Bernie Sanders enlists Ro Khanna for presidential campaign

Joe Garofoli Feb. 21, 2019

Excerpt:

Khanna said he will help Sanders frame how Medicare for all and free public-college tuition, two cornerstones of his campaign, will help the tech sector. He will also help Sanders craft policies on how to bring tech jobs to rural parts of America and communities of color, particularly as artificial intelligence looms as a potential replacement for workers in many job sectors.

“We need to explain how AI will change the job market and what policies will be needed to prepare people to create more jobs and opportunities,” Khanna said.

Selling Sanders’ brand of democratic socialism will be difficult in some parts of Silicon Valley, which tends toward libertarianism and is generally skeptical of government’s ability to do anything quickly or efficiently.

Khanna, however, said Sanders can make inroads among tech entrepreneurs in some areas. Health care is one of them — enabling more Americans to enroll in Medicare would lift a huge cost burden from startups in particular, Khanna said.

And free public-college tuition could broaden the job pool for Silicon Valley, Khanna said.

Khanna said he has “total respect” for Harris and Swalwell, but backed Sanders because “he has the most comprehensive policies for what will prepare us for the 21st century.”

https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Bernie-Sanders-enlists-Ro-Khanna-for-presidential-13635537.php