Sanders Has Always Wanted to Debate Trump--or Any Other Representative of the 'Billionaire Class'
Bernie Sanders relishes ripping on Donald Trump, describing the billionaire as "someone who must never become president of this country."
No surprise there.
Bernie Sanders relishes ripping on Donald Trump, describing the billionaire as "someone who must never become president of this country."
No surprise there.
Sanders has run his entire 2016 presidential campaign in opposition to plutocracy, oligarchy, and billionaire-dominated politics--proudly declaring that his run is paid for by small donors and "not the billionaires." In fact, Sanders has run his entire political career in opposition to plutocracy, oligarchy, and billionaire-dominated politics. He has, as well, spent decades critiquing a media system that pays more attention to "lifestyles of the rich and famous" celebrity than the real-world issues facing working-class Americans. That's made Trump, a billionaire byproduct of the media's cult of celebrity, a preferred target for the senator, who rips the Republican's rhetoric as "shameful" and complains that "every day he comes up with another stupid remark, absurd remarks."
So it was a given that Sanders would embrace the idea of debating Trump--after the billionaire told Jimmy Kimmel he would be willing to debate the dissident Democrat. Trump may not have been serious. And, even if he really is intrigued by the notion, the "art-of-the-deal" contender is notorious for issuing and accepting challenges and then failing to follow through.
"Game on!"--reaction of Bernie Sanders to prospect of a debate with Trump
But Sanders, who has tried without success to get one more debate with Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton before the June 7 California primary, was quick to embrace the prospect of stirring things up with Trump.
"Game on," Sanders tweeted. "I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary."
That makes sense for the senator, as his campaign could only benefit from a clash with Trump--drawing attention to an uphill run and helping Sanders make a case that he is best prepared to battle the Republican.
It makes less sense for Trump, as Sanders would give the billionaire no quarter. Ultimately, that could end up helping Clinton, the Democrat Trump expects to be running against in November.
While it is true that both Sanders and Trump criticize elites, they do so from radically different perspectives. Trump is a nationalist, a xenophobe, and something of an isolationist. Sanders is an economic populist who rips on corporations and preaches international solidarity in the fight against austerity. They have fundamental disagreements. "[What] is Donald Trump's position on raising the minimum wage? Well, he doesn't think so. What is Donald Trump's position on wages in America? Well, he said in a Republican debate he thinks wages are too high," Sanders explained in an April appearance with Rachel Maddow. "What's Donald Trump's position on taxes? Well, he wants to give billionaire families like himself hundreds of billions of dollars in tax breaks. What is Donald Trump's position on climate change? Oh, he thinks it's a hoax perpetrated, shock of all shock, by the Chinese. You know, on and on it goes."
Sanders has always relished debating Republicans to "expose them for their subservience to the billionaire class."
For Sanders, of course, this is about more than Trump.
He has always been excited by the prospect of one-on-one debates with Republicans.
A year ago, when Sanders spoke to The Nation about the campaign he had just launched, he was pushing for more Democratic debates. But he was also talking about broader debates. Asked if he would as a Democratic contender be willing to engage in a one-on-one debate with a Republican contender, he answered, "Of course I would."
"I would like as many debates as possible, and I would also like to break new ground and have debates with Republicans and Democrats. I think that will be very positive for the American people in that we'll be able to focus on issues. Let the Republicans defend why they want to give tax breaks to the billionaires and make massive cuts in Medicare. I would love to hear it," said Sanders. "The most serious political problem facing this country is that we don't discuss the serious issues facing this country. And the American people are becoming increasingly alienated from the political process; 63 percent of the American people didn't vote last November. I'm looking for ways to bring them into a serious discussion about serious issues. When we do that, the Republican agenda will be exposed for the disaster it is."
Sanders did not anticipate that he would be debating Donald Trump as the presumptive Republican nominee. But the point of the debate he anticipated was not personalities. The point was to stir it up on the issues.
"I'm the ranking member on the Budget Committee. The Republican budget gave over $200 billion in tax breaks over a 10-year period to the wealthiest two-tenths of 1 percent--massive cuts in Medicare, massive cuts in Medicaid, massive cuts in education, threw 27 million people off their health insurance. That is the Republican budget. That is what they believe.... That's exactly what their budget did. The Republicans get away with murder because what they do and what they want is not seen, is not understood by the American people, because it's not talked about," Sanders said last year. "So I think the more that we can confront Republicans about their ideology of tax breaks for the billionaires and cuts to every program that is a benefit to the American people, and can expose them for their subservience to the billionaire class--I think that wins for us every single time."
