Bernie's plans: It's not that they're liberal, it's that they're bunk [View all]

[CrowCityDem]

It seems every time I try to question the wisdom of one of Bernie's plans, I get accused of being a Republican who hates progress. That is such a garbage line of thinking that everyone who uses it should be ashamed, but I thought I would one more time lay out why I can't support Bernie's plans. I don't disagree with the goals, but I find his execution embarrassingly ill-thought-out.

Health Care: Bernie wants to create a single-payer system. While I don't think there are anywhere near the votes to pass such a system, I am not against the idea. However, Bernie promises greater coverage than anywhere else on the planet, while using the numbers from less generous systems to prove his will work. That is dishonest. Furthermore, he pays for it not just by raising taxes on the wealthy, but by raising the payroll tax as well. I'm sorry, but I don't think adding to the tax burden of the working poor and the middle class is an acceptable answer.

College: Bernie wants to make tuition at state schools free. First, I dislike the lack of any talk on his part about how to control the cost that will be taken on by the taxpayers. He is nearly silent on making tuition bills smaller once the government is paying for them. Second, he has no answers to how to prevent colleges from double-dipping and raising the cost of room, board, and fees to keep attendance levels where they currently are. Third, his plans lacks infrastructure on how to accommodate potentially millions of additional students without sacrificing the quality. Furthermore, he pays for this not just be taxing Wall Street speculation, but by putting a fee on every stock or bond purchase by middle class people trying to invest their money. I'm sorry, but I don't think adding to the tax burden of middle class families trying to get ahead in an acceptable answer.

Energy: Bernie wants to totally ban fracking, and shut down nuclear plants. We do not currently have the capacity to run this country on renewable energy, which means in the meantime we would have to either burn more coal (which is worse for the environment) or send money to terrorist-friendly countries to buy the necessary oil to fuel out needs. I'm sorry, but I don't find putting money in the hands of the people who want to kill us an acceptable answer.

I could go on, but I think that makes the point. These are all policy critiques that show why, even as someone who supports the ultimate goals, I find Bernie's plans to be woefully insufficient for a contender for the Presidency.