OnTheIssuesLogo

Bernie Sanders on Technology

Democratic primary challenger; Independent VT Senator; previously Representative (VT-At-Large)

 


Facebook is anti-competitive, should be broken up

Two of the most ideologically opposed members of the Senate, Josh Hawley and Bernie Sanders, are arguing essentially the same thing: that Facebook should be broken up. By predatorily acquiring Instagram and WhatsApp, by integrating its original message board-like function and its photo sharing and chat acquisitions into its data mining and advertising operations, Facebook has met all the established definitions of anti-competitive behavior.
Source: The Week newsmagazine on 2020 CA-23 House race , Dec 14, 2020

Our infrastructure is crumbling because of endless wars

Our infrastructure is crumbling. Half our people are living paycheck to paycheck. Eighty-seven million people have no health care or are uninsured or underinsured. We got 500,000 people sleeping out on the streets. The American people are sick and tired of endless wars which have cost trillions. Our job is to rebuild the United Nations, rebuild the State Department, make sure twe have the capability to resolve international conflict diplomatically.
Source: 7th Democrat primary debate, on eve of Iowa caucus , Jan 14, 2020

Break up tech giants like Facebook, Google, & Amazon

Bernie Sanders on Tech Competition & Antitrust: Break them up.

FOUR CANDIDATES HAVE SIMILAR VIEWS: Bill de Blasio; Tulsi Gabbard; Elizabeth Warren; Marianne Williamson.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren laid down a marker by calling for Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple to be broken apart, saying in March that they have "bulldozed competition." Sen. Bernie Sanders said in July that he would "absolutely" seek to break up Google, Facebook and Amazon, singling out the latter two in particular for what he said was outsize power. Those comments followed months of flirting with break-up calls. He previously told The New York Times that "in general" he supports breaking up the tech giants, and he told POLITICO that "we should definitely take a look at" breaking up tech titans and that he'd be all for breaking up Facebook in particular.

Source: Politico "2020Dems on the Issues" , Jul 17, 2019

Fix our nation's infrastructure; don't privatize it

President Trump talked [in the State of the Union] about the need to rebuild our country's crumbling infrastructure. And he is absolutely right. But the proposal he is bringing forth is dead wrong.

Trump would encourage states to sell our nation's highways, bridges, and other vital infrastructure to Wall Street, wealthy campaign contributors, even foreign governments. The reality is that Trump's plan to privatize our nation's infrastructure is an old idea that has never worked and never will work.

Source: Progressive response to 2019 State of the Union speech , Feb 5, 2019

Fake news comes from multinational media conglomerates

When we talk about the political revolution, we are not only talking about a progressive agenda and a grassroots political movement. We are talking about the necessity of finding a new way of communicating with the American people.

Unlike Trump, I do not believe that mainstream media is "fake news" or an "enemy of the people". I don't believe that most reporters carry a grudge or intentionally try to destroy politicians. I do believe, however, as I have said many times, that for a variety of obvious reasons, multinational conglomerates that own our media are not interested in analyzing the power of big-money interests, or the needs of working families.

Source: Where We Go From Here, by Bernie Sanders, p.71 , Feb 28, 2017

13 million jobs by rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure

Q: On infrastructure, next week, they are going to spend a couple of days [on it in a GOP meeting]. Can you do anything to reach out and why not grab the moment?

SANDERS: You are absolutely right. I would hope very much that President Trump will work with us. If he wants to come on board and work with us, that would be great. In terms of infrastructure, clearly, he is right when he says that our infrastructure is crumbling. We can create up to 13 million decent-paying jobs by rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure. We're going to have legislation in that will do just that. I hope that he will work with us. We also understand that our trade policies are a disaster. Let's see if we can work together on that as well.