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This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Bernie Sanders relishes ripping on Donald Trump, describing the billionaire as "someone who must never become president of this country."
No surprise there.
Sanders has run his entire 2016 presidential campaign in opposition to plutocracy, oligarchy, and billionaire-dominated politics--proudly declaring that his run is paid for by small donors and "not the billionaires." In fact, Sanders has run his entire political career in opposition to plutocracy, oligarchy, and billionaire-dominated politics. He has, as well, spent decades critiquing a media system that pays more attention to "lifestyles of the rich and famous" celebrity than the real-world issues facing working-class Americans. That's made Trump, a billionaire byproduct of the media's cult of celebrity, a preferred target for the senator, who rips the Republican's rhetoric as "shameful" and complains that "every day he comes up with another stupid remark, absurd remarks."
So it was a given that Sanders would embrace the idea of debating Trump--after the billionaire told Jimmy Kimmel he would be willing to debate the dissident Democrat. Trump may not have been serious. And, even if he really is intrigued by the notion, the "art-of-the-deal" contender is notorious for issuing and accepting challenges and then failing to follow through.
"Game on!"--reaction of Bernie Sanders to prospect of a debate with Trump
But Sanders, who has tried without success to get one more debate with Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton before the June 7 California primary, was quick to embrace the prospect of stirring things up with Trump.
"Game on," Sanders tweeted. "I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary."
That makes sense for the senator, as his campaign could only benefit from a clash with Trump--drawing attention to an uphill run and helping Sanders make a case that he is best prepared to battle the Republican.
It makes less sense for Trump, as Sanders would give the billionaire no quarter. Ultimately, that could end up helping Clinton, the Democrat Trump expects to be running against in November.
While it is true that both Sanders and Trump criticize elites, they do so from radically different perspectives. Trump is a nationalist, a xenophobe, and something of an isolationist. Sanders is an economic populist who rips on corporations and preaches international solidarity in the fight against austerity. They have fundamental disagreements. "[What] is Donald Trump's position on raising the minimum wage? Well, he doesn't think so. What is Donald Trump's position on wages in America? Well, he said in a Republican debate he thinks wages are too high," Sanders explained in an April appearance with Rachel Maddow. "What's Donald Trump's position on taxes? Well, he wants to give billionaire families like himself hundreds of billions of dollars in tax breaks. What is Donald Trump's position on climate change? Oh, he thinks it's a hoax perpetrated, shock of all shock, by the Chinese. You know, on and on it goes."
Sanders has always relished debating Republicans to "expose them for their subservience to the billionaire class."
For Sanders, of course, this is about more than Trump.
He has always been excited by the prospect of one-on-one debates with Republicans.
A year ago, when Sanders spoke to The Nation about the campaign he had just launched, he was pushing for more Democratic debates. But he was also talking about broader debates. Asked if he would as a Democratic contender be willing to engage in a one-on-one debate with a Republican contender, he answered, "Of course I would."
"I would like as many debates as possible, and I would also like to break new ground and have debates with Republicans and Democrats. I think that will be very positive for the American people in that we'll be able to focus on issues. Let the Republicans defend why they want to give tax breaks to the billionaires and make massive cuts in Medicare. I would love to hear it," said Sanders. "The most serious political problem facing this country is that we don't discuss the serious issues facing this country. And the American people are becoming increasingly alienated from the political process; 63 percent of the American people didn't vote last November. I'm looking for ways to bring them into a serious discussion about serious issues. When we do that, the Republican agenda will be exposed for the disaster it is."
Sanders did not anticipate that he would be debating Donald Trump as the presumptive Republican nominee. But the point of the debate he anticipated was not personalities. The point was to stir it up on the issues.
"I'm the ranking member on the Budget Committee. The Republican budget gave over $200 billion in tax breaks over a 10-year period to the wealthiest two-tenths of 1 percent--massive cuts in Medicare, massive cuts in Medicaid, massive cuts in education, threw 27 million people off their health insurance. That is the Republican budget. That is what they believe.... That's exactly what their budget did. The Republicans get away with murder because what they do and what they want is not seen, is not understood by the American people, because it's not talked about," Sanders said last year. "So I think the more that we can confront Republicans about their ideology of tax breaks for the billionaires and cuts to every program that is a benefit to the American people, and can expose them for their subservience to the billionaire class--I think that wins for us every single time."
