© 2025 | Jefferson Public Radio
Southern Oregon University
1250 Siskiyou Blvd.
Ashland, OR 97520
541.552.6301 | 800.782.6191
Listen | Discover | Engage a service of Southern Oregon University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Bernie Sanders Explains Democratic Socialism In 6 Clips

Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks about Democratic socialism at Georgetown University Thursday.
Mark Wilson
/
Getty Images
Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks about Democratic socialism at Georgetown University Thursday.

Bernie Sanders laid out his brand of Democratic socialism Thursday, explaining how it informs his views on higher education, poverty, health care, the minimum wage and more.

Sanders has an uphill battle convincing most Americans to get on board with his socialist ideology — a recent Gallup poll found that less than half of Americans would vote for a "well-qualified" presidential candidate who is a socialist. That's something he hoped to combat in addressing an audience at the Georgetown's Institute of Politics and Public Service in Washington D.C.

He's not the first candidate who's had to explicitly explain his identity or ideology, as NPR's Tamara Keith reported.

In six clips, here's how Sanders explained Democratic socialism:

On poverty, Sanders said the U.S. needs to look to other countries that have done a "far better job" in protecting working families, the elderly, children and the poor:

"It builds on..."

On health care, he called for a Medicare-for-all, single-payer health care system:

"It means that health care..."

On higher education, Sanders once again called the "right" to free tuition at public colleges and universities. "Is this a radical social idea?" he asked. "I don't think so":

"Public education must..."

Sanders again called for raising the minimum wage:

"If somebody works 40 hours..."

On the environment, Sanders said the U.S. has a "moral responsibility" to combat climate change:

"...to destroy our environment"

On taxes, Sanders said "greed for the sake of greed is not something that public policy should support" and:

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

"The wealthiest people..."

Amita Kelly is a Washington editor, where she works across beats and platforms to edit election, politics and policy news and features stories.
Recent threats to federal funding are challenging the way stations like JPR provide service to small communities in rural parts of the country.
Your one-time or sustaining monthly gift is more important than ever.