#StillSanders After All This Time? You’re Right To Continue The Fight

Regardless of what the media wants you to believe, The Amendment King is still the most electable candidate

Warren, Buttigieg, Harris… Oh my… The field for the 2020 Democratic Nomination is certainly continuing to widen, and understandably so with the direction that our country has taken over the last two years. Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Julian Castro, has thrown his hat into the race. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced her run for President on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Sherrod Brown, John Delaney, Richard Ojeda, among others, have either announced or are exploring a run and I’m sure that there are even more to come.

With such a wide group to choose from, why would someone support 2016 Democratic Primary loser, Bernie Sanders? After all, there are many facts to why he can’t win. He’s never worked a day in his life. He’s never accomplished anything in Congress. He can’t pay for his ideas. He could never win the Democratic Nomination. There’s a lot going against him. Except, that’s all completely untrue and just propaganda that has been pushed against him for one reason, or another.

“He’s Never Worked A Day In His Life”

A pretty common criticism of Sanders is that he has never held an “actual” job before working in public office. Being that he wasn’t elected Mayor of Burlington until he was 40 years old, that alone is enough to make this a not-so-believable point and the actual facts support that it is nothing but propaganda. Not only did Bernie work for 12 years either as a freelance writer, carpenter, psychiatric hospital aide, or a Head Start preschool teacher, but he also owned, ran, and worked at the American People’s Historical Society where he wrote and produced educational filmstrips on historical issues, concentrating primarily on New England states, from 1976 to 1981, when he became Mayor. This criticism almost seems lazy.

“He’s Never Accomplished Anything In Congress”

Bernie Sanders has been in politics for 38 years and has accomplished nothing. Or, that’s what mainstream sources would prefer you to believe. The truth, yet again, is quite the opposite.

In 2005, Rolling Stone designated Sanders “The Amendment King of the House”. At the time, the title especially held true with amendments that were brought to record votes. (Amendments can also be passed with voice votes, in which the volume of yeas and nays dictates the passage, or by unanimous consent, in which no one raises an objection.) Out of 419 amendments Sanders sponsored over his 25 years in Congress, 90 passed; 21 of them by roll call votes. These included critical amendments like “Corporate Crime Accountability”, “Getting Tough On Child Labor”, “Restricting the Bailout to Protect U.S. Workers”, and “Support for Treating Autism”. And, if his committee assignments on the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Committee on Environment and Public Works, and as the ranking member of the Committee on the Budget are the whipped cream, then the fact that 206 sponsored or co-sponsored Sanders bills have become law would certainly be the cherry on top. There’s your “Fake News Sundae”

“He Can’t Pay For His Ideas”

While there is a much deeper discussion about economics to be had there, yet again, this is just blatantly untrue. Do you mean his $1 trillion infrastructure plan, that could find itself funded by taxing corporate offshore accounts? Or, perhaps you mean funding “College For All” wouldn’t be possible by a minuscule tax on Wall Street speculations? Continuing to fund our pension programs by means of closing loopholes on estate taxes and artwork? “Medicare for All” for a small tax on both the individual and employer, saving $1,000’s for both? Or…you know…any of these…?

Photo courtesy of BERNIE2016.

It’s just plain untrue.

“He Never Could Win The Democratic Nomination”

In 2016, only one Democratic candidate received elected delegates in every state and while also managing to achieve 44.5% of all pledged delegates in a first-try, insurgent presidential candidacy; U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders. Sanders took his grassroots campaign from being an outsider, fringe candidate, to nearly knocking off one of the single most established Democratic Oligarchs in modern American history. Bernie would only need to achieve LESS THAN 10% of the pledged delegates that didn’t vote for him in 2016, in order to win a pledged delegate majority in 2020. This would require an average win of only 4 / FOUR more pledged delegates from each primary vote. If that was achieved in months, imagine what can be done by the Sanders movement with over a year to make use of.

The Democratic Nomination is looking more and more achievable as the movement continues to build on its 2016 momentum, and that is only amplified due to some of the most recent happenings going on as the pool of candidates for Democratic nod for President widens. With things like Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard’s support for LGBTQ+ rights and equality being debated, Senator Kamala Harris’ excessive track-record of incarcerating African-American males and being heavily funded by corporations (Time Warner), Beto O’Rourke polling very poorly right off the bat, and Elizabeth Warren reviving her own DNA debates, their candidacies have been fiercely debated either by the media or progressives themselves.

But, all the arguments left as a rebuttal to a future President Sanders are exhausted, several-times-disproved conspiracies that have never actually gained any traction. It will be near impossible for organizations and individuals to refrain from considering these recently revisited issues among the Democratic field in their endorsements, as publicity for these issues builds, and they will then have to begin to realize the importance of supporting an electable candidate. As of now, signs point to that candidate being Sanders, and the importance of putting Bernie Sanders into the general election for the future of our nation seems to continue to grow by the day.

Photo courtesy of BERNIE SANDERS.

