>>> NO RELIEF BILL IN SIGHT FOR
>>> NO RELIEF BILL IN SIGHT FOR
STRUGGLING AMERICANS.
THE U.S. SENATE SEEMS STUCK IN
LIMBO WHEN IT COMES TO WHETHER
THEY’LL APPROVE FURTHER AID.
JOINING ME NOW IS SENATOR BERNIE
SANDERS.
GOOD MORNING, SENATOR SANDERS.
I KNOW YOU WANT TO HELP WORKING
PEOPLE.
THE NEW EXPANDED UNEMPLOYMENT
BENEFITS ARE DOING THAT, BUT DO
WE RUN THE RISK THAT THE MORE WE
HELP PEOPLE FROM THE GOVERNMENT,
WHICH WE KNOW WE NEED TO DO, AND
PROVIDE THEM MORE FINANCIAL
SECURITY AND MORE CERTAINTY, IT
WILL BE HARDER FOR THEM TO GO
BACK TO WORK, BECAUSE BUSINESSES
CAN’T HIRE PEOPLE BACK, BECAUSE
THEY CAN’T OFFER WHAT
UNEMPLOYMENT CAN?
>> NO, FIRST OFF, STEPHANIE,
WHAT WE HAVE TO DO ARE TWO
THINGS.
FIRST OF ALL, UNDERSTAND WE HAVE
TENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO
ARE LIVING IN DESPERATION.
THEY HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS, THEY
ARE STRUGGLING LITERALLY TO PUT
FOOD ON THE TABLE, WORRIED ABOUT
BEING EVICTED.
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS TO DO IS
SAY TO THOSE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW
WHAT?
WE’RE IN THIS TOGETHER, WE’RE
GOING TO PASS ANOTHER PIECE OF
LEGISLATION TO MAKE SURE YOU GET
THROUGH THIS CRISIS WITH DIGNITY
AND SECURITY.
NUMBER TWO, WHAT WE HAVE GOT TO
DO IS IN FACT REOPEN THE
ECONOMY, BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO
IS REOPEN IT IN A WAY THAT IS
SAFE.
THE GREAT SCANDAL OF THIS
MOMENT, STEPHANIE, IN MY VIEW,
IS THAT WE HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO
HAS NOT ALLOWED THE CDC TO GO
FORWARD AND ESTABLISH STRONG
FEDERAL GUIDELINES FOR 50 STATES
IN THIS COUNTRY.
YOU’RE ASKING GOVERNORS AND
MAYORS TO MAKE DECISIONS RATHER
THAN HAVING A NATIONAL POLICY
BASED ON SCIENCE.
WE WANT TO GET PEOPLE BACK TO
WORK, BUT WORKERS ARE NOT GOING
TO GO TO WORK UNLESS THEY FEEL
SAFE ON THE JOB.
SHOPPERS ARE NOT GOING TO GO
INTO RESTAURANTS OR INTO BARS
UNLESS THEY FEEL SAFE AS WELL.
THAT’S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO RIGHT
NOW.
>> WELL, THE CDC HAS NOW PUT
THEIR GUIDELINES OUT, BUT IS THE
ISSUE THAT IT’S ONLY GUIDELINES,
AND WHAT WE NEED IS REGULATION?
GUIDELINES DON’T FORCE COMPANIES
TO CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIOR.
THE BIG THREE AUTOMAKERS OPENED
THIS WEEK, AND THEY CHANGED A
LOT OF THEIR PROCEDURES, BUT
THEY DID IT BY CHOICE.
OF WE KNOW THE MEAT PACKERS
AREN’T DOING THAT.
IS IT THE GOVERNMENT’S
RESPONSIBILITY TO DO MORE THAN
GUIDELINES?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
ONE OF THE TRAGEDIES OF THIS
MOMENT IS THAT THOUSANDS OF
WORKERS HAVE GIVEN UP THEIR
LIVES AS THEY GO TO WORK IN THIS
PANDEMIC.
