Bernie Sanders in 1995: A Brutal Assessment of Bill Clinton’s First 2 Years as President
Consistency is generally one of Bernie's strong points as a candidate, and much of his criticism of the current liberal establishment is the same now as it was decades ago. What it important to keep in mind is that many of the same issues he is attempting to address now are problems that were exacerbated massively during Bill Clinton's administration, and that this happened as a result of policies that Hillary Clinton worked tirelessly to promote.
From In These Times:
Written in January 1995, this never-before-published-online article by then-Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) assesses the first two years of Bill Clinton's presidency, taking Clinton to task for not pushing hard enough for progressive goals including raising the minimum wage and economic stimulus spending. Sanders explains why, under Clinton, there was “virtually no organized and effective opposition to the American ruling class,” and criticizes the former president for his focus on welfare reform, crime and free trade as ways to “placate corporate America.”
Clinton and his party depend on corporate money and the support of wealthy donors, so it shouldn't surprise us that he would want to placate corporate America with NAFTA, GATT and special trade status for China. We should not be surprised that the president has refused to lead the effort for real campaign finance reform. And we should not be surprised that his health care initiative, which finally placed the American health care crisis at the top of the national agenda, was in fact developed and supported by the largest health insurance companies in the country.
If you read the full article (and I encourage you to do so), you will see that Bernie also sets forth a number of key policy proposals that he felt progressives needed to get behind. See if these seem familiar:
"We need to raise the minimum wage."
"The president should push for a serious economic stimulus/jobs program, progressively funded, to put Americans back to work rebuilding the physical and human infrastructure of our country."
"The administration must engage in a total rethinking of our disastrous trade policy, which has cost us millions of decent-paying manufacturing jobs"
"It's well past time to press Congress for significant decreases in military spending."
"Sweeping changes in labor law are desperately needed. Workers who wish to join unions must be allowed to do so."
"Progressive tax reform is also urgently required."
Full article here: http://inthesetimes.com/article/bernie-sanders-president-bill-clinton-1995
= new reply since forum marked as read
This show consistently good judgment
After Carter's presidency, decent man as he may be, the Democratic brand was damaged. Tough for some like Sanders to swallow, but it's the truth nonetheless.
Easy to criticize Bill and Obama when you are not president. Gays in the military and the push to pass his healthcare plan, cost the Democrats Congress. The ACA cost Democrats Congress too. Should either men have shirked their duties to the country? No, they went ahead with what they believed to be the right thing to do. For their efforts they, and their party, were punished by an angry electorate. It's easy for Sanders to always be the thorn on the side when he was safely ensconced in the House and then the Senate.
