The benefits of democratic socialism

Americans are overworked, stressed, and struggling to get by. CEO wages have exponentially increased the last few decades while workers’ wages have gone down. Kids are graduating from college with crippling student debts. Their wages are lower than their parents’ generation. Buying a home seems out of reach to them. We continually pay more and more for our healthcare. The American dream is dying.

America is a socialist country but one that benefits the rich. The rich get corporate bailouts and tax cuts. Instead of using tax dollars on the wealthy, let’s use it on ourselves like they do in the Netherlands.

Democratic socialist countries include the Netherlands, Germany, France, the UK, Sweden, and so many others. The Netherlands is consistently rated one of the happiest countries on Earth. The Dutch value a work-life balance and provides its citizens with services such as universal healthcare. The Dutch enjoy living wages and low crime rates.

I support Bernie Sanders for president, because he understands the benefits of democratic socialism.

Democratic socialism is not at all like traditional socialism. Democratic socialism supports economic and social interventions to promote social justice within a capitalist-oriented economy.

Democratic socialism is nothing new to the U.S. Our current examples of democratic socialism include our Social Security and Medicare programs, police stations, fire departments, etc.

Americans deserve universal healthcare. Let’s cut out the expensive middle-men — health insurance companies. Bernie’s Medicare-for-All will save us $450 billion a year, according to a Yale study. William McMullin Oak Park