Source: CBS Face the Nation 2017 interview by John Dickerson , Jan 22, 2017

We have significantly underfunded Infrastructure

For decades, we have significantly underfunded the maintenance and improvement of the physical infrastructure that our country depends on. We have given tax breaks to the wealthy rather than investing in our future. The United States now spends just 2.4 percent of gross domestic product on infrastructure, less than at any point in the last twenty years. Meanwhile, Europe spends more than twice our gross share of GDP on infrastructure and China spends close to four times our rate. Today, the United States' overall infrastructure ranks thirteenth in the world, down from seventh just a decade ago.
Source: Our Revolution, by Bernie Sanders, p.245 , Nov 15, 2016

Drinking water infrastructure coming to end of useful life

According to the American Water Works Association, we need to increase attention to the serious water problems that we have: "Much of our drinking water infrastructure, the more than 1 million miles of pipes beneath our streets, is nearing the end of it's useful life and approaching the age in which it needs to be replaced. Delaying the investment we need--nearly $1 trillion--can result in degrading water service, increasing water service disruptions, & increasing expenditures for emergency repairs."
Source: Our Revolution, by Bernie Sanders, p. 246 , Nov 15, 2016

Tax wealth stashed in Caymans to rebuild our infrastructure

Who in America denies that we have an infrastructure that is crumbling? Roads, bridges, water systems, wastewater plants, who denies that? I will do away with the outrageous loopholes that allow profitable multinational corporations to stash billions of dollars in the Cayman Islands and Bermuda and in a given year pay zero, zero in federal income tax. We will use those proceeds, a hundred billion a year, to invest in rebuilding our infrastructure.
Source: 2016 PBS Democratic debate in Wisconsin , Feb 11, 2016

Net Neutrality: no preferential treatment for corporations

Net neutrality means that all data on ISP networks should be treated on an equal basis. Permitting preferential treatment of web traffic would put newer internet companies at a disadvantage and threaten innovation. It is a fundamental free speech issue that could give corporations even more control over our access to information. Bernie has co-sponsored several pieces of legislation to enforce net neutrality:
Source: 2016 grassroots campaign website FeelTheBern.org, "Issues" , Sep 5, 2015

I support funding NASA, but our planet has to come first

Q: Does Bernie support funding for space exploration?

A: Bernie believes space exploration is beneficial and exciting, and is generally supportive of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), but when it comes to a limited federal budget, Bernie's vote is to take care of the needs of struggling Americans on this planet first. Bernie says, "I am supportive of NASA not only because of the excitement of space exploration, but because of all the additional side benefits we receive from research in that area. Sometimes, and frankly I don't remember all of those votes, one is put in a position of having to make very very difficult choices about whether you vote to provide food for hungry kids or health care for people who have none and other programs. But, in general, I do support increasing funding for NASA."

Source: 2016 grassroots campaign website FeelTheBern.org, "Issues" , Sep 5, 2015

Stop bailing out Wall Street & start repairing Main Street

Our infrastructure is collapsing, and Americans know it. They see it every day in the potholes they drive over, the bridges in their communities that have been shut down and the water pipes that burst.

Is this the best our country can do? No. We can and we must do better. That's why we need to invest at least $1 trillion over five years to rebuild America. This will not only make us safer, more productive and more efficient, but it will generate income and create jobs--lots of jobs. The estimate is that this $1 trillion investment will create and maintain 13 million jobs--which is exactly what our economy needs. We have ignored our infrastructure crisis for too long. The time to act is now.

There's a reason that investing in our infrastructure has traditionally enjoyed bipartisan support in Congress. It's a good idea. This funding should receive the highest priority.

It's high time we stopped bailing out Wall Street and started repairing Main Street.

Source: 2016 presidential campaign website, BernieSanders.com , Mar 21, 2015

$1 trillion investment in infrastructure

Rebuilding Our Crumbling Infrastructure:
We need a major investment to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure: roads, bridges, water systems, waste water plants, airports, railroads and schools. The Bush-Cheney Iraq War will total $3 trillion by the time the last veteran receives needed care. A $1 trillion investment in infrastructure could create 13 million decent paying jobs and make this country more efficient and productive. We need to invest in infrastructure, not more war.
Source: 12 Steps Forward, by Sen. Bernie Sanders , Jan 15, 2015

Invest in infrastructure: My water system is 150 years old

I think if our goal is to create the millions of jobs we need, a better way to do that is to invest heavily in our infrastructure. The truth is, the infrastructure in the US is crumbling. You do not have to be a civil engineer to know that. All you have to do is get in your car today and drive someplace. What you are going to see are roads that are in disrepair. You are going to see bridges that, in some cases, have actually been shut down.

