Sen. Bernard Sanders says the notion that Donald Trump could benefit from the same forces that led to British voters opting to leave the European Union should “sound an alarm” for the Democratic party in the United States.
In an opinion piece for The New York Times, Mr. Sanders wrote that “workers” in Britain have “turned their backs on the European Union and a globalized economy that is failing them and their children.”
“Could this rejection of the current form of the global economy happen in the United States? You bet it could,” Mr. Sanders wrote.
The Vermont senator said factories in the U.S. are closing, median wages have declined after factoring in inflation, and millions are living in poverty.
’Let’s be clear. The global economy is not working for the majority of people in our country and the world. This is an economic model developed by the economic elite to benefit the economic elite. We need real change,” Mr. Sanders wrote.
“But we do not need change based on the demagogy, bigotry and anti-immigrant sentiment that punctuated so much of the Leave campaign’s rhetoric — and is central to Donald J. Trump’s message,” he wrote.
Last week, Mr. Sanders said he would vote for likely Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, but has not yet officially conceded the Democratic nomination to Mrs. Clinton.
He called for a president who will “vigorously support” international cooperation and who will fight for an economy that protects the interests of “working people.”
“The notion that Donald Trump could benefit from the same forces that gave the Leave proponents a majority in Britain should sound an alarm for the Democratic Party in the United States,” he wrote. “Millions of American voters, like the Leave supporters, are understandably angry and frustrated by the economic forces that are destroying the middle class.”
“In this pivotal moment, the Democratic Party and a new Democratic president need to make clear that we stand with those who are struggling and who have been left behind,” he wrote. “We must create national and global economies that work for all, not just a handful of billionaires.”
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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