We Need Bernie!

[PowerToThePeople]

We Need Bernie!

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) has announced that he is considering a candidacy for President in 2016 to further a desperately needed political revolution in the USA.

Senator Sanders is a lifelong champion of the public programs and democratic rights that empower working class people. His candidacy could help expand both the progressive movement and the democratic socialist voice within that movement.



Democratic Socialists of America strongly encourages Senator Sanders to officially announce his candidacy for President of the United States. We further encourage him to meet with grassroots activists throughout the country to discuss how his candidacy might effectively promote their varied struggles for social and economic justice, human rights, world peace and a healthy environment.

By running in Democratic Party primaries, Independent Senator Sanders would challenge the dominant discourse of the neoliberal Democrats that privilege corporate business interests over those of all working people. Thus he would contribute to building a strong movement to halt the vicious attacks of Tea Party Republicans at all governmental levels on workers' rights, voting rights, and people of color in general.

Those who wish to promote the goals of this petition should consider taking concrete and specific actions at the grassroots level that would promote a Sanders run. Note that you are interested in volunteering with us to stand and say: #WeNeedBernie

http://www.dsausa.org/weneedbernie

[edgineered]

1. We Need Bernie!

follow the link above (http://www.dsausa.org/weneedbernie) asking him to run, options to post on fb and tweet "I just urged Bernie Sanders to run for President because #WeNeedBernie. You should sign, too:"

Here is where to contribute to the Draft Bernie campaign: http://draftbernie.com/donate/

[PowerToThePeople]

7. thank you

[JaneyVee]

2. It would be great if he ran in the GOP primaries...

And perhaps inject some truth serum and wake up some of the zombies on the rightwing.

[PowerToThePeople]

3. nice reply.

I wouldn't expect less. HRC would fit in with the GOP bunch much easier.

[JaneyVee]

4. That's not what I mean. He's an Independent...

And can run in either primary. He would be doing a public service by crushing all the rightwing nutjobs at the debate, with a national televised audience.

[PowerToThePeople]

5. i agree that he would crush them

I hope he gets that chance in the general election 2016.

[Triana]

6. I do hope he runs because...

...he could win the nom and win (I believe it's possible even if not probable) - and if not, he'll force Hillary during the primaries to address the issues in a much more populist way. A Sanders candidacy may push Hillary further to the Left.

I hope he retains his Senate seat though. I'd hate to lose him there.

I wonder if Hillary would consider Sanders as a running mate?

[freshwest]

8. I believe he's going to announce April 30th, one way or the other. I want him to run as a Democrat.

He is very anti-Republican.

Bernie knows what they are trying to do to the American people and he world in general. I don't believe he will run as an Independent, though.

He has repeatedly said he will not be a spoiler and won't help to elect a conservative Republican to the White House by pulling a Nader, as the stakes are too high.

I'd vote for him in the primary, but I will vote for the nominee, no matter who it is. The GOP will kill many of us with a Trifecta in power. They are more dangerous than they were, even under Bush.

[Fuddnik]

11. If he runs, I'm ALL IN!!!!!!!!!!!!

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

28. Bernie is a national treasure. Just hope he runs as a Democrat; otherwise won't be jumpin on the Bernie bus, which wud leave the Scooby Doo van in the dust, runnin outta gas.

[Thinkingabout]

9. Where does Bernie stand on National Security?

[JDPriestly]

14. With regard to ISIS, he has said that Saudi Arabia has the fourth largest military in the world

and should take some responsibility in the military efforts against ISIS. Of course, since Bernie said that, we are seeing Saudi Arabia active in the military struggle in Yemen.

Bernie has been the leader on the Veterans' Affairs Committee. His views on foreign policy and national security are bound to have been influenced by his experience there.

Personally, i think that our economic problems are the greatest threat to our national security at this point.

It will be interesting to hear what Bernie has to say on many of the foreign policy issues. He has been in the Congress a long time and therefore probably knows a lot about military, national security and foreign affairs issues.

[Thinkingabout]

17. Good, now that Bernie has given his explanation of why he voted on this issue

And appears to be acceptable to you then the explanation of Hillary IWR is acceptable to me.

[freshwest]

15. He has voted on CR's that contained things he didn't like, typically Democratic. See here:

F-35 fighter planes OK at Burlington Airport.

