The one picture that shows why Bernie Sanders is foolish to call himself a “socialist.”

Here, from The Economist, is the one picture that shows why Bernie Sanders is foolish to call himself a socialist:

Socialists are the least likely of the above groups to be political winners in America. (Well, at least they probably beat child molesters and telemarketers.)

The fact is that despite his strange claims, Bernie is not a socialist.

Merriam-Webster Definition of Socialism
1: any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods
2a: a system of society or group living in which there is no private property
b: a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state
3: a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done

Medicare-for-All, Sanders’s signature proposal, is not a socialist program.

1. It does not propose governmental ownership and administration of anything.
2. It does not propose the elimination of private property.
3. It does not propose that the means of production be owned and controlled by the state.
4. And it does not propose the unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done.

What it does propose is federal funding of programs vital to the health and welfare of the people. Mere funding is not socialism. It’s what every government in history has done.

Contrast Medicare for All, which proposes paying the private sector (hospitals, doctors, nurses and other hospital employees, medical equipment manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, etc.) with the socialist Veterans Administration, which owns its own hospitals and other medical facilities, and employs their personnel.

So why does Sanders continue to call himself a “democratic socialist”? Perhaps Bernie merely is stating the obvious. The entire government of the democratic United States is a combination of functions, having some socialist and some capitalist characteristics.

By not explaining to the voters what socialism really is, and also not explaining how Monetary Sovereignty could pay for his Medicare for All, Sanders has made serious mistakes, perhaps electorally fatal.

Even with Professor Stephanie Kelton advising him about Monetary Sovereignty, Sanders has exhibited a troubling stubbornness that may sink his candidacy.

It’s a shame.

Rodger Malcolm Mitchell
Monetary Sovereignty
Twitter: @rodgermitchell
Search #monetarysovereignty Facebook: Rodger Malcolm Mitchell

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THE SOLE PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT IS TO IMPROVE AND PROTECT THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE.

The most important problems in economics involve:

1. Monetary Sovereignty describes money creation and destruction.
2. Gap Psychology describes the common desire to distance oneself from those “below” in any socio-economic ranking, and to come nearer those “above.” The socio-economic distance is referred to as “The Gap.”

Wide Gaps negatively affect poverty, health and longevity, education, housing, law and crime, war, leadership, ownership, bigotry, supply and demand, taxation, GDP, international relations, scientific advancement, the environment, human motivation and well-being, and virtually every other issue in economics.

Implementation of Monetary Sovereignty and The Ten Steps To Prosperity can grow the economy and narrow the Gaps:

Ten Steps To Prosperity:

1. Eliminate FICA

2. Federally funded Medicare — parts A, B & D, plus long-term care — for everyone

3. Provide a monthly economic bonus to every man, woman and child in America (similar to social security for all)

4. Free education (including post-grad) for everyone

5. Salary for attending school

6. Eliminate federal taxes on business

7. Increase the standard income tax deduction, annually. 

8. Tax the very rich (the “.1%”) more, with higher progressive tax rates on all forms of income.

9. Federal ownership of all banks

10. Increase federal spending on the myriad initiatives that benefit America’s 99.9% 

The Ten Steps will grow the economy and narrow the income/wealth/power Gap between the rich and the rest.

MONETARY SOVEREIGNTY