Bernie Sanders on Pope Francis

“When the pope speaks about "change," he is not talking about modest reforms or tinkering around the edges. He is talking about radical changes as to how the global economy functions, and in how we relate to the planet and to each other. Most importantly, he understands the urgency of the moment. We need real change now.”

“Pope Francis has forcefully reminded us that greed, and the worship of money, is not what human existence should be about. At a time when the top 1 percent of the people on Earth own almost as much wealth as the bottom 99 percent, he has pointed out the immorality and inhumanity of a global economy which provides a handful of billionaires with incredible riches, while billions of people on this planet — the children, the elderly, the unemployed and the poor — are discarded and left behind.”

“Pope Francis is not just asking us to alleviate poverty and move toward more equitable distribution of wealth and income. Nor is he simply requesting that we act boldly to combat climate change and save the planet. He is asking us to create a new form of society where the economy works for all, and not just the wealthy and the powerful. He is asking us to become a different kind of person, where our happiness and well-being comes from serving others and being part of the human community — not by spending our lives accumulating more and more wealth and power while oppressing others.”