Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks at a campaign event in Birmingham, Ala., on Monday. (Brynn Anderson, The Associated Press)
Re: “Bernie Sanders’ reckless spending dreams,” Jan. 20 editorial.
Your editorial claimed that a Bernie Sanders presidency would spend too much money on entitlement programs and the present programs are already spending us into debt we cannot repay.
If you look at the national debt as a series of numbers, you miss the point. I think Sanders wants to bet on the vitality of the people to make this country bigger and better. Certainly that was the intent of the GI Bill after World War II. At the time, many people felt it was the road to disaster; it was, instead, a blessing that enriched the lives of, not only the GIs, but generations to follow. What business did the government have in the construction of Hoover Dam? What could it have possibly done for the people of California and Nevada?
What organization is in a better position to invest in the human capital that makes a country than the government? When the pope visited our country, he spoke movingly about the condition of the poor. I consider Sanders’ proposals as a way to start meeting that challenge.
George Schwartz, Aurora
This letter was published in the Jan. 23 edition.
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