5 Policies That Suggest Stein Is The Heir To Sanders

Earlier this week, presidential candidate and Senator, Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) formally endorsed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) as the Democratic nominee ahead of the Presidential election in November. The hallmarks of Sanders’ campaign so far has been an appeal to Democratic Socialism and a youthful following.

It’s been assumed that many of these voters will turn to Hillary in her fight against what appears to be the firebrand Donald Trump (R-N.Y.).

Let’s face it, Hillary isn’t exactly popular among Sanders supporters. So, step forward the Green Party’s Jill Stein, a presumptive nominee whose election promises appear similar to those of the Vermont senator.

According to this comparison of Presidential candidates, Stein has, arguably, a more left-wing agenda than even Sanders, and strongly supports a stimulus-led recovery to the economy.

Indeed, looking at their campaign promises, there’s certainly an overlap between the two candidates.

Minimum Wage And Taxes

Stein calls for a set a $15 per hour federal minimum wage… Make Wall Street, big corporations, and the rich pay their fair share of taxes.

Sanders calls for increasing the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour by 2020… Demanding that the wealthy and large corporations pay their fair share in taxes. As president, Sen. Sanders will stop corporations from shifting their profits and jobs overseas to avoid paying U.S. income taxes.

Tuition Fees

Stein wants to abolish student debt to free a generation of Americans from debt servitude. Guarantee tuition-free, world-class public education from pre-school through university.

Sanders calls for making tuition free at public colleges and universities throughout America. Everyone in this country who studies hard should be able to go to college regardless of income.

Environment And Climate Change

Stein leads on wanting a global treaty to halt climate change. End destructive energy extraction: fracking, tar sands, offshore drilling, oil trains, mountaintop removal, and uranium mines. Protect our public lands, water supplies, biological diversity, parks, and pollinators.

Sanders wants to lead the international community to solve climate change and prevent international conflict.

Bernie recently co-sponsored the Keep It in the Ground Act to ban future fossil fuel leases on our public lands.

Immigration

Stein wants to create a welcoming path to citizenship for immigrants.

Sanders wants to pave the way for a swift and fair legislative roadmap to citizenship for the eleven million undocumented immigrants.

Healthcare

Stein’s plan is to establish an improved “Medicare For All” single-payer public health insurance program to provide everyone with quality health care, at huge savings.

Sanders’ is Medicare for All… Health care must be recognized as a right, not a privilege. Every man, woman and child in our country should be able to access the health care they need regardless of their income. The only long-term solution to America’s health care crisis is a single-payer national health care program.

You get the picture.

Stein hopes to be on the ballot in 47 states come November. With an improved performance for the Greens in 2012, and in the last week alone, could 2016 be an important year?

Featured Image: Phil Roeder Via Flickr/ CC By 2.0 And Gage Skidmore Via Flickr/CC by SA-2.0

Greg is a freelance journalist and has written for a number of online platforms. He is the co-founder of Pandeia, a pan-European network of student journalists across Europe. He splits his time between Denmark and the UK and covers all things news, politics and sports related.