Holschuh Chamois - Bernie Sanders: In His Own Words

BERNIE SANDERS: IN HIS OWN WORDS

Copyright 2015 by Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

Introduction 2015 by Robert Reich

Illustrations 2015 by Walker Bragman

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover photographs by AFGE and iStock

Cover design by Rain Saukas

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-5107-0714-6

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-0715-3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Enthusiasm for Bernie Sandersand the antiestablishment wave it representsis not just coming from the radical left, as some commentators wishing to dismiss it have suggested. In fact, that wave has been growing for yearsfar longer than the Bernie Sanders campaign itself. Consider that in 1964, just 29 percent of voters believed government was run by a few big interests looking out for themselves. Now, 79 percent of Americans believe that, according to Gallup.

Meanwhile, for thirty-five years, most Americans havent seen any gain in their incomes, adjusted for inflationalthough the US economy is twice as large as it was thirty-five years ago. Almost all the gains have gone to the richest 1 percent. A disproportionate amount has gone to the richest one-hundredth of one percent. In the recovery that began in 2009, all the economic gains went to the top, and the median family lost ground.

It neednt be this way. Globalization and technological advances havent generated nearly the same savage inequalities in other advanced nations that they have in the United States. Thats because our political system has chosen widening inequality. Inequality is less an economic problem than it is a political problemthe consequence of political power concentrating where the money isgiving license to the moneyed interests to siphon off even more of the economys gains.

We need fundamental reform. And it must restore equal opportunity.

This is not a revolt by the radical left. Its a revolt by average Americans who are fed up with the direction were heading.

Anyone who is poor in America, or who has borne the scars of discrimination, or who has been marginalized and minimized and bullied, must know we cannot move forward toward a more inclusive society until we confront the savage inequalities of income, wealth, and political power that have taken over our economy and democracy. Reversing them is not sufficient in itself; we must also root out the vestiges of racism and sexism and intolerance. But wresting our economy and democracy back from the moneyed interests is a necessary step.

The media continue to treat Bernie Sanderss campaign as if its like any other presidential campaign thats organized from the top and reaches downward to find supporters. In reality, his campaign is a movement that started from the grass roots and has reached upward to find Bernie. The challenge for that movement is how to reach outward to millions of othersblacks, Latinos, Independents, even Republicansand how to turn the enthusiasm into an organization that gets out the vote.

Others confuse Bernie Sanderss surge as a reflection of Democrats growing unease with Hillary Clinton. I think thats dead wrong. The enthusiasm for Bernie has nothing to do with Hillary. Its about what Bernie is telling America. Hes talking about the loss of power of the middle class and poor relative to the powerful and privileged at the top. And hes asking Americans to join togethernot just Democrats but Independents and Republicans as well; not just the middle class but also the poor; not just whites but also blacks and Latinos and Asiansin order to wrest power away from the top and reclaim our economy and democracy.

Hillary Clinton would make a fine president, infinitely better than any Republican now running. But Hillary is not a movement. Bernie is.

Some others say they support Bernie, but he has no chance. I recall people using the same phrase in 2007 and 2008 when they referred to a black man with funny ears and an Arab-sounding name. Obviously there is no way of knowing at this juncture whether Bernie Sanders will get the Democratic nomination in 2016 and then win the general election to become president.

But there is no denying the energy and enthusiasm his candidacy has releaseda passion for an economy and a democracy responsive to the many, not the few.

Time and again, America has rescued itself. Between 1901 and 1916, during the Progressive Era, we reclaimed our economy and democracy from the robber barons of the Gilded Age. In the New Deal of the 1930s, we retooled our system so it would work for the vast majority. In the 1960s, with the Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act, Medicare, Medicaid, and then in 1970 with the Environmental Protection Act, we reformed our democracy further and widened the circle of prosperity.

We will do so again.

Robert B. Reich, former Secretary of Labor, Chancellors Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley, and Senior Fellow at the Blum Center for Developing Economies

B ERNIES C AMPAIGNS : P AST AND P RESENT

This campaign is not simply about electing me, I hope we accomplish that but that isnt the most important thing. The most important thing is building a political movement in which millions of people who have given up on the political process, including a lot of young people, get involved.

on his grassroots campaign strategy, July 28, 2015

People should not underestimate me.

to the Associated Press on his announcement to run for president, April 30, 2015

This campaign is not a billionaire-funded campaign. It is a people campaign. We dont take money from billionaires. We dont take money from corporations. Yet we have received more individual contributions than any other campaign. We dont have the money but when people stand together there is nothing we cant accomplish.

on his presidential campaign, August 11, 2015

The reason why we are doing well in this campaign is because we are telling the truth.

on his presidential campaign, August 11, 2015

This campaign is not about Bernie Sanders. Its about a grassroots movement of Americans standing up and saying: Enough is enough. This country and our government belong to all of us, not just a handful of billionaires.

on his presidential campaign, April 30, 2015

When I was a boy and watched presidents and other candidates on television, it became clear what they were saying didnt make sense to my parents or even me. I came to realize it is right and necessary for people to stand up and oppose what is wrong. I have learned that people will respond if you tell them the truth about how you see the world.

when asked why he was running for governor of Vermont, October 6, 1976