We can reverse America’s decline | Bernie Sanders

At this difficult moment in American history, it’s imperative that we have the courage to be honest with ourselves.

The United States, once the envy of the world, is now a nation in profound decline. For the sake of our children and future generations, we must reverse that decline and change, in very fundamental ways, the direction of our country.

Not so long ago, America was admired for its democracy, constitution, rule of law, strong middle class and an American Dream which promised that our kids and grandchildren would have a better life than their parents.

Tragically, that is no longer the case.

We used to have the strongest and most vibrant middle class on Earth. Not any more. Today 60% of our people are living paycheck to paycheck and we have more income and wealth inequality than any major country. Despite huge advances in technology and worker productivity, real weekly wages for the average American worker are lower today than they were 53 years ago.

We used to be the best-educated country on Earth, with an excellent public school system and the highest percentage of young people graduating from college than any other country. Not any more. Today, the US ranks well behind its peers in overall educational attainment, our childcare system is broken and millions of our young people are unable to afford a college education.

We used to have the best healthcare system in the world. Not any more. Despite spending far more per capita on healthcare than any other nation, 85 million Americans are uninsured or underinsured, our life expectancy is lower than most wealthy nations and we have a massive shortage in doctors, nurses, dentists, mental health counselors and other healthcare professionals.

We used to be a country with decent, affordable housing. Not any more. Since the pandemic, the median home price has risen by 55% to more than $410,000. Today, over 20 million households are spending more than half of their limited incomes on housing and nearly 800,000 are homeless. Today, young couples are buying their first home, on average, 10 years later in life than their parents.

We used to have a reasonably nutritious food system. Not any more. Today, as a result of corporate agriculture and the greed of the food and beverage industry, many of our kids are addicted to ultra-processed foods and we have the highest rate of obesity and diabetes of any major country on Earth.

We used to have the most advanced transportation system in the world. Not any more. Our public transportation and rail systems lag far behind most other developed countries and millions of people spend hours a day in traffic jams.

But the decline we are seeing in our country is not just in economics. Our political system is corrupt, dominated by an extremely greedy billionaire class who are able to buy and sell politicians.

Even more troubling, our country is rapidly descending into authoritarianism under an unstable narcissistic leader who wants more and more power for himself.

Donald Trump is usurping the powers of Congress, attacking the courts, intimidating the media, threatening universities, and prosecuting and arresting his political opponents.

And then, on top of all that, there is Trump’s domestic army, ICE, an agency which, every day, is acting in outrageous and unconstitutional ways.

ICE is occupying and terrorizing communities, kicking down doors without due process, sending five-year-old children to detention centers, illegally deporting people and shooting down American citizens in cold blood.

Further, Trump’s authoritarianism extends far beyond our own borders.

Today, we have a president who feels far more comfortable with the dictatorships of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE than with the democratic nations in Europe, a president who, along with Elon Musk and others, is supporting rightwing extremist parties throughout the world.

We have a president who has given unconditional support to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a war criminal who is under indictment by the international criminal court for his genocidal policies.

We have a president who violates international law with impunity by illegally attacking Venezuela, absurdly suggesting that Canada become our 51st state, and, insanely, threatening to seize Greenland from Denmark.

So, where do we go from here? How do we reverse America’s decline? How do we create an economy that works for working people and not just billionaires, a vibrant democracy and a foreign policy based on international law?

The answer is not complicated. We do it by building a national grassroots movement that fights for the needs of the American working class. We do it by bringing people together – Black, white, Latino, Asian, gay and straight – around an agenda that takes on the greed of the oligarchs and is based on the foundation of economic, social, racial and environmental justice.

Is this an impossible dream? Can it be done? You bet it can.

Zohran Mamdani’s successful grassroots campaign in New York City has given us the roadmap.

Starting at just 1% in the polls, Mamdani had the guts to take on the Democratic establishment, the Republican establishment and the oligarchs. And he won by organizing a grassroots campaign of over 90,000 volunteers knocking on doors behind a strong progressive agenda.

Yes. What Mamdani accomplished in New York City can and should be replicated in all 50 states.

The lesson of Mamdani’s campaign is clear: it is not good enough just to be critical of Trump and his destructive policies. We must bring forth a positive vision that will improve the lives of ordinary Americans.

Here are just a few of the issues that must be addressed:

1. We must create a vibrant democracy by ending Citizens United and preventing billionaires from buying elections.
   

2. Whether the Democratic establishment likes it or not, we must guarantee healthcare as a human right through Medicare for All.
   

3. We must build millions of affordable homes and apartments and give our younger generation the opportunity to own a home of their own.
   

4. We must make public colleges, universities, trade schools and medical schools tuition-free and have the best childcare and public school system in the entire world.
   

5. We must expand Social Security and bring back traditional pension plans so that every senior in this country can retire with dignity.
   

6. We must raise the minimum wage to a living wage and guarantee every worker the right to join a union.
   

7. We must demand that the wealthiest people and most profitable corporations in America pay their fair share in taxes.

We are living through one of the most difficult moments in the history of our country. But the truth is that, throughout our nation’s history, we have faced great challenges before. From the revolutionary war to the abomination of slavery, from the Great Depression to the second world war, and from the century-long struggle for civil rights, to the struggles for women’s rights, workers’ rights, and LGBTQ+ rights, the people of our nation fought for justice – and prevailed. And we can do it again.

In times of great crisis, the American people came together and chose democracy over authoritarianism, justice over greed, solidarity over division. They understood in the past – and we understand today – that when we stand together, no matter how much money and power the oligarchs have, there is nothing that we cannot accomplish.

That is how we reverse America’s decline, renew our democracy and build a future worthy of our children and generations yet to come.

• Bernie Sanders is a US senator, and ranking member of the health, education, labor, and pensions committee. He represents the state of Vermont and is the longest-serving independent in the history of Congress