I was in Rutland Vermont; the mayor showed me a piece of pipe, an old piece of pipe. He said: "You know, the engineer who helped develop this water system and lay this pipe, after he did this work for Rutland, he went off to fight in the war." I knew there was a catch line coming. I said: "What war was it?" He said: "It was the Civil War." This is true all over the US. The result is, we lose an enormous amount of clean water every day through leaks and water pipes bursting. The point is, when you invest in infrastructure, you get a bigger bang for the buck

Source: The Speech: A Historic Filibuster, by Bernie Sanders , Dec 10, 2010

Infrastructure does not get better if you ignore it

What most economists would tell you is when you invest in infrastructure, you get a bigger bang for the buck. When you invest in infrastructure, you are improving the future of this country. You are making us more productive. It is not just creating jobs, it is creating jobs for very specific purposes, which makes our Nation more productive and efficient.

Let me tell you something as a former mayor: infrastructure does not get better if you ignore it. You can turn your back, if you are a mayor or Governor, on the roads and the highways because you do not have the money to fix them today, but they are not going to get better next year. At some point, they are going to have to be repaired and fixed. We may as well do that right now.

I believe the money, the very substantial sums of money in this agreement between the President and the Republicans, which goes into tax breaks for corporate America, could be effectively spent on infrastructure.

Source: The Speech: A Historic Filibuster, by Bernie Sanders , Dec 10, 2010

US invests 2.4% on infrastructure; Europe 5% and China 9%

The United States invests just 2.4% of GDP in infrastructure; whereas, Europe invests twice that amount. Here is something I think every American should be keenly aware of and very worried about. In China, they are investing almost four times our rate-- or 9%--of their GDP annually in their infrastructure.

Years ago, I was in Shanghai, China. There was a blur that went by the window. That blur was an experimental train they were working on--high-speed rail, which is now operational there, and other similar prototypes are being developed in China. Here we are, the United States of America, which for so many years led the world in so many ways, and now you are seeing a newly developing country such as China with high-speed rail all over their country, and in our cities, our subways are breaking down. Amtrak is going 50, 60 miles an hour, and the Chinese and Europeans have trains going hundreds of miles an hour.

Source: The Speech: A Historic Filibuster, by Bernie Sanders , Dec 10, 2010

Sued cable TV company to pay city for damaging streets

[As mayor of Burlington], after a court battle, the utilities were forced to pay for the damage done when they tore up our streets for utility work. Following a heated battle with a cable TV company, and an effort on our part to create a municipally owned system, we managed to get substantial revenue from them and reduced rates for seniors.
Source: Outsider in the House, by Bernie Sanders, p. 62 , Jun 17, 1997


Bernie Sanders on Voting Record

2000s: Voted NO on Online Freedom of Speech Act

The online freedom of speech act is an act that the senator chose to vote against. The act sought to limit the corrupting that soft money has on election campaigns. Soft money here refers to money used in advertisements or public communications end of politics, and while the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 regulates such donations when relating to public communications, the communication on the internet had thus far been unregulated. Sanders voted against the act and prevented it from falling within the campaign finance exemptions of the McCain-Feingold Bill, which included exemptions to the 2002 act.
Source: The Democrats, by Alexander Moore, p. 91 , Jul 9, 2019

Promote internet via Congressional Internet Caucus.

Sanders is a member of the Congressional Internet Caucus:

Founded in the spring of 1996, the Congressional Internet Caucus is a bipartisan group of over 150 members of the House and Senate working to educate their colleagues about the promise and potential of the Internet. The Caucus also encourages Members to utilize the Internet in communications with constituents and supports efforts to put more government documents online. The Internet Caucus Advisory Committee and the Internet Education Foundation host regular events and forums for policymakers, the press, and the public to discuss important Internet-related policy issues.