Sanders continues to poll highest among announced candidates, ranging in polls from CNN to Politico and Harvard Harris, but more importantly, his support is still strong among his base. As the admin of Oregon For Bernie Sanders 2020 on Facebook, Dana Moran, puts it, “I am #StillSanders because he has been fighting the same fight his whole life, and that fight is for the people.” She goes on to say, “If Bernie chooses to run, we are all in! No Doubt!” As for Americans for Bernie Sanders, a progressive page that was launched on the day Bernie declared in April 2015. As Democratic Socialists, who even run to the left of Bernie on some issues, their dedication is still holding strong.

“We are #StillSanders because we cannot see any other confirmed or potential candidate whose progressive credentials remotely compare with Bernie’s. That was true in 2015/16, and will still hold true for 2019/20. #RunBernieRun” — Americans for Bernie Sanders

A recent poll of Sanders supporters on social media reflected a similar sentiment. The vast majority indicated that they are #StillSanders because of his platform, the leadership he brings to the table, and his long-time commitment to the fight for justice for all. It would be hard to disagree that this tends to describe what sounds to be a pretty strong candidate for the office of President.

Regardless of the many clear reasons why Bernie Sanders would likely be what so many Americans need, the big picture is that what the country truly needs is many more progressive ideas pushed through the halls of Congress and the White House in order to bring the ever necessary rights, freedoms, equality, and compassion that many people across our society so direly require. The facts simply support the need to do so. Global statistics show that prominent progressive nations, such as Finland, Italy, Sweden, Norway, France, Portugal, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Brazil, and Ireland lead the USA in many ways.

The US is #43 in Life Expectancy. Germany is #32, Ireland #31, Finland #30, Netherlands #24, Spain #21, Norway #20, France #19, Sweden #15, Italy #14. The US is #167 highest in Infant Mortality Rate. Portugal is #185, Ireland #198, Netherlands #201, Germany #208, Spain #211, Italy #212, France #213, Sweden #217, Norway #220. The US is #18 highest in Obesity. Spain is #45, Ireland #57, Germany #59, Portugal #69, Finland #77, Norway #84, Italy #97, Brazil #102, Sweden #103, France #108. The US is #48 in the use of Renewable Resources. Norway is #36, Brazil #32, Finland #24, Netherlands #22, Sweden #14, Ireland #12, Italy #10, Portugal #7, Spain #6, Germany #3. The US is only the #19th lowest in Pollution. Portugal is #17, Germany #10, Ireland #9, Norway #6, Sweden #4, Finland #3. The US is only the #85th lowest inflation. Finland is #75, Germany #53, France #47, Netherlands #37, Ireland #36, Italy #32, Spain #23, Portugal #20, Sweden #19. The US is ranked last, #193 in Current Accounts. Brazil is #191, France #185, Finland is #133, Portugal #43, Spain #24, Ireland #23, Italy #17, Sweden #14, Norway #10, Netherlands #4, Germany #1. The US is ranked 19th in Retirement Systems. France is #18, Finland #13, Germany #9, Sweden #6, Netherlands #5, Norway #2. The US is #1 in Incarceration. France is #23, Spain #25, Germany #26, Italy #37, Portugal #78, Netherlands #80, Sweden #116, Norway #130, Ireland #131, Finland #138. The US is #17 in Reading. France is #16, Norway #15, Netherlands #9, Sweden #8, Ireland #7, Finland #1. The US is #27 in Math. Spain is #26, Norway #23, Ireland #19, Germany #18, Sweden #17, France #16, Netherlands #5, Finland #3. The US is #24 in Science. Germany is #18, Ireland #16, France #14, Netherlands #8, Finland #2. And finally, the “Greatest Country in the World” is still only #10 in Overall Quality of Life. Netherlands is #9, Norway #8, Sweden #5, Finland #4, Germany #3.

Obviously, this favors proving the point that not only are arguments like “free’ means no competition and no progress,” wrong, but that issues such as the economy, healthcare, education, retirement, and many other social issues are thriving in these nations, and that Progressivism works.

Photo courtesy of BERNIE SANDERS.

For all Progressives, Sanders supporters, Democratic Socialists, Independents, and otherwise, if you really do want to see the bright, progressive future that candidates including Sanders could likely bring for yourself, your children, and their children, then you need to start organizing now, not later, because of signs like the fact that he recently began running paid ads over social media, through his Senate campaign committee, “Friends of Bernie Sanders”. Why is that an issue? Because that means that the big picture that they are seeing is that there is not enough organizing and momentum happening organically. Supporters are not talking about Bernie Sanders as often. Donations are not coming as frequently. Shares are coming from splinter groups and not directly from his campaign’s messaging and social media pages.

The mainstream media does not shut you out unless they think you are a real threat. The conservative talking points don’t usually focus on you unless they are worried about you. Bernie Sanders has always had both since well before 2016’s race even started. The facts are there. The momentum is there. The organizing must be there. Without it, you can expect to watch a potential “Feel The Bern 2020” to turn out to burn out like in 2016. House parties would need to start being thrown, now. Articles would need to start being written, today. Doors would need to start being knocked nationwide, immediately. It is doable, and far from impossible, but the truth of the matter is that Bernie 2020 fully lies in the hands of supporters and the actions that they choose to take, now, not later.