US Person wishes to comment on last night's Second Democratic Debate:
- The theme of last night's debate was piling on the progressive wing of the party represented by Sanders and Warren. They successfully defended their progressive proposals from attacks by lesser, centrist candidates. At one point, Senator Warren pointedly asked one critic, why he bothered running for President if all he was going to do was tell people why we cannot have a progressive policy agenda;
- Bernie has to do a better job of explaining why it is necessary to do away with private health issuers. Warren was better on this point. The answer is basically because America has tried the corporate for profit system and it is broken. Keeping it will not solve the fundamental problems with health care as a profitable commodity. The paradigm must shift to health care as a social good to which every citizen is entitled. If union members have good insurance, Medicare for All will be better because it is comprehensive, universal, provides more choice, and is less expensive overall;
- Yes, Senator Sanders "wrote the damn bill", but how will he pay for it? Discussion in the next rounds needs to be focused on fiscal issues. Warren's proposed wealth tax may be problematic, but there are less problematic ways of raising more revenue to pay for universal health care, student loan forgiveness, free public college education, etc. Doing away with the preferential capital gains tax that benefits mostly the rich is a good idea. Removing the income cap on FICA taxes is a direct way to secure the social security system against future insolvency. Sanders' idea for a transaction tax on financial speculation is a good one, but there should also be a luxury excise tax--easier to enforce than a wealth tax--on consumption items such as multiple homes, yachts, airplanes, collectible cars, art, and jewels. Raising the top income tax brackets and reconstituting the estate tax are also possibilities. And it goes without saying, reduce the enormous war machine budget by at least 20%.
- Ms Williamson's emotional identification of root inequality issues in our sick society had an impact. She emphasized the need for structural change, not half measures;
- Socialism is no longer evil, and Sanders can beat the fraud occupying the Very White House even as a self-proclaimed democratic socialist. The fact is that capitalism has failed to generate an equitable, compassionate society. So-called 'pragmatic' status quo candidates like Biden, Harris and their corporate backers must be blamed for that failure;
- Guns, especially military assault weapons, are the problem;
- More emphasis needs to be made on getting big money out of elections and identifying those Democratic politicians who depend on corporate contributions. US Person noted well the advertisement during the debate and outed by Bernie, of pharmaceutical companies "defending innovation" Translation: no social medicine is acceptable to those billion dollar profit makers, and they will use their money to insure Medicare for All never arrives;
- Several candidates said Obama wanted a public option--not true. {08/07/09} Obama did not insist on a public option, instead submitting to intense lobbying as the Senate prepared to vote on the Affordable Care Act. Former Obama healthcare advisor, Andy Slavitt had close ties to the world largest health insurer, United Health. Obamacare effectively cut off the challenge presented to profit medicine by the public option;
- Timidity is not the way to win this election. The people who wanted the change promised by Obama did not get it. Sanders and his grass roots movement have to deliver the goods. To accomplish ambitious goals, a Democratic Congress sans the current filibuster rule will be necessary, but being willing to fight for policies you believe in is just as important. Sanders has been doing that since his days as a young socialist in Brooklyn.
As the field whittles down and more time becomes available to competitive candidates,
US Person looks forward to more content than just sound bytes.
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| credit: Getty Images |
