Opinion: Why Sanders should get your vote by Arthur Bradbury [View all]

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.fosters.com/article/20151124/NEWS/151129811

Posted Nov. 24, 2015 at 3:15 AM

This is in response to a letter from Walter Hamilton of Portsmouth on Saturday, Nov. 21.

Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders focuses on issues of income and wealth inequality, raising minimum wage, universal healthcare, reducing the burden of student debt, making public colleges and universities tuition-free by taxing financial transactions, and expanding Social Security benefits by eliminating the cap on the payroll tax on income above $250,000. He supports laws requiring companies to provide workers parental leave, sick leave, and vacation. He supports legislation making it easier for workers to join or form a union. Sanders advocates action to reverse global warming, investment in infrastructure, with "energy efficiency, sustainability" and job creation as prominent goals. He is opposed to the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Sanders has advocated more participation by citizens, campaign finance reform, overturn of Citizens United v. FEC. He denounced institutional racism, called to reduce the number of people in prison, advocates a crackdown on police brutality, supports abolishing private, for-profit prisons and the death penalty. Sanders supports legalizing marijuana at the federal level. He advocates comprehensive financial reforms, favors breaking up "too big to fail" financial institutions, and restoring Glass–Steagall legislation. Sanders opposed U.S. invasion of Iraq, has been critical of many policies instituted during the War on Terror, particularly mass surveillance and the USA PATRIOT Act. He advocates for LGBT rights, lobbying against the Defense of Marriage Act , takes a pro-choice stance on abortion, as well as opposing the defunding of Planned Parenthood.

On Nov. 15, in response to ISIS' attacks in Paris, "We gotta be tough, not stupid," in the war against ISIS, and should continue to welcome Syrian refugees.

Arthur Bradbury