Thisarticlewas produced by Capital & Main.
It is co-published byRolling Stonewith permission.
Despite amixed economic recordas chief executive, Donald Trump hasbenefitedfrom public angst over high prices and interest rates.
Bernie Sanders speaks on the second day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on Aug. 20, 2024.CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP/Getty Images
This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Its not what I believe, its what the facts are and what the polling shows.
Thats enormously popular 77 percent of the American people support that.
Meanwhile, what the American people understand is that the funding mechanism for Social Security today is extremely regressive.
Raising taxes on the rich is very popular.
Kamala Harris has not at this point endorsed those policies.
The truth is you have more income and wealth inequality today than weve ever had.
Well, money is important, no illusions otherwise.
Three peopleowning more wealththan half of American society is unacceptable.
But also, above and beyond that, I think issues like expanding Medicare.
Many elderly people just cant afford the dental care or the hearing aids they need.
And thats an issue that is, again, enormously popular.
Cutting prescription drugs in half so we dont pay the highest prices in the world, enormously popular.
Those are some of the ideas I would hope that Kamala will be speaking about.
Inflation was low under Trump, as were unemployment and poverty.
Well, I think she is off to a good start in a couple of respects.
I think its popular.
I think its very good policy.
I think making it easier for first-time homeowners to be able to own their own home, enormously important.
Why didnt these policies translate into greater political support?
I do believe that Bidens domestic policy has been the most progressive since LBJ and FDR.
I think he has been as strong as any president in American history in indicating his support of unions.
So I think the record is strong.
I think they probably could have done a better job in communicating that record.
How do you think Harris can persuade union voters that theyll gain more from Harris than from Trump?
With inflation accounted, real wages have not gone up for 50 years.
Millions of good-paying jobs were lost because of disastrous trade policies.
And I think people likeShawn Fainhave made that clear.
Biden has appointed a very strong National Labor Relations Board to protect workers.
Trump had anti-labor people in those same positions.
I think the last poll had 70 percent of the people supporting unions.
And I think raising the minimum wage is another.
So raising the minimum wage to a living wage will improve wages for many millions of lower-income Americans.
You were an independent until2015and much of your appeal came from young voters.
I am an independent.
Ive always run as an independent.
OK, correct the record on that.
I think you just speak truth to power and you come up with an agenda.
So what are you going to do?
Young people are very, very concerned.
That is how you win young people.
I think young people are idealistic.
So I dont think theres any magical formula.
You talk to the real issues and I think young people and many people in general will respond positively.
The short answer is yes.
And, again, I think its good politics.
And his views are: Climate change is a hoax initiated in China, created in China.
I think its a contrast that works well politically for the vice president.
People are not comfortable, for good reasons, about people coming into this country illegally.
