EASTORA REPORT | Bernie Sanders has spent years opposing Donald Trump. Now he is suggesting the president could become an unlikely partner on two of his oldest demands: higher wages and healthcare for every American.
The independent senator from Vermont has not announced a deal, and Trump has not endorsed either proposal. Sanders’ argument is that a president who values political victories might be willing to claim credit for changes that Democrats have long championed.
The opening emerged after Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in the November 3 midterms. Asked on CNN on November 4 whether a progressive agenda could advance with Trump still in the White House, Sanders said the president was less ideological than many assumed.
“Trump is a funny guy,” he said. “I don’t think he’s all that ideological.” Sanders added that he was not sure Trump would react negatively to progressive proposals.
The next day, MS NOW host Chris Hayes challenged him on the prospect of Trump signing Medicare for All. Sanders insisted that Democrats should pass the legislation and put the choice before the president. “I am not absolutely certain that Trump would not sign it,” he said.
Sanders wants a national healthcare system guaranteeing coverage to everyone. He has also called for raising the federal minimum wage from $7.25, unchanged since 2009, to at least $20 an hour. He argues that millions of workers cannot cover basic expenses even while holding jobs.
That does not mean Trump shares those positions. His administration has backed cuts to federal health programs that Sanders wants reversed, and the president retains the power to veto legislation passed by the new Democratic Congress.
Sanders has urged Democrats to lower Medicare eligibility from 65 to 55, expand benefits and insure all children as steps toward universal coverage. The measures would still require congressional approval and, ordinarily, the president’s signature.
For now, Sanders is offering a political test, not celebrating a partnership. Democrats could send Trump policies they say voters want; Trump would have to decide whether to sign them or reject them.