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OPINION

Sanders Is Left's Socialist Santa Claus

sen bernie sanders independent of vermont and democratic presidential candidate

Bernie Sanders Rallies Supporters Across South Carolina Ahead Of Primary. In Spartanburg, S.C. - Feb. 27, 2020 - Democratic presidential frontrunner Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., spoke to supporters. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Clarence V. McKee By Friday, 28 February 2020 03:53 PM EST Current | Bio | Archive

Supporters of presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., had better be careful of what they wish for.

Just look at what socialism has done for people in Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe to name just a few countries.

Helen Raleigh hit the nail on the head in the September 2019 Federalist. She wrote that despite socialism’s terrible record, it always seems to find a "charismatic spokesperson, whether they are old and 'wise' or young and cute trying to convince us to give it another try."

Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. anyone?

Raleigh went on to state that socialism has "failed everywhere and every time."

Blacks supporting Sanders should take a closer look at how blacks have fared under socialism.

Let’s start with Bernie’s Castro Cuba:

Just two years ago, Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, a contemporary artist and activist, denounced the de facto racism that still exists in the country: "To me, Cuba is very, very racist, one of the most racist countries in the world."

Sanders’ recent praise of Castro’s educational system has been met with outrage from many quarters of the Cuban-American community — especially in South Florida.

Miami Herald columnist Fabiola Santiago, an immigrant who fled Cuba in 1969, wrote that "Castro’s schools forced students to be indoctrinated to support the party or face unthinkable consequences noting that her teacher “disappeared after speaking out against Castro."

Sanders doesn’t tell his black supporters about Castro’s involvement in Africa.

As an adviser and registered Foreign Agent for Jonas Savimbi, the assassinated leader of UNITA, the freedom fighters backed by the Reagan administration, I saw firsthand how Castro sent black Cuban troops to support the Marxist government. Meanwhile, their white Cuban officers spent down-time on segregated beaches with their Soviet counterparts.

Sanders also doesn’t talk about socialism in Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe either.

His socialist agriculture policies caused the collapse of what was once the "breadbasket of Africa" and led to a country where the average life expectancy dropped from 60 years in 1980 to 46 in 2007 — the lowest in the world!

Sanders seems to have a soft spot for socialist dictators.

In 1985, a week after Nicaraguan president and Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega declared a state of emergency leading to mass arrests and closing of media companies, Sanders visited him in New York.

And then we have Venezuela:

Once the wealthiest nation in South America, it has been destroyed by socialism. Sanders refuses to call Venezuela's leader, Nicholas Maduro, a dictator and declines to recognize opposition leader Juan Guido as Venezuela's legitimate leader, as does the U.S. and most of its allies.

This refusal is in the face of "mass starvation and exodus" of Venezuelans as a result of socialist policies — expansion of welfare programs and nationalization of agriculture, electricity, banks, and other crucial sectors of the economy.

And what is Sanders’ recipe for the United States?

It starts with free healthcare, a large dose of education for all mixed with government assumption of student loan debt.

History shows that all that socialism wants is to get its foot in the door with promises of "free stuff."

Looking at his success in recent primaries, many voters appear to like socialism’s "free stuff" more than capitalism — especially young adults.

In New Hampshire, for example, Sanders won 51 percent of the 18-29-year-old vote and in Nevada, he garnered 65 percent of 18-29-year-old caucus-goers.

Why?

Other than "free stuff," Sanders’ appeal might have something to do with the poor state of education in America.

William A. Galston, writing in The Wall Street Journal of Feb. 18, 2020, cited a 2018 Education Week report stating that, at that time, just eight states required students to take a yearlong civics or government class in order to graduate. Even more appalling, a year of U.S. history was a graduation requirement in only 31 states.

It’s not surprising that so many young voters support Sanders — they know little about history!

Galston cites a recent Pew survey finding that only "75 percent" of young adults believe it isn't necessary to believe in God to be moral, and 59 percent believe climate change is a "very big problem."

He rightfully concludes that it is understandable why only 15 percent of those under 30 think the United States is the "greatest nation on earth," why nearly half believe hard work is "no guarantor of success," or, why so many of them "support a single national healthcare program."

It’s no wonder these young — and other — voters support Sanders’ socialist "free stuff" platform. He is their "charismatic . . . old and 'wise'" socialist Santa Clause!

Clarence V. McKee is president of McKee Communications, Inc., a government, political, and media relations consulting firm in Florida. He held several positions in the Reagan administration as well as in the Reagan presidential campaigns. He is a former co-owner of WTVT-TV in Tampa and former president of the Florida Association of Broadcasters. Read more of his reports — Go Here Now.

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ClarenceVMcKee
And what is Sanders’ recipe for the United States? It starts with free healthcare, a large dose of education for all mixed with government assumption of student loan debt.
pew, survey, student loan, debt
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2020-53-28
Friday, 28 February 2020 03:53 PM
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