Corbyn v. Sanders

His “no” vote would have killed an anti-populist rationing scheme benefiting insurers, drug companies and large hospital chains, providing healthcare on the ability to pay, ignoring Martin Luther King saying “(o)f all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane.”

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In denouncing greed at LU, he ignored his do nothing record against it. He said nothing about endless US imperial wars, human refugee floods they cause, decades of Israeli persecution of Palestinians, killer cops in America murdering Black youths with impunity, and repressive laws he supported turning America into a police state.

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He’s no populist/anti-war savior. His voting record belies his stump speeches. He represents business as usual dressed up in phony high-minded rhetorical mumbo jumbo.

Corbyn opposes business as usual. His voting record shows it. He wants humanity saved from the scourge of endless wars, urges challenging US-dominated NATO, advocates renationalizing Britain’s utilities and railways, as well as demanding business pay its fair share in taxes.

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He opposes austerity, wants public welfare cuts reversed, and tuition-free higher education for all qualified students, not affording it on the ability to pay.

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He backs nuclear disarmament and quantitative easing for ordinary people – to stimulate economic growth and jobs creation. He supports investing in vital infrastructure projects, public transportation and renewable energy – to end dependency on environmentally destructive fossil fuels.

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Hours after his landslide victory as new Labour party leader, he addressed a pro-refugee rally in London, vocally supporting desperate people in need, an issue Bernie Sanders ducks.

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When asked how he’d handle the crisis as president, Sanders gave a noncommittal/weasel word answer saying “(i)t’s impossible to give a proper number (to how many he’d let in) until we understand the dimensions of the problem.”

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Daily headlines scream them – explaining floods of desperate people risking life and limb to reach Europe and other safe havens – without blaming US imperial wars for the crisis, nor does Sanders.

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Corbyn told Labour party supporters his “first action…as leader…would be to come to a demonstration in support of refugees, the right to asylum and the human needs of people all over the world.”

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He expressed shock “beyond (being) appalled at the way so many (in the) media…describe desperate people in desperate situations as ‘the problem.’ “

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“They’re victims of war. They’re victims of environmental degradation. They’re victims of poverty. They’re victims of human rights abuses all over the world. We have a responsibility as one of many countries that signed the 1951 Geneva Convention on the Right to Asylum.”

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Sanders is still trying to figure out if there’s a crisis to address, showing contempt for desperate people in need.

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“Together in peace, together in justice, together in humanity – that surely must be our way forward,” Corbyn stressed.

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It’s one thing to be on the right side of major issues as a longtime backbencher, quite another as party leader. In his new role, Corbyn needs to back his rhetoric with anti-business as usual policy endorsements. His bona fides depend on it.

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Sanders’ House and Senate voting record shows he’s part of the dirty system he rhetorically opposes. He’s no Jeremy Corbyn.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”