Compiled by Caitlin Race
After losing the Democratic spot to Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is running again. He says “Our campaign is not only about defeating Donald Trump. Our campaign is about transforming our country and creating a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environmental justice.
Some of Sanders’ proposals included “Medicare-for-all” and a way to grant free college tuition across the country. In 2016, many said his ideas were too far fetched. Sanders said “Health care is a human right, not a privilege. This has to become the next social safety net.” His very top platforms are healthcare, education, and minimum wage.
When it comes to healthcare, Sanders had introduced a bill in 2017 allowing Medicare for All. The system was one where every American would be able to get healthcare through the government. Sanders has also joined other Democratic leaders who want to lower drug costs by encouraging imports to bring cheaper drugs from abroad. This would allow Medicare to negotiate prices easier.
Sanders tweeted “1 in 4 Americans skip treatment due to the cost. 1 in 5 can’t afford their medicine. 34 million are uninsured. And we still spend twice as much per capita on healthcare than any other county. #MedicareForAll is a moral and economic necessity… In the richest country in the world, when you are sick, you should be able to see a doctor. If your child needs to go to the hospital, you should not end up in bankruptcy. That is not a radical idea. It is an issue of basic justice. #MedicareForAll.”
One of the most controversial parts of his platform was surrounding education. In 2017, he had introduced a plan that would make community college tuition-free along with four-year universities of families who make under a certain amount. As well as loan forgiveness, he has pushed his agenda of education strongly. Sanders has always been a big promoter of the $15 per hour minimum wage. He’s pushed for big businesses such as Walmart and McDonald’s to do the same.
When the Republican tax plan passed in December of 2017, Sanders called it, according to CNBC, an “unnecessary boon to corporations and the wealthy.” Another thing Sanders recognizes as a big problem is Wall Street. In October, Sanders had introduced a bill that would break up banks such as J.P. Morgan Chase and Goldman Sachs. He believes that businesses with that much power are trouble.
A number of government officials don’t believe in climate change, but it’s something that Sanders feels strongly about it. He had endorsed a version of the Green New Deal, something other senators have done as well.
As of yesterday, the Sanders campaign has raised $18.2 million, with an average of nearly $444,000 per day. Senator Kamala Harris is directly behind with $12 million. Just twenty four hours after announcing his presidential bid, he had raised $6 million from 225,000 donors. That amount far surpassed his rivals directly after their announcements. Within those donations, 88% of the money came from those who gave $200 or less. Pete Buttigieg said that 64% of his donations were the same amount or less.
On April 22nd, Amy Klobuchar, Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Pete Buttigieg will be taking questions from college students while televised.