The next session of the Cafe on Tuesday, Feb. 16 will discuss what the impact would be if Bernie Sanders, a democratic socialist were to become President. The Cafe Society is a part of Shepherd University’s Life Long Learning Program. These informal weekly discussions are held from 8:30 to 10 a.m. in the Rumsey Room of the Shepherd University Student Center each Tuesday morning. Pre-registration is not required and there are no fees or charges.

Cafe facilitator Mike Austin commented, “Maybe it is time to start seriously considering how some of the socialistic programs and policies that he espouses would work in our political and economic systems. Many of them address persistent concerns that American families face and the sense of frustration that they are being ignored by current political leadership. They include growing income inequality, raising the minimum wage, universal healthcare, reducing the burden of student debt, making college education more affordable and expanding social security benefits to name a few. All are hard to ignore and should be the focus of substantive political dialog in the current national election. There are growing indications that the failure of our political parties and leadership in Washington to properly address and manage the problems of our nation in the increasingly competitive globalized world of today may require social and economic policies that challenge traditional thinking.”

He continued, “At a minimum, it is time to seriously examine and understand more fully the approaches that he is advocating which the electoral process is demonstrating are of concern to the average American worker and his or her family. Traditional labels often assigned to the political, economic, and social systems that govern our lives are meaningless. We are living in the context of a new, more complex paradigm where there are many shades of gray and neither expectations nor response measures can be force-fit into simplistic pigeon holes. Of course Sanders may not prevail in his quest to be President, but the many thoughtful proposals he is advocating deserve our full consideration. It is simply in our own interest to hear him out and not reject out of hand the insight and analysis that he is providing. We cannot ignore the fact that his survival this far into a contentious political campaign is fair warning that a “business-as-usual” approach will bring disastrous results.”

Those with suggestions for future Cafe Society topics or who want more information should contact Austin at 304-876-0598 or michael.austin@frontiernet.net.