Policy Platform: 97%

Senator Sanders received the top score of all the candidates for his policy platform. More than any other candidate, he has proposed the most progressive and transformative set of policies across key policy issues. In particular, his proposals to combat climate change, to transform our immigration system, and to guarantee universal access to health care earned him almost full credit in those policy sections. Although he’s best known for leading the national health care conversation through his Medicare For All bill, he has also led the way on other issues, including restoring congressional authority over the use of force.

Immigration

Senator Sanders received close to full credit on the immigration section. He has embraced a people-first immigration plan that would fundamentally transform our immigration system. He committed to dismantling the enforcement apparatus, eliminating unnecessary detention of immigrants, and was the first candidate to commit to a moratorium on deportations, though he lost points for exceptions on the moratorium he’s made. His proposals also recognize the external drivers of immigration, including the effects of climate change, and he has accounted for them in his plan.

Score: 98%

Health Care

Senator Sanders received full credit in the health care section and he has led the way through his Medicare For All proposal. He has committed to extending universal coverage to everyone living in the U.S., and to taking on corporations, insurance companies, and drug companies in order to get it done. He has committed to going beyond undoing Trump’s sabotage of the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid to fundamentally transform our health care system.

Score: 100%

Climate

Senator Sanders received full credit in the climate section because he has proposed a robust plan to aggressively combat climate change. He championed the Green New Deal as the centerpiece of his plan, and committed to centering vulnerable communities in his policies. He committed to zeroing out greenhouse gas emissions, protecting our public lands and our environment, and transitioning the U.S. to a clean economy. He also committed to using federal resources, including aggressive executive actions to combat climate change.

Score: 100%

Economic Justice and Civil Rights

Senator Sanders received full credit in the economic justice and civil rights section as he has committed to clear policies for eliminating inequality and advancing economic and racial justice. He has proposed a robust plan to close the racial wealth and gender pay gaps, raise the federal minimum wage, and expand programs to support working families. He has also committed to addressing police violence and overhauling our racist criminal justice system. He has indicated support for both legislative and administrative changes.

Score: 100%

Other Domestic Policy

Senator Sanders received a good score for his positions on other key policy areas. He has committed to taking aggressive steps to curb gun violence, including by using federal resources if Congress fails to act. He supports free college, closing the achievement gap, and making his education policies inclusive of everyone living in the U.S. He also committed to investing in teacher recruitment and retention, and to investing in under-resourced schools, especially in low-income communities.

Score: 90%

Foreign Policy & National Security

Senator Sanders received the highest score of all the candidates for his positions on foreign policy and national security. He committed to repealing the open-ended 2001 and 2002 use of force authorizations, to progressive diplomacy, and to restoring U.S. global leadership. He also recognized the non-military foreign policy threats we face as a nation and offered a plan to address them.

Score: 85%