Democratic presidential contender Bernie Sanders easily won nominating contests in Alaska, Washington and Hawaii on Saturday, chipping away at front-runner Hillary Clinton’s commanding lead in the race to pick the party’s candidate for the White House. The veteran senator from Vermont has made income inequality and Wall Street main themes of his campaign for the Democratic nomination to run for president in November.
Here is a look at some of his policy proposals, taken from his website, news stories and interviews--
Immigration
Sanders would expand the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programme and the Deferred Action for Parents of America programme to extend legal protections given to certain immigrants who entered the country illegally. He would establish a whistleblower visa programme for workers reporting labour violations. Sanders would end both for-profit and family detention of illegal immigrants. He would reform immigration laws, and would include a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants currently in the country. The candidate would protect the border with technology such as high-grade cameras, thermal imaging and movement sensors instead erecting of a border wall.
Trade
Sanders would reverse trade deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) and the Central American Free Trade Agreement (Cafta). He opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free-trade agreement. He would make it easier for people to join labour unions. Sanders says that permanent normal trade relations with China have been disastrous. He has called for US companies to invest more in the country.
Economy and taxation
Sanders would seek the breakup of the largest financial institutions and reinstatement of Glass-Steagall, the Depression-era banking law that forced a separation of commercial and investment banking businesses. He would raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2020. Sanders would tax Wall Street speculation to help fund free public college and university tuition, and would establish a progressive estate tax for those who inherit more than $3.5m. He would set up a $1tn infrastructure investment programme. The candidate would lift the cap on taxable income above $250,000 to expand Social Security benefits.
Foreign policy
Sanders supports the Iran nuclear deal, and opposes the use of ground troops in Iraq and Syria. He would close the Guantanamo Bay detention centre, and would move toward normalising relations with Cuba.
