The only avowed socialist in the race for president told Anna Marie Cox that it’s time for socialism to be imposed on America.
Bernie Sanders thinks that income inequality and widespread poverty are reasons to give socialism a chance.
What is your elevator pitch for socialism?
My elevator pitch is that the United States has a grotesque level of income and wealth inequality where the top one-tenth of 1 percent owns almost as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent, where almost 20 percent of our children are living in poverty, 40 percent of African-American children are living in poverty. We are moving rapidly toward an oligarchic form of society where a small number of families control not only the economy but our political system as well. It is imperative that we develop a strong political movement that says to the billionaire class they cannot have it all.
A recent poll showed that Americans are more willing to vote for a Muslim or an atheist for president than a socialist. Do you think you could take back the word ‘‘socialism’’ and keep it from being what it is right now, which is almost a nasty word?
Actually, what surprised me about that poll was, given the negative publicity that the word ‘‘socialism’’ has, that — what was the number of the people who were prepared to vote for a socialist?
It was in the high 40s.
Yeah. Well, that’s pretty good, and it’ll get higher.
That’s entirely possible because most Americans are totally ignorant of the definition of socialism and Democrats are very good at hiding its true meaning. Instead, Democrats have found a way to make the issue “fairness” rather than “opportunity” – something they used to be known for but have abandoned because it’s easier to build resentment and win elections if you tell the voters life isn’t fair.
But beyond that, you will note that all Democratic candidates who talk about “income inequality” fail to mention just how they’re going to go about fixing it. They are extremely short on specifics beyond raising taxes on the rich.
Unfortunately, even if taxes are raised on high income Americans to excruciating levels – some have suggested 95% on incomes over $1 million – that’s just a drop in the bucket as far as addressing inequality of wealth. Most of the wealth in this country is tied up in stocks, bonds, and real property – trillions of dollars. What Democrats won’t tell you is that to make a dent in the problem of income inequality, at least some of that property will need to be siezed – probably a lot of it – and given in the form of benefits to the poor. It won’t be a “tax.” It will be called an “assessment” or some other innocuous word that will make a government wealth grab sound palatable.
And it won’t just be the super rich who will be affected. As long as incomes remain stagnant for the middle class, the bar will be lowered for those whose property will be in danger.
I’d say the media should press Democrats on their specific plans to address income inequality, but we all know better. They’s just as eager as the Dems in going after the rich and cutting them down to size.