Voted NO on extending the PATRIOT Act's roving wiretaps.

Voted NO on cutting $221M in benefits to Filipinos who served in WWII US Army.

Voted YES on requiring FISA court warrant to monitor US-to-foreign calls.

Voted NO on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad.

Voted YES on limiting soldiers' deployment to 12 months.

Voted YES on implementing the 9/11 Commission report.

Voted NO on allowing electronic surveillance without a warrant.

Voted YES on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight.

Voted NO on federalizing rules for driver licenses to hinder terrorists.

Voted NO on continuing military recruitment on college campuses.

Voted YES on supporting new position of Director of National Intelligence.

Voted NO on adopting the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission.

Voted NO on emergency $78B for war in Iraq & Afghanistan.

Voted YES on permitting commercial airline pilots to carry guns.

Voted NO on $266 billion Defense Appropriations bill.

Voted NO on deploying SDI.

End the use of anti-personnel mines.

Rated 100% by SANE, indicating a pro-peace voting record.***

Extend reserve retirement pay parity back to 9/11.

Repeal Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell, and reinstate discharged gays.

Non-proliferation includes disposing of nuclear materials.

Address abuses of electronic monitoring in the workplace.

Restore habeas corpus for detainees in the War on Terror.

These votes span a number of years and Obama agrees on most of them. But he's CinC.

Kucinich told us in a meeting in my town, that BO's duties are far different than a member of Congress. He also said Obama was a progressive and a liberal Democrat. But his position as POTUS entailed him doing a wider range of things in his job.

***Hillary has a 100% rating at SANE as well, which is one of the oldest and most well-known peace groups there is.

For details of the years of those votes and the pros and cons:

http://www.ontheissues.org/international/Bernie_Sanders_Homeland_Security.htm

A little more on his votes, and where he falls on the spectrum politically in that chart***:



Sanders is a Hard-Core Liberalper their chart, which is not strictly anti-war. Sanders is much like FDR, who even like Orwell, weren't strictly anti-war. But neither were for it for profit or religion as the GOP is.

The link says he votes as just an average Democrat. That is why he should run as candidate for the Democratic Party.

***HRC's part on the chart is the same as Sanders, but Clinton is a Liberal Populist.

Many say that about Warren, whose chart shows she is less liberal than HRC, FWIW:



http://ballotpedia.org/Elizabeth_Warren

Note that on National Security, when she was Senator, the votes above by Sanders matched hers, at least some if not all:

Voted NO on cutting $221M in benefits to Filipinos who served in WWII US Army. (Apr 2008)

Voted NO on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad. (Aug 2007)

Voted YES on limiting soldiers' deployment to 12 months. (Jul 2007)

Voted YES on implementing the 9/11 Commission report. (Mar 2007)

Voted YES on preserving habeas corpus for Guantanamo detainees. (Sep 2006)

Voted YES on requiring CIA reports on detainees & interrogation methods. (Sep 2006)

Voted YES on reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act. (Mar 2006)

Voted NO on extending the PATRIOT Act's wiretap provision. (Dec 2005)

Voted YES on restricting business with entities linked to terrorism. (Jul 2005)

Voted YES on restoring $565M for states' and ports' first responders. (Mar 2005)

Federalize aviation security. (Nov 2001)

Rated 100% by SANE, indicating a pro-peace voting record. (Dec 2003)

She said she supported what has been hailed this year by PBO. I am uncertain of when she said this, but it was while she was Secretary of State, I guess. We must remember though, that Obama's job is different from anyone else's in government:

I’m relieved that the intelligence community has reached this conclusion, but I vehemently disagree with the president that nothing’s changed and therefore nothing in American policy has to change. I have for two years advocated diplomatic engagement with Iran, and I think that’s what the president should do.

