Bernie Sanders is releasing a new book: 5 issues it should address

Bernie Sanders is releasing a new book after midterm elections, and these are the political issues we’d like to see addressed in it.

During his presidential campaign of 2016, Bernie Sanders inspired young voters to become more actively involved in U.S. politics. He engaged members of the Independent and Green parties, convincing them their votes and voices mattered. And though he failed to make it through the primaries, his influence on the political sphere is far from over.

Since the 2016 election, Sanders has continued pushing political awareness through other means. Primarily, he’s publishing books. Our Revolution hit shelves a week after Trump’s election, followed by Bernie Sanders’ Guide to Political Revolution in 2017. The latter was aimed at young adults, in the hopes it would increase their knowledge and interest in the subject.

St. Martin’s Press announced earlier this week that Sanders will be releasing another title in November, following the 2018 midterm elections. Entitled Where We Go From Here, the book is likely to cover the topics relevant to approaching the 2020 presidential run.

There are plenty of important issues Where We Go From Here could tackle, but there are five in particular Sanders needs to address.

The recently passed tax plan

In December 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed Congress. Criticized for providing the richest Americans with the largest tax cuts, it’s just the type of bill Sanders raged against during his 2016 campaign.

Sanders is known for speaking out against class inequality, emphasizing the shrinking middle class. If the poorer and middle classes suffer beneath this tax code, while the rich become richer, you can count on him having something to say about it.

With any luck, his new release will not only address the problematic nature of the new tax code, but it will also offer possibilities for change.

A replacement for Obamacare

The efforts to overhaul Obamacare began before Trump even made it to the Oval Office, despite the lack of ideas for what should come after. And House Republicans did succeed in ridding the Affordable Care Act of its individual mandate.

While this repeal did benefit the American public, who will no longer need to pay a tax penalty for not having insurance, there are still many aspects of American healthcare that remain controversial. And according to a recent Morning Consult/Politico poll, around 82% of Americans want to hear discussions surrounding current healthcare system.

During his 2016 run, Sanders made health insurance a major component of his platform. An advocate of universal healthcare, he frequently reinforced the idea that all Americans should be entitled to affordable medical care. Considering the number of Americans still dissatisfied with insurance policies, it would be a good idea to revisit this conversation.

Common sense gun regulations

Since 2018 began, the United States has averaged a school shooting around every 60 hours. The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High tragedy in Florida is the most recent and publicized of these. Repeatedly, citizens have called for changes to the laws centered on firearms. Their pleas have gone largely unanswered by politicians.

With the affected teenagers taking a stand and demanding gun reform, it appears that the generations Sanders tends to attract have strong feelings about such policies. It would make sense, then, for him to focus on this subject. And if he does decide to run again in 2020, it’s a conversation that will likely to dominate the presidential debates.

Environmental policies

The Trump administration is attempting to undo many of the Obama-era regulations set in place to combat global warming. Most notably, their EPA budget suggests doing away with many of the programs dedicated to researching the effects of environmental pollution. They also wish to significantly cut many of the environmental services that strive to keep the planet well.

Most politicians turn their attention toward problems they consider more immediate. But if we don’t start discussing the environment soon, it could very well become one of the more demanding issues in the near future. And tax policies and insurance won’t matter much when the Earth starts dying.

Sanders predicts that environmental dangers will eventually pose much larger problems, and he is an advocate for passing legislation to prevent this.

The importance of voting

Though this reminder would better serve us before midterm elections, Americans can still use the push to get out and cast their votes. While many new voters did join the fray in 2016, there were plenty that stayed home due to their dissatisfaction with the candidates and beliefs that their votes didn’t make a difference.

Next: Trump-free Friday political roundup: Feb. 23 edition

If Sanders wants to see Trump booted in 2020, this will need to be a topic he spreads awareness about. After all, citizens need to act on their beliefs if they wish to see them implemented.