2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumI support European-style economics and government safety nets but I don't support Sanders
Naturally, I like Bernie Sanders' politics.
I have two primary concerns about the workability of what he's suggesting because of what he is not saying is part of his platform/plan:
1) European style safety nets, social programs and economics are not compatible with our current defense budget. That's one of the reasons we don't (and can't have) the scale of social programs that they do, at least not without a substantial reduction in our military budget.
If he's saying we can have those things but not saying we have to cut defense or transition away from defense spending to support it, that's a big deal and it's a missing piece that makes the math work.
Second, any such transition, if stated needs to protect people in the military and the defense industries, not necessarily their jobs as they currently are, but to make sure that they can make a living during and after the transition. After all, the point of his policies are to protect working people.
2) Single payer health care is a great and efficient thing, but at the current cost of our healthcare, per person, would be more expensive to implement here in the USA than anywhere else. However, if we were to implement it at lower costs, there would be displacement within the health care system because although much of the money goes to profits, a lot of it goes to providers and workers in the system. Just like in defense, there would either need to be a transitional period where the cost reduction is absorbed and the people affected are protected.
I don't think anyone is saying these things are simple. But Bernie's ideas and plans have consequences for the economy, for the health care system and for the people in the military and supporting fields if they are going to work.
If these changes are going to be made without corresponding changes in the military, then the economics, that is paying for them, becomes something even the Europeans haven't tried.
So while the European model is a great thing and there are many examples of it in operation today, there is no model out there that was established quickly under current economic conditions to replace something like we currently have in the USA today.
I definitely want such a system for our people here, but at the same time, I want to make sure that it doesn't fail when implemented here either and sour a generation on its promise.
And that's why I have concerns with the unspoken aspects of transitioning to his policies without careful discussion of what that entails.
cheapdate
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