WE’RE TALKING TO WORKERS IN MEAT
PROCESSING PLANTS, BUS DRIVERS,
NURSES AND DOCTORS.
WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
SHOULD BE DOING IS SAYING, OKAY
IF YOU’RE OPENING UP A FACTORY,
OPENING UP AN OFFICE, HERE IS
THE PROTOCOL YOU HAVE TO
UTILIZE.
WHAT SOME PEOPLE WILL SAY IS
RURAL MAINE OR RURAL OREGON OR
RURAL VERMONT IS DIFFERENT.
IT IS.
WE CAN HAVE PROTOCOLS FOR RURAL AREAS, PROTOCOLS FOR LARGE
AREAS, PROTOCOLS FOR LARGE
CITIES, FORY SIES BASED ON
SCIENCE.
>> SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING THEY
WANT A LIABILITY SHIELD.
IF I RISK GETTING SUED BY
SOMEBODY, I’LL GO BACK OUT OF
BUSINESS, BUT IF THEY DON’T
PROVIDE A LEVEL OF SAFETY
THEY’LL ONLY BE FOCUSED ON THEIR
BOTTOM LINE AND THAT WON’T BE
SAFE EITHER.
>> WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS
UNDERSTAND THAT CERTAINLY IN MY
STATE, AND I SUSPECT STATES
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SMALL
BUSINESSES ARE THE BACKBONE OF
THIS COUNTRY, AND WE HAVE TO
PROTECT THEM.
ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT MUST BE
TAKEN UP BY CONGRESS, AND
CONGRESS SMU PASS A NEW CORONA
BIT TO PROTECT SMALL BUSINESSES,
MUST BE THE UNDERSTANDING THAT
THE LAST BILL, THE COUNTER
C.A.R.E.S. BILL DID NOT PROVIDE
THE FLEXIBLE SMALL BUSINESSES
NEED.
FOR INSTANCE, WE COVER PEOPLE
EIGHT WEEKS.
IF SOMEONE IS NOT COMING INTO MY
SHOP RIGHT NOW, I’LL NEED HELP
IN THE FUTURE.
THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE
FLEXIBILITY SO MAUL BUSINESSSMAL
CAN REOPEN.
>> IS THE ANSWER LET’S MOVE TO
THE NEXT BILL AND PROVIDE MORE
SUPPORT, OR IS IT PROVIDE MORE
SUPPORT AND HAVE MORE OVERSIGHT
OVER THE $2 TRILLION THAT’S
ALREADY BEEN ALLOTTED?
THINK ABOUT THAT PPP PROGRAM.
WE STILL HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO LOAN
I.D.s OR TAX I.D.s FOR THOSE
THAT RECEIVE THAT.
>> STEPHANIE, IT’S NOT
EITHER/OR.
IT’S ALL OF THE ABOVE.
I’M ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
I THINK NOBODY WOULD DENY THAT
THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS HAS
BEEN A DISASTER.
PEOPLE WHO NEED THE MONEY HAVE
NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET THE MONEY,
BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE
CONNECTIONS TO BANKS.
THEY DON’T HAVE 14 ACCOUNTANTS
ON THEIR STAFFS.
ON THE OTHER HAND THERE HAVE
BEEN BUSINESSES WHO HAVE GOTTEN
THE MONEY WHO SHOULD NOT HAVE
GOTTEN THE MONEY.
YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN.
WE DON’T KNOW WHERE THE MONEY IS
GOING, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
WE NEED IMPLEMENTATION.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE
TRILLIONS HAVE GONE, BUT IN
ADDITION, TO ME IT’S AN
OUTRAGE -- IT REALLY IS A MORAL
OUTRAGE THAT WE HAVE A PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES WHO SAYS,
WELL, WE DON’T HAVE TO EXTEND
UNEMPLOYMENT ANYMORE.
WE DON’T NEED A NEW PIECE OF
MAJOR LEGISLATION.
LET US BE CLEAR.