Source: Congressional Internet Caucus web site, NetCaucus.org 01-CIC1 on Jan 1, 2001

Facilitate nationwide 2-1-1 phone line for human services.

Sanders co-sponsored facilitating nationwide 2-1-1 phone line for human services

A bill to facilitate nationwide availability of 2-1-1 telephone service for information and referral on human services & volunteer services. Congress makes the following findings:

  1. The FCC has assigned 2-1-1 as the national telephone number for information and referral on human services.
  2. 2-1-1 facilitates critical connections between families seeking services, including community-based and faith-based organizations.
  3. There are approximately 1,500,000 nonprofit organizations in the US [which would be listed in the 2-1-1 service].
  4. Government funding supports well-intentioned programs that are not fully utilized because of a lack of access to such programs.
  5. A national cost-benefit analysis estimates a net value to society of a national 2-1-1 system approaching $130,000,000 in the first year alone.
  6. While 69% of the population has access to 2-1-1 telephone service from a land line in 41 States, inadequate funding prevents access to that telephone service throughout each of the States.
  7. 2-1-1 telephone service facilitates the availability of a single repository where comprehensive data on all community services is collected & maintained.

Introductory statement by Sponsor:

Sen. CLINTON: In the immediate aftermath of the devastation of September 11, most people did not know where to turn for information about their loved ones. Fortunately for those who knew about it, 2-1-1 was already operating in Connecticut, and it was critical in helping identify the whereabouts of victims, connecting frightened children with their parents, providing information on terrorist suspects, and linking ready volunteers with victims.

Every single American should have a number they can call to cut through the chaos of an emergency. That number is 2-1-1. It`s time to make our citizens and our country safer by making this resource available nationwide.

Source: Calling for 2-1-1 Act (S.211 and H.R.211) 07-HR211 on Jan 9, 2007

Support Lifeline program for low-income broadband.

Sanders signed supporting Lifeline program for low-income broadband

Excerpts from Letter to FCC chairman from 15 Senators: We write to express how deeply troubled we are that one of your first actions as FCC Chairman has been to undermine the Lifeline program and make it more difficult for low-income people to access affordable broadband. Lifeline is a critical tool for closing the digital divide--a problem you pledged to prioritize. Abruptly revoking the recognition of nine companies as Lifeline broadband providers does nothing but create a chilling effect on potential provider participation, and unfairly punish low-income consumers.

Last year, the FCC modernized the Lifeline program, rightfully refocusing its support on broadband, which helps end the cruel `homework gap` for the five million out of the 28 million households in this country with school-aged children who lack access to broadband.

By statute, the FCC has an obligation to ensure `consumers in all regions of the country, including low-income consumers` have access to `advanced telecommunications services.`

Opposing argument: (Heritage Budget Book, `Cut Universal Service Subsidies`): Heritage Recommendation: Eliminate telecommunications subsidies for rural areas, phase out the schools and libraries subsidy program, and reduce spending on the Lifeline program by reducing fraud and waste. The `Lifeline` fund, while well-intended, has been plagued by fraud and abuse, as costs tripled from under $600 million in 2001 to almost $1.8 billion in the 2013 funding year.

Supporting argument: (ACLU, `Task Force Letter`): The ACLU, a co-chair of the Leadership Conference Media Task Force, joined this letter to the FCC Chairman in response to his decisions to revoke the Lifeline Broadband Provider designations for nine providers. The ACLU has long supported expansion of the Lifeline program, which provides access to phone and broadband services for lower income families.

Source: Letter on low-income broadband 17LTR-FCC on Feb 10, 2017

Ensure net neutrality: no corporate-tiered Internet.

Sanders co-sponsored ensuring net neutrality: no corporate-tiered Internet

Sen. DORGAN. `The issue of Internet freedom is also known as net neutrality. I have long fought in Congress against media concentration, to prevent the consolidation of control over what Americans see in the media. Now, Americans face an equally great threat to the democratic vehicle of the Internet, which we have always taken for granted as an open and free engine for creative growth.

`The Internet became a robust engine of economic development by enabling anyone with a good idea to connect to consumers and compete on a level playing field for consumers` business. The marketplace picked winners and losers, and not some central gatekeeper.

