Democratic Debate Dec. 19,2015

I still do not understand why the question of unions has not emerged at any of the debates.  Be that as it may, and I mainly blame the moderators for not raising this question, only Bernie Sanders has spoken out about the importance of building the trade union movement in restoring some level of income equality. In any case, the Democrats projected a measure of hope for the future, unlike the Republicans who, catering to fear and ignorance, want to cut spending for everything but building up the military.

I still see the major differences between Sanders and Clinton in Sanders advocating a single-payer healthcare system and tuition-free state colleges.  Clinton (apparently) wants to build on Obamacare and keep college tuition, though with some vague suggestions of how to do it without student debt.  I do think that Sanders needs to come up with a very detailed plan about how to finance the single-payer system.  Huge profits are currently going to health insurance companies, as employers pay as much as $15,000 a year to insure their employees while the insurance companies, in a clear conflict of interest, avoid paying claims whenever they can get away with it.  I do think the money going to insurance companies, along with the tax on speculation advocated by Sanders, would effectively finance a single-payer system.  Clinton has not stated clearly why she is opposed to a single-payer system (if she is, in fact) though it is clear that donations she receives from drug companies are a factor.

Sanders and O'Malley also disagree with Clinton about tactics in the Middle East; they both believe that the toppling of dictators has produced unintended consequences and contributed to the rise of Islamic terrorists.  There has been something of an assumption that once dictators are removed there will be a happy democracy voted in.  This has not been generally the case.  As Sanders said, "Clinton is happy to get ride of Qadaffi without worrying enough about what comes next."   Sanders voted against the Iraq war, which he sees as contributing to chaos in the Middle East.

As part of his single-payer healthcare plan Sanders want to treat drug offenders, not incarcerate them; as he says, "addiction is not a criminal act."  He also wants to considerably extend mental health assistance, which is mostly absent from insurance plans.  My take on this debate is that Sanders has specific ideas to improve education and healthcare and to put the brakes on the increasing inequality while Clinton speaks mostly in generalities and of allowing everyone to live up to "their God-given potential."