ALL ACROSS THIS COUNTRY IN A WAY
WE HAVE NOT SEEN SINCE THE GREAT
DEPRESSION, FAMILIES ARE GOING
HUNGRY.
FAMILIES ARE FACING EVICTION.
FAMILIES ARE AFRAID TO LOSE
THEIR JOBS.
SMALL BUSINESS PEOPLE, MOMS AND
DADS WHO HAVE WORKED THEIR
ENTIRE LIVES TO CREATE A SMALL
BUSINESSES WILL LOSE THOSE
BUSINESSES UNLESS THE GOVERNMENT
ACTS.
THAT’S WHAT THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
FEDERAL RESERVE IS SAYING, IT’S
NOT JUST ME TALKING.
IT’S NOT EITHER/OR.
WE NEED FEDERAL POLICY TO REOPEN
THE COUNTRY SAFELY.
WE HAVE TO PROTECT WORKING
PEOPLE ON THE JOBS, BUT WE ALSO
NEED NEW LEGISLATION TO PREVENT
PEOPLE IN AMERICA FROM GOING
HUNGRY OR LOSING THEIR HOMES OR
JOBS.
>> WHAT SPECIFICALLY FOR SMALL
BUSINESS?
IN THE LAST TWO DAYS WE HAVE
SEEN SOME OF THE BIGGEST
RETAILERS OUT THERE, HOME DEPOT,
LOWE’S, TARGET, WALMART, CRUSH
IT IN TERMS OF EARNINGS.
THEY’VE HIRED HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS.
THEIR E-COMMERCE BUSINESS IS
BOOMING, AND SMALL BUSINESSES
ARE SHUTTING DOWN FOR GOOD EVERY
SINGLE DAY, MANY SMALL
BUSINESSES THAT SMELL THE SAME
IDENTICAL PRODUCTS AS THOSE BIG
BOX STORES THAT WERE DEEMED
ESSENTIAL.
WHAT NEITHER TO CHANGE
LEGISLATIVELY TO PROTECT THAT
WHAT YOU CALL AND SO MANY
OTHERS, YOU KNOW, THE HEARTBEAT
OF OUR ECONOMY?
BECAUSE IT’S NOT WORKING RIGHT
NOW.
>> IT TRULY IS NOT.
STEPHANIE, LET US BE CLEAR.
IF PRESENT TRENDS CONTINUE AND
WE DON’T PROVIDE THE SUPPORT
THAT MAIN STREET AND SMALL
BUSINESSES NEED, YOU WILL END UP
AN ECONOMY IN WHICH THE BIG WILL
GET BIGGER, MUCH MORE POWERFUL.
PEOPLE WILL NOT HAVE THE OPTION
OF GOING TO A SMALL BUSINESS
DOWNTOWN AND AMAZON WILL BE
THEIR ONLY OPTION.
WE HAVE TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
THIS WILL BE TERRIBLY
DESTRUCTIVE FOR SMALL
COMMUNITIES ALL ACROSS AMERICA
SO, NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE TO KEEP
THE ICE ON THE
THE EYES ON THE PRIZE.
WE HAVE TO PROTECT THE SMALL
BUSINESSES, GIVE THEM THE
FLEXIBILITY THAT THEY NEEDS IN
FEDERAL POLICY TO ADDRESS THEIR
NEEDS.
THE NEEDS OF THE SMALL
RESTAURANT ARE VERY, VERY
DIFFERENT THAN THE NEEDS OF A
LARGE CORPORATION.
WE HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO
THOSE NEEDS IN VERY SPECIFIC
WAYS.
>> THEN THERE -- MAYBE I SOUND
ROMANTIC, BUT IS THERE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE AT A TIME
LIKE THIS A BETTER, SMARTER,
MORE INCLUSIVE CAPITALISM?
I REMEMBER LAST YEAR YOU WENT TO
BENTONVILLE, YOU WENT TO
WALMART’S ANNUAL MEETING AND YOU
WERE ARGUING THEY SHOULD PUT A
MEMBER OF THE LABOR FORCE ON
THEIR BOARD.
