Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders addressed topics such as the economy and the COVID-19 pandemic in his speech during the first night of the Democratic National Convention.
Sanders initially ran against former Vice President Joe Biden in the 2020 primaries before suspending his campaign in early April.
Along with the pandemic and the economy, Sanders also spoke on systemic racism in the United States.
“This election is the most important in the modern history of this country,” Sanders said. “In response to the unprecedented crises we face, we need an unprecedented response.”
Sanders also criticized Trump’s attempts to cut funds from the United Postal Service, tear-gassing of peaceful protestors in June for a photo-op and threats to delay the election.
“This is not normal, and we should never treat it like it is,” he said.
Sanders also attacked Trump’s handling of the pandemic within the United States, as the country’s death toll recently surpassed 170,000.
“His actions have fanned this pandemic, resulting in a nation still unprepared to protect its people,” Sanders said.
Following the criticism, Sanders then condemned Trump’s mishandling of the economy, citing the over 30 million Americans who have lost their jobs since the pandemic began.
Sanders went on to endorse Joe Biden as someone to “heal the soul of the nation.”
He said that Biden would work toward policies that would raise the national minimum wage to $15 an hour and transition to 100% clean electricity over the next 15 years. Sanders said this would create “millions of good-paying jobs” across the country.
Sanders also mentioned Biden’s plan to guarantee to “expand health care and cut the cost of prescription drugs,” as well as Biden’s plan to end the privatized prison system and the “school-to-prison” pipeline.
“The future of our democracy is at stake. The future of our economy is at stake. The future of our planet is at stake,” Sanders said. “We must come together, defeat Donald Trump and elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as our next president and vice president.”
This story was written by Benjamin Wells. He can be reached at [email protected].
