Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said he is worried about both young and working-class voter turnout among Democrats with the midterm elections fast approaching.
High inflation and elevated gas prices have severely affected the working class, potentially putting some of them off from voting for Democrats in the upcoming November midterms, Sanders warned during an interview with Jake Tapper on CNN‘s State of the Union on Sunday.
BERNIE SANDERS URGES DEMOCRATS TO FOCUS ON MORE THAN ABORTION IN MIDTERM ELECTIONS
He said that “corporate greed” is ripping off U.S. citizens, particularly those who have a difficult time filling up gas tanks and paying for food or prescription drugs.
“So, I think what the Democrats have got to say is, ‘We are going to stand with working people,'” Sanders said. “We’re prepared to take on the drug companies. We’re prepared to take on the insurance companies and create an economy that works for all of us.”
Democrats need to contrast “what a strong pro-worker Democratic position is with the corporate agenda of the Republicans,” he added.
Sanders, 81, has long advocated that Democrats “court voters” who are of the working class and supported former President Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020, and in his presidential runs in recent years, the self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist’s campaigns invested in efforts to woo young voters.
But now, with Republicans on the cusp of winning control of one or both chambers of Congress, Sanders voiced concerns about younger voters when reacting to a question about the level of “energy” he’s seeing among Democratic voters during early voting.
“I am worried about the level of voter turnout among young people and working people who will be voting Democratic. And I think, again, what Democrats have got to do is contrast their economic plan with the Republicans,” he said. Sanders argued young people, as well as working-class people, “are upset” because “real wages” have not risen enough in the past 50 years.
Tapper had noted that Democrats control the Senate, House, and White House during periods of high inflation, which could make young voters and working-class citizens ask themselves, “Why should I vote for you again?”
In response, Sanders said Democrats have half of the votes in the Senate and a tiny majority in the House. Republicans are not offering solutions to combat inflation or high prices that will benefit the working class, he argued.
“What are the Republicans’ response to inflation? What do they want to do?” Sanders said. “Well, maybe they want to cut wages for workers. Do they want to raise the minimum wage? No, they don’t. So, I think it is important to take the attack to the Republicans. What do they want to do, other than complain?”
Although the abortion issue is important, “We have also got to focus on the struggles of working people to put food on their table,” the senator stressed.
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Sanders also said he disagrees with Republicans who want cuts in certain areas, such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, to combat increasing debt and inflation, but agrees with lifting the debt ceiling, but not in the manner Republicans wish to do so.
“But what Republicans are basically doing — and I hope everybody understands this — they are saying look, we are prepared to let the United States default on its debt, not raise the debt ceiling, unless — you talk about making cuts,” Sanders said. “Is that irresponsible? It is absolutely irresponsible. You don’t use the debt ceiling to do that.”