YOU DIDN’T GET MUCH TRACTION.
FAST FORWARD A YEAR, THEIR LABOR
FORCE ARE THE MOST ESSENTIAL
WORKERS.
THEY’RE THE REASONS THOSE
COMPANIES HAVE DONE SO WELL.
WE HAVE SEEN COMPANIES EXTEND
HAZARD PAY, GIVE MORE BENEFITS,
PROVIDE MORE SECURITY.
IS THIS THE TIME LEGISLATIVELY
WHERE WE SHOULD BE DOING MORE
FOR THOSE WORKERS THAT YOU’VE
BEEN FIGHTING FOR FOR ALL THESE
YEARS?
>> YOU KNOW, STEPHANIE, IF
THERE’S ANY SILVER LINING IN
THIS HORRIBLE MOMENT IN AMERICAN
HISTORY, IT IS I THINK THE
BELIEF WE TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND
ASK OURSELVES HOW DID WE GET TO
WHERE WE ARE?
AND WHERE DO WE WANT TO GO WHEN
THIS PANDEMIC IS OVER?
I WOULD FOCUS ON TWO ISSUES.
NUMBER ONE, HOW DOES IT HAPPENED
THAT WE HAVE A HEALTH CARE
SYSTEM UNIQUELY IN THE
INDUSTRIALIZED WORLD WHICH TIES
YOUR HEALTH CARE TO YOUR JOB?
SO TENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS, AND THEY
ALSO LOSE THEIR HEALTH CARE.
IN MY VIEW AND I THINK THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE NOW UNDERSTAND
HEALTH CARE IS NOT A JOB
BENEFIT, IT IS A HUMAN RIGHT
THAT EXISTS WHETHER YOU’RE
WORKING, YOU’RE NOT WORKING,
YOU’RE OLD, YOU’RE YOUNG, YOU’RE
RICH OR YOU’RE POOR.
FIRST OF ALL, MAJOR LESSON --
HEALTH CARE CANNOT SIMPLY BE AN
EMPLOYEES BENEFIT.
WE NEED TO MOVE TO MEDICARE FOR
ALL.
SECOND OF ALL, WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT THE ECONOMY, IT’S NOT JUST
GIVING WORKERS THE RESPECT THAT
THEY NEED, PUTTING THEM ON THE
BOARDS OF LARGE CORPORATIONS,
WHICH I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE,
GIVING THEM DIGNITY, GIVING THEM
A SAY IN THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
IT IS ALSO ASKING THE VERY
SIMPLE QUESTION, THE QUESTION WE DON’T HAVE IN CONGRESS, WE DON’T
DON’T HAVE IN CONGRESS, WE DON’T
ASK IN THE MEDIA TERRIBLY MUCH.
TWO MONTHS AGO THE PRESIDENT WAS
TALKING ABOUT THE BOOMING
ECONOMY, BUT HOW GREAT IS AN
ECONOMY IN WHICH PEOPLE SUDDENLY
GO INTO DESPERATION IF THEY
DON’T GET A CHECK FOR A WEEK OR
TWO?
HOW DOES IT HAPPEN THAT HALF OF
THE WORKERS IN AMERICA ARE
LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK?
IS THAT REALLY THE KIND OF
ECONOMY WE NEED?
WE NEED TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH
AND WE NEED TO SAY, YOU KNOW
WHAT?
WE NEED TO PROVIDE ECONOMIC
SECURITY FOR ALL OF THE PEOPLE
IN THIS COUNTRY.
YOU’VE GOT A JOB, YOU’RE GOING
TO EARN A LIVING WAGE, NOT A
STAVATION WAGE.
YOU’RE AN AMERICAN, YOU GET
HEALTH CARE AS A HUMAN RIGHT.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO $100,000 IN
DEBT TO GET A COLLEGE EDUCATION.
YOU CAN LIVE IN DIGNITY WHICH
