SIX RESPONSES TO BERNIE SKEPTICS

Robert B. Reich Explains How to Respond to Bernie Skeptics

Number 1: “He’d never beat Trump or Cruz in General Election.”

Well, that’s wrong. Latest Real Clear Politics- Poll Average of all polls shows that Bernie’s beating Trump by a larger margin than Hillary beats Trump and Bernie’s beating Cruz while Hillary loses to Cruz. Therefore, Bernie is the strongest Democratic candidate in the general election defeating both Donald Trump and Ted Cruz in hypothetical match ups.

Number 2: “Bernie couldn’t implement any of his ideas because Congress would reject them.”

Well, if both Houses of Congress remain in Republicans hands, no Democrat would be able to get much legislation through Congress and would have to rely instead on executive orders and regulations. However, there is a higher likelihood of kicking Republicans out if Bernie’s political revolution continues to surge throughout America bringing with it millions of young people and other voters and keeping them politically engaged.

Number 3: “America will never elect a socialist.”

America’s most beloved government programs are social insurance, social security, and Medicare. Highway is the shared social expenditure as is the military, and the public parks and schools. The real problem is that now we have excessive socialism for the rich that allows Wall Street subsidies for big companies, monopolization by big companies, and giant tax-deductible CEO pay packages. All of these, Bernie wants to end or prevent.

Number 4: “His single-payer health care proposal would cost so much that it would require raising taxes on middle class.”

This is a deceitful argument. Single-payer systems in other rich nations have proven cheaper than private for-profit health insurance. Because they don’t spend sums on advertising and marketing. So even if Sanders’ single-payer plan did require some higher taxes, Americans we still come out way ahead because they save far more than that on health insurance.

Number 5: “His plan for paying for colleges with a tax on Wall Street trade would mean that college would be run by government rules.”

Three quarters of college students today already attend public universities financed largely by state governments and they are not governed by government rules. The real problem is too many young people still can’t afford college education. The move towards free public higher education began years ago, but came to an abrupt stop in the 1980’s. We must restart it.

Number 6: “He’s too old.”

Well, that’s untrue. He’s in great health. Have you seen how agile and forceful he is as he campaigns around the country? He’s younger than the four of the nine supreme court justices. Anyway, the issue is not having age, but having the right values. Franklin D. Roosevelt was paralyzed. John F. Kennedy had Addison. They were great presidents because they fought adamantly for social and economic justice.

Watch Robert B. Reich's original video here: