Bernie Sanders explains democratic socialism

On foreign policy, Sanders emphasized that while he opposed war, democratic socialism did not rule it out, and that he would go to all lengths to protect Americans from terrorists and enemy nations.

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks at an event sponsored by the Institute of Politics at the University of Chicago recently.

Turning to the Paris attacks and ISIS, Sanders noted, "We must create a new organization like North Atlantic Treaty Organisation to defeat the threats of the 21st century". Here's a transcript of the speech "as prepared" without the numerous additions he made.

But after strong debate performances and a stellar 11-hour testimony before a Congressional Benghazi committee, the former U.S. secretary of state, NY senator and First Lady seems to be back on an easy path toward the nomination. Yet, these programs have become the fabric of our nation and the foundation of the middle class. "It builds on what Franklin Delano Roosevelt said when he fought for guaranteed economic rights for all Americans", said Sanders.

And so the time had come for him to clarify his affiliation with the loaded S-word. In a much-anticipated at Washington's Georgetown University on Thursday, Sanders went on the offensive to explain precisely what this label means. What Roosevelt was stating in 1944, what Martin Luther King, Jr. stated in similar terms 20 years later and what I believe today, is that true freedom does not occur without economic security.

The Democratic candidate for president laid it out Thursday in a 90-minute speech at Georgetown University, heralding President Franklin D. Roosevelt's creation of Social Security, collective bargaining and unemployment insurance and citing FDR and Martin Luther King, Jr.'s belief that Americans can't be truly free without economic security. It builds on the success of many other countries around the world that have done a far better job than we have in protecting the needs of their working families, the elderly, the children, the sick and the poor.

In his speech, Sanders attempted to link these two things together and argued there is a "corrupt" and "rigged" political system that allows the incredibly wealthy and major corporations to solidify their position at the expense of the majority. Yet they "provide health care to millions of senior citizens and families with children, persons with disabilities and a few of the most vulnerable people in this country". "I will tell you how, we're going to pay for it through a tax on Wall Street speculation".

Returning to Roosevelt, Sanders recited items from the 32nd president's proposed second Bill of Rights, highlighting, "the right to a decent job at decent pay, the right to adequate food, clothing, and time off from work, the right for every business, large and small, to function in an atmosphere free from unfair competition and domination by monopolies, the right of all Americans to have a decent home and decent health care". "And that is what we have to do today", Sanders told the audience.

He then turned his attention to Republican front-runner Donald Trump. "We must work with our North Atlantic Treaty Organisation partners, and expand our coalition to include Russian Federation and members of the Arab League".

"Every major veterans organization in the country has been very clear on this issue".

"Countries in the region like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE - countries of enormous wealth and resources - have contributed far too little in the fight against Isis", said Sanders.

What does all of this mean? He saw millions lacking the means to buy the products they needed and by their poverty and lack of disposable income denying employment to many other millions. Professor Markovits agrees. Ultimately, Markovits said, there's no private property at all under democratic socialism. But we do not want big corporate bureaucracies to control our society either. It begins with the reflection that the failed policy decisions of the past - rushing to war, regime change in Iraq, or toppling Mossadegh in Iran in 1953, or Guatemalan President Árbenz in 1954, Brazilian President Goulart in 1964, Chilean President Allende in 1973.

Social ownership could take many forms, such as worker-owned cooperatives or publicly owned enterprises managed by workers and consumer representatives. Yet Clinton has hinted that Sanders's devotion to Democratic socialism may be antithetical to American values. And, given the way so many Democrats have responded, it's turned out to be surprisingly good branding.