclaiming culture and community. James Early is the Director of Cultural Studies and Communication at the Center for Folklife Programs and Cultural Studies at the Smithsonian Institution and a board member at the Institute for Policy Studies. E. Ethelbert Miller is a poet and former board chair of the Institute for Policy Studies.
Love to all,
Deb