`But now we face a situation where the FCC has removed nondiscrimination rules that applied to Internet providers for years. Broadband operators soon thereafter announced their interest in acting in discriminatory ways, planning to create tiers on the Internet that could restrict content providers` access to the Internet unless they pay extra for faster speeds or better service. Under their plan, the Internet would become a new world where those content providers who can afford to pay special fees would have better access to consumers.

`This fundamentally changes the way the Internet has operated and threaten to derail the democratic nature of the Internet. American consumers and businesses will be worse off for it. Today we introduce the Internet Freedom Preservation Act to ensure that the Internet remains a platform that spawns innovation and economic development for generations to come.`

Source: Internet Freedom Preservation Act (S.215) 2007-S215 on Jan 9, 2007

Overturn FCC approval of media consolidation.

Sanders co-sponsored overturning FCC approval of media consolidation

Congressional Summary:Disapproves the rule submitted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on February 22, 2008, relating to broadcast media ownership. Declares that the rule shall have no force or effect.

Proponents` Argument in Favor:Sen. DORGAN: The FCC loosened the ban on cross-ownership of newspapers and broadcast stations. We seek with this resolution of disapproval to reverse the FCC`s fast march to ease media ownership rules. The FCC has taken a series of destructive actions in the past two decades that I believe have undermined the public interest. [Now they have given] a further green light to media concentration.

The FCC voted to allow cross-ownership of newspapers and broadcast stations in the top 20 markets, with loopholes for mergers outside of the top 20 markets. The newspapers would be allowed to buy stations ranked above fifth and above.

The rule change was framed as a modest compromise. But make no mistake, this is a big deal. As much as 44% of the population lives in the top 20 markets. The last time the FCC tried to do this, in 2003, the Senate voted to block it.

This rule will undercut localism and diversity of ownership around the country. Studies show that removing the ban on newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership results in a net loss in the amount of local news produced in the market as a whole. In addition, while the FCC suggests that cross-ownership is necessary to save failing newspapers, the publicly traded newspapers earn annual rates of return between 16% and 18%.

This Resolution of Disapproval will ensure this rule change has no effect. This is again a bipartisan effort to stop the FCC from destroying the local interests that we have always felt must be a part of broadcasting.

Source: S.J.RES.28&H.J.RES.79 2008-SJR28 on Mar 5, 2008

Other candidates on Technology: Bernie Sanders on other issues:
2024 Republican Presidential Candidates:
Former Pres.Donald Trump (R nominee)
Ohio Senator J.D. Vance (VP nominee)
Ryan Binkley (R-TX)
Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND)
Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ)
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL)
Larry Elder (R-CA;withdrew)
Gov. Nikki Haley (R-SC)
Rep. Will Hurd (R-FL;withdrew)
Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R-AR)
Perry Johnson (R-IL)
Mayor Steve Laffey (R-RI)
Former V.P.Mike Pence (R-IN;withdrew)
Vivek Ramaswamy (R-OH)
Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC)
Secy. Corey Stapleton (R-MT)
Mayor Francis Suarez (R-FL;withdrew)

2024 Democratic and 3rd-party primary candidates:
V.P.Kamala Harris (D nominee)
MN Gov Tim Walz (VP nominee)
Pres. Joe Biden (D-DE,retiring)
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (I-NY)
Chase Oliver (L-GA)
Rep.Dean Phillips (D-MN)
Jill Stein (Green)
Cornel West (Green Party)
Kanye West (Birthday Party)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
Abortion
Budget/Economy
Civil Rights
Corporations
Crime
Drugs
Education
Energy/Oil
Environment
Families/Children
Foreign Policy
Free Trade
Govt. Reform
Gun Control
Health Care
Homeland Security
Immigration
Infrastructure/Technology
Jobs
Principles/Values
Social Security
Tax Reform
War/Iraq/Mideast
Welfare/Poverty

External Links about Bernie Sanders:
Wikipedia
Ballotpedia





Page last updated: Aug 06, 2024; copyright 1999-2022 Jesse Gordon and OnTheIssues.org