- Joined
- Apr 14, 2008
- Messages
- 13,012
- Reaction score
- 5,741
- Location
- Huntsville, AL (USA)
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Moderate
I'm rather surprised at some of the responses I've read here considering how much I've read in this forum about how this country needs a third-party/Independent candidate to run in 2016. Granted, Sen. Sanders really didn't talk about anything new. President Obama's been talking about...
- income inequality (1% -vs- 99% / income disparity highest for Blacks compared to ANY OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC...Whites, Hispanics, women and even disabled workers!!! :shock: Per 2010 U.S. Census Report, "Income, Poverty, Health Insurance Coverage in the U.S.")
- climate change
- (universal/affordable) health care
- equal/civil/ rights (for LGBT/women's reproductive rights)
- equal pay for women
- access to affordable/free "public" post-secondary education (Note: Pres. Obama stops at free 2-year college access)
- reversing/repealing Citizen's United/campaign finance reform
- creating jobs through repairing our nation's infrastructure
- renewable energy
...since 2007.
About the only thing that may have caught some in his audience off guard was his honesty, particularly, where the income disparity is for Black Americans and noting how the interest rate on college student loans can't be changed below their "permanent" 8% rate like the rates can and do change for mortgage and auto loans (both of which I knew from authoring a book on financial literacy and reviewing the very government reports on poverty and income inequality Sen. Sanders likely references himself).
So, nothing he said surprised me, not even is progressive/socialist positions. I did find his honesty and defiance refreshing. Clearly, he's seen as the Ross Perot/Ron Paul of the 2016 presidential cycle, but like those so-called Independents who came before him he'll push the other candidates (moreso those on the Right than the Left) to step up their game.
- income inequality (1% -vs- 99% / income disparity highest for Blacks compared to ANY OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC...Whites, Hispanics, women and even disabled workers!!! :shock: Per 2010 U.S. Census Report, "Income, Poverty, Health Insurance Coverage in the U.S.")
- climate change
- (universal/affordable) health care
- equal/civil/ rights (for LGBT/women's reproductive rights)
- equal pay for women
- access to affordable/free "public" post-secondary education (Note: Pres. Obama stops at free 2-year college access)
- reversing/repealing Citizen's United/campaign finance reform
- creating jobs through repairing our nation's infrastructure
- renewable energy
...since 2007.
About the only thing that may have caught some in his audience off guard was his honesty, particularly, where the income disparity is for Black Americans and noting how the interest rate on college student loans can't be changed below their "permanent" 8% rate like the rates can and do change for mortgage and auto loans (both of which I knew from authoring a book on financial literacy and reviewing the very government reports on poverty and income inequality Sen. Sanders likely references himself).
So, nothing he said surprised me, not even is progressive/socialist positions. I did find his honesty and defiance refreshing. Clearly, he's seen as the Ross Perot/Ron Paul of the 2016 presidential cycle, but like those so-called Independents who came before him he'll push the other candidates (moreso those on the Right than the Left) to step up their game.