More:

VoteMatch Responses

Strongly Favors topic 1:
Abortion is a woman's right
(+5 points on Social scale)

Strongly Favors topic 2:
Require hiring more women & minorities
(-5 points on Economic scale)

Strongly Favors topic 3:
Same-sex domestic partnership benefits
(+5 points on Social scale)

Opposes topic 4:
Teacher-led prayer in public schools
(+2 points on Social scale)

Opposes topic 9:
Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws
(+2 points on Social scale)

Strongly Opposes topic 10:
Absolute right to gun ownership
(-5 points on Economic scale)**

Favors topic 5:
More federal funding for health coverage
(-3 points on Economic scale)

Strongly Opposes topic 6:
Privatize Social Security
(-5 points on Economic scale)

Strongly Opposes topic 7:
Parents choose schools via vouchers
(-5 points on Economic scale)

Strongly Favors topic 18:
Replace coal & oil with alternatives
(-5 points on Economic scale)

Opposes topic 19:
Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it
(+2 points on Social scale)

Strongly Favors topic 11:
Make taxes more progressive
(-5 points on Economic scale)

Favors topic 12:
Illegal immigrants earn citizenship
(+2 points on Social scale)

Strongly Favors topic 16:
Stricter limits on political campaign funds
(-5 points on Economic scale)

Strongly Favors topic 14:
The Patriot Act harms civil liberties
(+5 points on Social scale)



Sources:

http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/hillary_clinton.htm

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026396578#post44

**A cause of some of the heat directed at her at DU?

That's just a few things from the compilation by NYC Liberal. I've got to go, but perhaps you can see how HRC and Bernie match up by googling.

I don't see that much difference, both have negatives with some and both have positives, in terms of electability. I won't give into what the GOP wants us to FEEL, since most I read is about feelings and not positions as a filter installed by a generation of GOP propaganda.

What I see are more similarities than media hyped differences. They are both, when all is said and done, typical of a liberal Democrat and great people personally, and they don't attack each other. I won't fall into the GOP media game.

Really, must go. That was more than you asked, but I'm going to put it in my Journal.

[orpupilofnature57]

27. Thank You , for the comprehensive look, And I thank Bernie

for a consistent voting record that reassembles what he says .

[2naSalit]

10. I couldn't help but think of this

all the past week. I love Senator Sanders and wish we had 99 clones of him in the Senate and 500+ in the House right now.

[onenote]

18. I think you mean 400+ in the House

unless someone added 70 or so members without anyone noticing!

[G_j]

12. K&R!

[JDPriestly]

13. I'm not a Socialist, but I like Bernie and I hope he runs as a Democrat.

I have been an active member of my local Democratic Party for some time, off and on for years, and worked on a lot of campaigns. The Democratic Party has an infrastructure in California that could boost Bernie Sanders' candidacy.

[ND-Dem]

16. kick

[pampango]

19. I do hope he participates in the Democratic debates. His views need to reach a larger audience.

republicans have proven that committed candidates can pull a party in their direction in the long run whether they win nominations or elections in the short term. I hope Bernie does well in the primary process but I particularly will welcome more publicity for his staunch left-wing views.

[PowerToThePeople]

25. yes

Even if the establishment overpowers the progressive voice in the primaries, something left of Reagonomics v12 needs to hit the airwaves. He is desperately needed.

[fadedrose]

20. If we really want an honest person

Bernie's the one.

Always consistent, steady and sincere.

He needs to appear to be more calm, though, even if the house is on fire.

[PowerToThePeople]

21. similar to Dean in that respect

I was all for Dean in 04.

Passion should be appreciated imo, but who am I?

[DrKZ]

22. Yes a candidate I can support

Finally a candidate I know I can support. I am so happy that he will probably get into the race. I will do everything I am capable of doing to help his campaign.

[daredtowork]

23. I wrote both Bernie and Barbara Lee last night

I added my voice of support. I hope he will run, but I also hope he will draft Barbara Lee to run with him.

IMHO Barbara Lee should be encouraged to run for President, but I'd take either arrangement. I just think they'd make a great team!

The minute Hillary started talking about needing "less regulation", a big gaping hole opened up to her left. There's plenty of room for Bernie (and Barbara?) to steal the ball and run through it!



Barbara Lee - almost as socialist as Bernie on Ballotopedia.

[woo me with science]

24. A representative and statesman,

in a sea of corrupt corporate sellouts.

We need Bernie!

[orpupilofnature57]

26. YES !!!!

He's the ' Working class hero ' Lennon sang about, He's Ibsen's ' Enemy of the people ' telling us about the bad water, He's the Citizen Thomas Jefferson told us would be required to maintain Democracy .