Bernie Sanders relishes ripping on Donald Trump, describing the billionaire as "someone who must never become president of this country."
No surprise there.
Sanders has run his entire 2016 presidential campaign in opposition to plutocracy, oligarchy, and billionaire-dominated politics--proudly declaring that his run is paid for by small donors and "not the billionaires." In fact, Sanders has run his entire political career in opposition to plutocracy, oligarchy, and billionaire-dominated politics. He has, as well, spent decades critiquing a media system that pays more attention to "lifestyles of the rich and famous" celebrity than the real-world issues facing working-class Americans. That's made Trump, a billionaire byproduct of the media's cult of celebrity, a preferred target for the senator, who rips the Republican's rhetoric as "shameful" and complains that "every day he comes up with another stupid remark, absurd remarks."
So it was a given that Sanders would embrace the idea of debating Trump--after the billionaire told Jimmy Kimmel he would be willing to debate the dissident Democrat. Trump may not have been serious. And, even if he really is intrigued by the notion, the "art-of-the-deal" contender is notorious for issuing and accepting challenges and then failing to follow through.
"Game on!"--reaction of Bernie Sanders to prospect of a debate with Trump
But Sanders, who has tried without success to get one more debate with Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton before the June 7 California primary, was quick to embrace the prospect of stirring things up with Trump.
"Game on," Sanders tweeted. "I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary."
That makes sense for the senator, as his campaign could only benefit from a clash with Trump--drawing attention to an uphill run and helping Sanders make a case that he is best prepared to battle the Republican.
It makes less sense for Trump, as Sanders would give the billionaire no quarter. Ultimately, that could end up helping Clinton, the Democrat Trump expects to be running against in November.
While it is true that both Sanders and Trump criticize elites, they do so from radically different perspectives. Trump is a nationalist, a xenophobe, and something of an isolationist. Sanders is an economic populist who rips on corporations and preaches international solidarity in the fight against austerity. They have fundamental disagreements. "[What] is Donald Trump's position on raising the minimum wage? Well, he doesn't think so. What is Donald Trump's position on wages in America? Well, he said in a Republican debate he thinks wages are too high," Sanders explained in an April appearance with Rachel Maddow. "What's Donald Trump's position on taxes? Well, he wants to give billionaire families like himself hundreds of billions of dollars in tax breaks. What is Donald Trump's position on climate change? Oh, he thinks it's a hoax perpetrated, shock of all shock, by the Chinese. You know, on and on it goes."
Sanders has always relished debating Republicans to "expose them for their subservience to the billionaire class."
For Sanders, of course, this is about more than Trump.
He has always been excited by the prospect of one-on-one debates with Republicans.
A year ago, when Sanders spoke to The Nation about the campaign he had just launched, he was pushing for more Democratic debates. But he was also talking about broader debates. Asked if he would as a Democratic contender be willing to engage in a one-on-one debate with a Republican contender, he answered, "Of course I would."
"I would like as many debates as possible, and I would also like to break new ground and have debates with Republicans and Democrats. I think that will be very positive for the American people in that we'll be able to focus on issues. Let the Republicans defend why they want to give tax breaks to the billionaires and make massive cuts in Medicare. I would love to hear it," said Sanders. "The most serious political problem facing this country is that we don't discuss the serious issues facing this country. And the American people are becoming increasingly alienated from the political process; 63 percent of the American people didn't vote last November. I'm looking for ways to bring them into a serious discussion about serious issues. When we do that, the Republican agenda will be exposed for the disaster it is."
Sanders did not anticipate that he would be debating Donald Trump as the presumptive Republican nominee. But the point of the debate he anticipated was not personalities. The point was to stir it up on the issues.
"I'm the ranking member on the Budget Committee. The Republican budget gave over $200 billion in tax breaks over a 10-year period to the wealthiest two-tenths of 1 percent--massive cuts in Medicare, massive cuts in Medicaid, massive cuts in education, threw 27 million people off their health insurance. That is the Republican budget. That is what they believe.... That's exactly what their budget did. The Republicans get away with murder because what they do and what they want is not seen, is not understood by the American people, because it's not talked about," Sanders said last year. "So I think the more that we can confront Republicans about their ideology of tax breaks for the billionaires and cuts to every program that is a benefit to the American people, and can expose them for their subservience to the billionaire class--I think that wins for us every single time."