Sen. Bernie Sanders displays an excellent grasp of our nation’s problems, despite his bad policies. This is most notable in his discussion of corporate influence on politics and, consequently, on the economy. Republicans would do well to learn from his example.
Sanders addresses the concerns of everyday Americans. Sometimes he’s even right. Sanders questions why the United States spends more money on the military than the next seven countries combined. He critiques a crony capitalist system. He does not understand that this system is an inevitable result of a welfare system that discourages work and a burdensome series of regulations that codifies stagnation. There is nevertheless value in identifying the problems facing the economy and talking about them. Sanders understands that change is needed to solve our nation’s problems, even if he is incorrect about what type of change is needed.
Meanwhile, the Republican candidates have long-winded debates over issues of relatively little significance. Government intervention in the market continues to cripple the economy, particularly with interest rates, where Federal Reserve price-setting has the economy on the brink of another recession. However, none of the Republican candidates seem to have noticed.
Donald Trump never discusses the economic burden of an overactive government. He does, however, propose a massive increase in government size and scope with his plan to track down and deport 11 million people. The economic effects of illegal immigration are negligible at best, especially compared to the impact of regulations, which require small businesses to devote large amounts of their minimal resources to compliance.
Trump also proposes we increase government regulation of the economy with a proposed 45 percent tariff on Chinese goods — forcing American consumers to pay significantly higher prices — and with his plan to increase ethanol subsidies, further distorting prices. Trump ignores pertinent economic issues in favor of unimportant ones, partially because he cannot address them as someone whose own wealth came from crony capitalism.
Most other Republican presidential candidates are little better. Rubio proposes a $1 trillion military spending increase over the next 10 years with no plan to offset the cost, despite our nation’s $18 trillion debt. Increased spending does not make the government more effective; it just makes the government larger and more indebted. This is as true with military spending as it is with any welfare program. The laws of economics do not change based on whether a spending increase is politically favored by Republicans.
Other candidates address the economy in the same irresponsible way. Republicans are nearly unanimous in supporting increased military spending. On the occasions that they decry levels of domestic spending, candidates do not offer specific budget cuts, and few make curbing government regulation and spending a top priority for their campaigns. The Democrats are having a healthier political dialogue than the Republicans. Sanders discusses the reality of stagnating wages and increased income inequality. Meanwhile, in the last Republican debate, the only mention of the economy was a question to Cruz about ethanol. No Republican even considers income inequality to be a serious issue.
All this is certainly not to say that voting for Sanders is the right answer; it isn’t. Every solution that Sanders offers to the nation’s economic woes would profoundly damage the American economy. Nevertheless, Sanders brings real value to this presidential election by loudly asking questions that need to be asked. Far too many Republicans have been unwilling to address the economic problems facing the nation today. Bernie may not have the right answers, but at least he is asking the right questions. That is more than the Republican candidates can say for themselves.
