Progressive opponent for Hillary

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has announced that he is running for the Democratic nomination for president.    This is good, in my opinion, because his progressive policy ideas will help pull Hillary Clinton a bit more to the left.

Sanders describes himself as a "democratic socialist," which Jonathan Cohn contrasts with what Americans usually think of as socialism:  "Democratic socialism is a milder, more aspirational form of the ideology. Instead of actively pursuing the goal of government running large industries, a democratic socialist focuses on far less radical objectives, like making the welfare state more generous and limiting the influence of money on politics."

Sanders explains:

"Denmark, Norway, Sweden, they are very democratic countries, obviously. The voter turnout is a lot higher than it is in the United States. In those countries, health care is the right of all people. And in those countries, college education, graduate school is free. . . . "

When asked by George Stephanopolis on This Week whether he was concerned that Republicans would jump all over him for wanting us to be more like those Scandinavian countries, Sanders replied:

"What's wrong with that? . . . What's wrong when you have more income and wealth equality?   What's wrong when they have a stronger middle class in many ways than we do, higher minimum wage than we do, and they are stronger on the environment . . .  The fact of the matter is, we do a lot in our country, which is good.  But we can learn from other countries."

Finland, a parliamentary republic, has many similarities, with progressive taxation and high levels of social spending, which includes:   free education, including graduate and professional education, subsidized medical care, family support, excellent senior care, unemployment benefits, etc.

The key in all these countries -- and what makes them such anathema to Republicans -- is that they pay for all this with high taxes and progressive tax codes so that the wealthy pay much more.   The results, however, are a higher level of education, security from childhood through old age, an infant mortality rate one-half of the U.S., and a greater life expectancy.

These four Scandinavian countries were #3, #4, #6, and #8 among the top 10 "happiest countries" that I listed in the 4/26/15 post.   The U.S. was #95.    So what's wrong with learning something from Scandinavia?   What would be so wrong with listening to Bernie Sanders?

I can see some lively debates with him in the mix.   If I voted as an idealist, I would vote for Sanders.  But I will still vote for Hillary, because I want the Democrats to win and to be able to govern.   I also want progressive policies to be held up for us as ideals to work toward -- and someday achieve.

Ralph