MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript: Continuing Resolutions
Interview
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Now, what was hanging over America through all of these was government shutdown. I guess you could say we survived the government shutdown it wasn`t right, nobody died. And I would make the case to you tonight that if the Democrats had said no this they`re probably would have been a deal, and these retirees would not have to have taken the shot that they`re going to take.
For more let me bring in Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Senator good to
have you with us tonight. I think this is a tremendous injustice that has been done, this is a bad deal. But Senator how do we reverse this with the Republicans coming into power, what are these retirees had to look forward to?
SEN. BERNIE SANDER, (I) VERMONT: Well Ed, this is a more than a bad deal.
It is a profound moral issue. You know, its one thing to say somebody, you know, we`re going to cut your wages, you`re not going to get the health care that you need. It is another thing to say, hey, thank you for working for the company for 30 or 40 years and for understanding that at the end of that you`re going to get a certain pension when you retire.
But now that you`re 72 years of age, well guess what? We changed our mind
and we`re going to cut your pension by 30 percent or 50 percent. So this is not only devastating for the individuals who are going to see cuts in their pension. But think of what it does in terms of trust. Who you`re going to believe? You talk about suppression of voter turnout. Who`s going to believe anything when you work for a company for 40 years based on certain promises and then the rug is pulled out from underneath you?
So that is certainly one of the major reasons that I voted against that appropriations bill. I think what we should be clear is that this is a serious problem, it has to be addressed, it can be addressed. And your point is spot on. If this country could bailout the crooks on Wall Street who destroyed the economy surely the federal government can help working people who are absolutely dependent on these pensions.
We cannot continue a situation where we have austerity for the elderly and for working families and 95 percent of all new income goes to the top one percent. So this is an issue, I am a member of that community, I`m going to stay on this issue, we got to reverse what this bill did.
SCHULTZ: Senator, how do you reverse it? Just, would there be a shared interest here on the part of tax dollars coming from wealthy Americans or a benefit cut or an increased premiums or employees involved in these programs? I mean there`s no easy way out here but to cart blank (ph) across the board and say, well guess what? Retirees are going to have bare the brunt here. What about that?
SANDER: You`re right, there is not an easy way out, and I think one of the reasons that a lot of people are angry is suddenly this bill came to the floor. We need to seriously discuss the problem of pensions in America. How we strengthen the pension, trust fund which guarantees pensions and how we -- what we can do to make sure that these pensions are not cut, there are ways do it. And one of the ways is -- I think you indicated.
Yes, it maybe the taxpayers that we need government funding in order to strengthen or some of these multiemployer pension funds. Than maybe what we have to do and if that`s what we have to do, that`s what we have to do. But it think as a President, to say that people who are promised benefits are going to see major cuts in those benefits is horrendous for the individuals and for what the future will bring.
SCHULTZ: Senator great to have you with us tonight. I appreciate your time. Bernie Sanders from Vermont here on the Ed Show.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source