Authors: Maryland for Bernie Sanders Board Members, Jared Schablein and Bobby Moore.

Editor: Maryland for Bernie Sanders State Coordinator, Keannu Smith-Brown.

“Fortunately for the political process, there remain a number of committed individuals who are steadfast enough in their beliefs to run for office to benefit their fellow Americans. Such people are willing to eschew political and personal comfort and convenience because they believe they can make a difference. One outstanding and inspiring example of such integrity is the country’s only Independent Congressman, Vermont’s Bernie Sanders.” — Mayor Pete Buttigieg.

It is without saying that Pete Buttigieg, as the first and only gay candidate in the 2020 Democratic Primary, added a lot of value to this presidential race. If you were a Pete Buttigieg supporter, you may want to look at Bernie Sanders, as the two have significant similar policy positions across LGBTQ rights, early childhood education, gun violence prevention, and healthcare.

LGBTQ Rights

Pete Buttigieg’s run as the first openly gay presidential candidate provided deep meaning and significance to the 2020 primary. Bernie Sanders has a strong track record of supporting LGBTQ rights in America. In 1996, Sanders voted against the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and held one of the first gay pride parades as Mayor of Burlington in 1983. Both candidates have put forth plans to support the expansion of LGTBQ rights, including passing the Equality Act, the Every Child Deserves a Family Act and other bills to prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ people, ensuring LGBTQ people have comprehensive health insurance without discrimination from providers, and advancing policies to ensure students can attend school without fear of bullying. You can read more about Bernie Sanders’ plan to protect and expand on LGTBQ rights via this link.

Early Childhood Education: Universal Childcare and Pre-K

Both Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg support universal childcare and pre-k for every single American family. At a high-level, Sanders’ early childhood education plan expands the K-12 environment to include the following:

Guarantee every child in America free full-day, full-week, high-quality child care from infancy through age three, regardless of income.

Guarantee every child access to a full-day, full-week pre-kindergarten education, regardless of income, starting at age 3.

To read more about Sanders’ universal childcare and pre-k plan, please click this link to read more.

Gun Violence Prevention

Both Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg have strong, bold proposals to tackle gun violence in America. At a high-level, both Sanders and Buttigieg support the following:

Expanding background checks.

Closing the gun show loophole.

Banning assault weapons.

To read more about Bernie Sanders’ gun violence prevention plan, please use this link.

Healthcare

Bernie Sanders’ Medicare For All bill is most closely similar and aligned to Mayor Pete’s healthcare plan.

“I, Pete Buttigieg, politician, do henceforth and forthwith declare, most affirmatively and indubitably, unto the ages, that I do favor Medicare for All, as I do favor any measure that would help get all Americans covered.” — Mayor Buttigieg.

At a high-level, Bernie Sanders’ Medicare For All Plan includes the following:

Creating a Medicare for All, single-payer, national health insurance program to provide everyone in America with comprehensive health care coverage, free at the point of service.

No networks, no premiums, no deductibles, no copays, no surprise bills.

Medicare coverage will be expanded and improved to include: include dental, hearing, vision, and home- and community-based long-term care, in-patient, and out-patient services, mental health and substance abuse treatment, reproductive and maternity care, prescription drugs, and more.

Stopping the pharmaceutical industry from ripping off the American people by making sure that no one in America pays over $200 a year for the medicine they need, by capping what Americans pay for prescription drugs under Medicare for All.

Read Bernie’s full plan here: https://berniesanders.com/issues/medicare-for-all/.

If you support affordable Healthcare, Affordable Education, Economic Justice, Criminal Justice Reform, Environmental Justice, and Equality, WE want YOU to be part of this Movement! Bernie Sanders has fought for the working class and poor people for decades! Join us: https://forms.gle/eeggtf4yApRNRLT67!!!

“Sanders’ positions on many difficult issues are commendable, but his real impact has been as a reaction to the cynical climate which threatens the effectiveness of the democratic system. His energy, candor, conviction, and ability to bring people together stand against the current of opportunism, moral compromise, and partisanship which runs rampant on the American political scene. He and few others like him have the power to restore principle and leadership in Congress and to win back the faith of a voting public weary and wary of political opportunism. Above all, I commend Bernie Sanders for giving me an answer to those who say American young people see politics as a cesspool of corruption, beyond redemption. I have heard that no sensible young person today would want to give his or her life to public service. I can personally assure you this is untrue.” — Mayor Pete Buttigieg