INQUISITR.COM / News & Politics

Bernie Sanders Taking On Trump: Sanders Shows His Movement Is Stronger Than Ever As He Unveils Plans To Protect Health Care, Social Programs

By Nathan Francis
Published on: 09:05 PST, Jan 8, 2017

Bernie Sanders is ready to ramp up the fight against Donald Trump, showing that he may be the key to stopping the Republican president’s plans to roll back cuts on key programs.

Many believed that after his loss in the Democratic primary, Sanders would fade away as many also-rans had in the past and that his movement of largely young followers would lose interest in the political process. But since the shocking election of Donald Trump, Sanders has proven to be the most potent force in opposing Donald Trump and the best hope Democrats have of throwing a wrench in his plans to eliminate Obamacare and slash social programs.

Sanders has been one of the most outspoken critics of Trump, vowing to oppose plans that target minorities or religious groups. But his opposition has gone beyond words, calling on the movement that grew up from the grassroots over the course of 2014 and early 2015.

Bernie Sanders has announced plans for a rally on Saturday, January 15, that brings together the stakeholders who will be opposing Trump.

“At a time when the United States remains the only major country on earth not to guarantee health care to all as a right, the Republicans want to throw nearly 30 million people off of health insurance, make massive cuts to Medicaid and defund Planned Parenthood. At the same time, in the midst of a grotesque and growing level of income and wealth inequality, they want obscene tax breaks for the top one-tenth of one percent.”

“On Sunday, January 15, Democratic members of Congress, trade unions, senior groups, health care activists and all those who believe in economic and social justice are organizing a day of action to tell Republicans loudly and clearly: You are not going to get away with it.”

Bernie Sanders has already been front-and-center in the media, making the rounds on the interview circuit and offering the most full-throated condemnation of Trump’s plans.

The Vermont Senator, who is actually not a registered Democrat, could end up being the most important figure in the fight against Donald Trump. There is a void in leadership among Democrats, with Barack Obama leaving office and Hillary Clinton likely fading away after her loss in November.

It could be a tricky situation for Democrats. While Bernie Sanders is happy to lead the charge against Trump, he’s also not shying away from criticizing his own side. He has been open about faulting the Democratic Party for losing touch with its roots, especially working class voters in the swing states that ended up falling to Trump in the 2016 election.

“I happen to believe that the Democratic Party has been not doing a good job in terms of communicating with people in cities, in towns and in rural America, all over this country,” Sanders said in an interview on NPR’s Morning Edition.

But the criticism from Bernie Sanders isn’t exactly sour grapes from a candidate many believe would have beaten Donald Trump if he had a level playing field in the Democratic primary. It’s something closer to constructive criticism, a roadmap the Democrats will have to follow more closely to hold their ground in the 2018 primaries and take back the White House in 2020.

In the meantime, Bernie Sanders will need to call on the fervent support he generated during the primary, using that to build a grassroots opposition to Donald Trump.

[Featured Image by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images]

Share this article: Bernie Sanders Taking On Trump: Sanders Shows His Movement Is Stronger Than Ever As He Unveils Plans To Protect Health Care, Social Programs
bernie sanders Donald Trump
More from Inquisitr