MSNBC "All In With Chris Hayes" - Transcript: Interview with Bernie Sanders
Interview
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SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): Look, Chris, although I can tell you is to repeat what I said in that tweet, we cannot allow Republican governors and legislators to deny African Americans and young people and Latinos the right to vote. Not only is that an outrage unto itself, what it will mean is that in state after state where Democrats should win seats to the House or the Senate, because of voter suppression, they are not going to win. And that means perhaps for a long time, Republican control over the House and the Senate.
So, all I can tell you is, there is no issue more important to me and to most of my colleagues than the need to take on this ugly voted suppression and to defend American democracy. And at the end of the day, I believe we will succeed.
HAYES: Let`s talk about infrastructure for a second. You know, Sheldon Whitehouse, a colleague of yours again, and someone who like you is very focused on climate, had a thread this weekend saying he was worried about what the way things are going.
Now, obviously, the initial package proposed by the White House is a very, very climate-centered bill. There`s lots of great climate stuff in there. I think there`s concern that the ongoing negotiations with Shelly Moore Capito of West Virginia and the Republicans would basically strip that climate stuff out.
Where does that stand as a climate voter, folks who are focused on climate? How should they understand where things are in this dynamic process with the climate aspects of that infrastructure package?
SANDERS: Well, it`s a great question. And I think everybody who understands what`s going on with climate understands what the scientists are telling us. If we do not act extremely boldly within the next few years, there is no debate about it. The planet we will be leaving to our children and grandchildren will be increasingly uninhabitable and unhealthy.
Yet, if we act boldly, we can create millions of jobs, transforming our energy system away from fossil fuel, making our homes and buildings energy- efficient, moving to the electrification of transportation in America. We have got to do that.
But it`s not only when we talk about infrastructure, climate, or even roads and bridges, as important as that is, we have got to understand the for the last 45, 50 years, the working class of this country has been decimated. We are the only major country not to guarantee health care to all people. We pay the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs, half of our people living paycheck to paycheck, half a million people sleeping out on the street. On and on it goes.
This is the moment to create millions of good-paying jobs, rebuilding both our physical infrastructure, dealing with climate, and dealing with the needs of working families and our children and the elderly.
HAYES: Right. But I mean, I guess the question is -- I mean, all that stuff, what you said, and I think that you`re someone who a very supportive of the -- of the ambition that`s embodied in the -- in the package that was proposed by the White House. I saw very positive words. You`re sort of shepherding it through the Budget Committee. You`re on board with this.
I just -- you know, I don`t want to get too caught up in the details of negotiations, but that`s kind of where we`re at, right? Like, is this -- basically, are the Democrats going to make the decision at some point that they are going to pass this alone or not? And is that a possibility, and should we have faith that they can get there?
SANDERS: Well, safe -- that`s a big word over Washington D.C.
HAYES: That`s -- that is not a reassuring answer, Senator.
SANDERS: Yes. It`s like, if you want a friend, get a dog, something like that. This is what I do think, Chris. These negotiations cannot go on and on and on. In my own view, do I believe that we will have 10 Republican votes to do something significant for physical infrastructure, for climate, for human infrastructure, for health care, for education? No, I don`t.
So, I do want to tell you, maybe it`ll make you feel a little bit better, that as we speak, we are working upon on a major, major reconciliation bill which could combine both Biden`s physical infrastructure plans, as well as family -- the human infrastructure as well. We`re working on it right now.
HAYES: OK, so here`s -- and this is a sort of a weird, technical point, but I think since you brought it up, it`s worth asking the question.
SANDERS: A weird, technical point. All right, here we go.
HAYES: Well, you`re in the U.S. Senate and this is what -- this is the hand that fate has dealt both of us, Senator, which is this idea that there could be some bipartisan compromise on some stuff that gets passed, and maybe there`s -- you know, maybe you get 60 votes for that. And then some of the other stuff can go through a reconciliation vehicle. And it sounds like that`s maybe a little bit of what`s being gamed out when you say that. I just want to confirm that`s what you`re saying.
SANDERS: No, that`s not what I`m saying. I personally believe A, that the Republicans are not serious about anything that`s significant. Second of all, I have my doubts that if you pass something, it will give people an excuse to say, well, we did something, we don`t have to do anything more.
So, my own view is for two reasons, mostly for a policy point of view. People are hurting. We got to deal with infrastructure. We got to deal with climate. We got to deal with the high cost of prescription drugs. We ought to expand Medicare for dental and hearing aids and vision, etcetera.
But you want to hear something else? From a political point of view, as you well know, Chris, history is against us retaining the House and the Senate. And the last 21 elections --
HAYES: We got to move fast.
SANDERS: -- in 19 cases, the opposition party has won seats. We can`t afford to lose seats. If you want to gain control of the House and Senate, do something bold to help working families.
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