But, and there is a but. The Democrats have this one major chance to make it right, to really make a dent in the lives of average Americans. Bernie Sanders said that, and he talks about 'pothole democracy', a political philosophy that emphasizes taking care of the real problems that Americans face in order to make a real difference in their lives. It is often used in conjunction with the term Democratic socialism, which to me is nothing more than what FDR attempted with his New Deal that introduced popular welfare-state programs, e.g., Social Security, federal jobs programs, labor union protections, the GI bill of rights (including free college tuition, home and business loans, unemployment insurance), and public works (Wikipedia). FDR had no interest in his policies being defined as socialism. He wanted the USA to remain capitalist but he wanted its citizens to be treated fairly (much like the welfare capitalism enjoyed in Scandinavia). Democratic socialism is basically what the Scandinavian countries enjoy. I know, because I live in one of them. Norway is not a socialist country, it is firmly capitalist, but it does have strong social welfare programs. It is in fact a mixed-market economy just like the USA, except with a bit more governmental regulation. It is an extremely wealthy country, with most of its wealth coming from the oil industry. It has national debt but its net assets outweigh its debt (that comes mostly from household/private debt). There is universal healthcare (with a deductible), generous maternity leaves, and tuition-free universities (room and board are not free). Otherwise, food, gas, and alcohol are relatively expensive (taxes on these are fairly high), whereas prices for clothing and electronic devices are similar to those seen in the USA. Taxes on gas and alcohol help to fund the welfare capitalism that Scandinavians enjoy.
Sanders talks about taxing the billionaires and forcing them to pay their fair share. There is nothing wrong with that, especially when you know that they don't pay their fair share. We cannot continue to worship wealth and the wealthy in the USA. It is not helping anyone, and certainly not helping young people starting out, who are having trouble finding jobs, finding affordable housing, and gaining a good education. College tuition prices are insane. Housing prices likewise. Rental prices are also too high. There is a price to pay for keeping the younger people down in this way. They will rebel against the current system that is rigged against them, and that is what they have done in the midterm elections. Good for them. But the Democrats need to step up to the plate and deliver for them and for average ordinary Americans, many of whom are working multiple jobs to make ends meet. Will there be those who abuse the welfare system? Yes. There will always be freeloaders. My father told me that years ago. We don't live in a perfect world. But I believe that the majority of people are good at heart. So perhaps it's time to listen to the problems faced by ordinary American men and women and give them a break.
