Bernie Sanders: 'Now is the time for bold action'

Bernie Sanders | USA TODAY

The American people understand that our current economic system is rigged. Today, the very rich get much richer while most Americans work longer hours for lower wages. In the last 30 years, there has been a massive transfer of wealth from the middle class to the top 1%, while billionaires and large corporations continue to exploit tax loopholes their lobbyists created.

Now is the time for bold action to rebuild our disappearing middle class. Now is the time to demand that the wealthiest people in our country accept their responsibilities as Americans and pay their fair share of taxes.

How many of our nation’s seniors would be living in poverty and without health insurance if FDR and LBJ listened to those who said we couldn’t afford Social Security and Medicare? What would our transportation system look like had Eisenhower not invested in building the interstate highway system? We are a much greater nation because these presidents took on special interests to help the American people. That’s what we have to do now.

When a college degree is now as important as a high school degree was 50 years ago, it is time to make public colleges and universities tuition-free. We pay for that with a tax on Wall Street speculation.

When our roads, bridges, water systems, railways and airports are crumbling, we can create up to 13 million jobs by rebuilding our infrastructure. We pay for that by closing corporate offshore tax loopholes.

When senior poverty is going up, we need to extend and expand Social Security to make sure every American can retire in dignity. We pay for that by making the wealthy contribute the same percentage of their income into Social Security as the middle class.

When the United States is the only major country on earth that does not guarantee health care for all, or paid family and medical leave, we end that international embarrassment. A Medicare-for-all, single-payer health care system would be less expensive than our current system. We also pay for family and medical leave with a very modest increase in the payroll tax.

It is time to create an economy that works for all Americans, not just the people on top.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is seeking the Democratic nomination for president.