Hedges interview on the Pope, Sanders

See this interview with Chris Hedges. He is first asked about the Pope's rhetoric on climate change and neoliberal economics, but what does the Pope do about it? Hedges agrees that the rhetoric is a step in the right direction by accepting reality, something the church has seldom done on the issue. Quite the contrary in the past. But the Vatican has offered no alternatives to the system creating these problems. It is just arguing for a kinder, gentler capitalism without addressing the system of capitalism itself. (Well not so; see this recent article.)

Hedges thinks the same goes for Sanders in that he wants reform but does not question the system itself. Sanders won't critique capitalism or the military-industrial complex, voting for every military appropriations bill, as well as every pro-Israel bill. Sure he argues against the oligarchy, but he just wants reform of the system to make it more democratic without a full on capitalist critique. Granted Sanders is a better alternative to a full-time capitalist lapdog but doesn't go far enough. He does though propose democratic economic alternatives like co-ops, so it's a step in the right direction.