Welcome to the Bernie News Roundup. The BNR is a voluntary, non-campaign associated roundup of news, media, & other information related to Bernie Sanders run for President. Visit the group page for past editions or send a message to be added.
Sign Up, Donate, Volunteer @ Bernie's official page.
Grassroots Efforts Fuel The Bern:
The big crowds that Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders is drawing at rallies are just one sign of the enthusiasm that seems to be building around the candidate.
Consider Lynn and Andy Nilssen, Siesta Key residents who spent a hot and humid summer morning standing on a sidewalk outside the Siesta Farmer’s Market soliciting support for Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, last week.
The farmer’s market foot traffic is light this time of year and the sun was withering, but the Nilssens were happy to be there. They wore bright white T-shirts bearing the blue and red “Bernie for President” logo, passed out campaign brochures and signed up volunteers.
“He doesn’t worry about offending large corporate donors because he doesn’t have any,” Lynn Nilssen said when asked why she was giving up her Sunday morning and braving Florida’s scorching summer weather to volunteer for a candidate widely considered a longshot to win the Democratic nomination. “He can speak the truth; that’s why he’s got so much grassroots support.”
The crowded Republican presidential primary is generating more attention, but people such as the Nilssens are determined to make the Democratic contest more than just a coronation for Hillary Clinton. Sanders’ supporters have organized more than 1,500 house parties and other gatherings across the country to fire up volunteers, including 11 events in Sarasota and Manatee counties.
Sanders In Louisiana:
The popular conception of Democrat Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign is that he's a leftist insurgent whose long-shot candidacy exists primarily to goad front-runner Hillary Clinton toward a more progressive posture.
Some of the rhetoric he delivered at a Louisiana Democratic Party dinner Saturday (July 25) lived up to his reputation, punctuated as it was with digs at Wall Street bankers and the greed of the super rich, but his major talking points were largely basic planks in the Democratic platform.
Here are some of the Vermont senator's remarks, excerpted from his 12 minute speech.
On income inequality
"I feel that the great moral, economic political issue of our day is the grotesque level of income and wealth inequality in America. It is not acceptable to me and as president it will not continue to have the top one tenth of one percent owning as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent," he said.
..
On climate change
"I know I am in Louisiana, and I hear you have somewhat of an oil industry here, but nonetheless I have to tell you what is true, and that is that the scientific community is virtually unanimous in telling us that climate change is real. Climate change is caused by human activity. Climate change is already causing devastating problems and if we do not get our act together, the situation will become worse in years to come."
More on Louisiana:
Louisiana traditionally doesn’t rank up there with Iowa and New Hampshire as important destinations for presidential candidates at this point on the calendar. But Bernie Sanders has a lot riding on a swing through the Bayou State this weekend.
In seeking the Democratic nomination, the independent senator from Vermont has acknowledged that one of his key challenges is demonstrating an ability to connect with black voters. Sanders, who has emerged as the leading alternative to Hillary Rodham Clinton, represents a state that is 95 percent white. Unlike most of his Democratic rivals, his elections have never required much outreach to the African American community.
..
Which brings us to this weekend: Sanders has four events booked in a state where one-third of the population is black.
He is scheduled to appear in Baton Rouge on Saturday night at a national gathering of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a storied African American civil rights organization whose first president was Martin Luther King Jr.
From there, the self-described democratic socialist heads to New Orleans to address a Jefferson-Jackson dinner later that night sponsored by the Louisiana Democratic Party. There is certain to be a sizable African American turnout there as well. And on Sunday, Sanders has both a house party and large-scale rally planned in the New Orleans area.
Even More:
Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Martin O'Malley sent Louisiana-centric video messages to the Louisiana Democratic Party's Jefferson-Jackson Dinner on July 25. O'Malley mentioned the recent deadly shooting in Lafayette as he looked into the camera saying "our nation has a sickness," calling for stronger comprehensive gun safety regulations. Clinton celebrated former U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, who was honored at the event with a lifetime achievement award.
Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, however, was there in person, kicking off a weekend in Louisiana after a trip to Baton Rouge the same night amid visits to "conservative" states including upcoming trips to Alabama, Mississippi and South Carolina. Sanders has proved popular on the trail and is seen as an alternative to frontrunner Clinton to voters who don't see her as liberal enough; Sanders aims at Wall Street, income inequality and the 1 percent. As bussers and servers in starched white shirts and black vests whizzed by carrying trays on their shoulders, Sanders — gesturing frequently with his right arm — spoke to reporters standing under a loudly fizzing pipe. "I don't know that I can win here in Louisiana," he told reporters, "but I think I do have a message that will speak to working people, low-income people, and that's why I'm here."
Sanders was the last to speak at the event, which served as a rally for a reviving state Democratic party and for state Rep. John Bel Edwards, who is the Democratic frontrunner in the governor's race. "We need a political revolution in this country," Sanders said. "The time is now to tell the billionaire class, which controls our economy and controls our political life, that enough is enough."
Sanders blasted the country's "grotesque" income equality, demanded corporations "pay their fair share of taxes," and said if elected, he would ensure his selection for a U.S. Supreme Court judge will "loudly and proudly proclaim" overturning the Citizens United decision dealing with campaign finance reform. He also said public higher education should be free, a $70 billion proposition, which he said could be paid for by taxing Wall Street speculation.
The AFL-CIO may delay making an endorsement:
In a possible setback for Hillary Clinton, the AFL-CIO's political committee has recommended the nation's largest labor union federation delay endorsing a candidate for the 2016 presidential race as it seeks to push her to be more supportive of its policies on issues such as trade and wages.
..
Clinton, as well as Democrat rivals for the party's nomination in the presidential race, Bernie Sanders and Martin O'Malley, and one of the candidates in the Republican race, Mike Huckabee, will be grilled by union leaders on the TPP and other issues at next week's meeting.
The federation has been trying to quell a revolt in its ranks as some local unions have declared their support for Sanders, who is known for his progressive stance and who has spoken out strongly against the TPP.
In contrast, Clinton has simply said that any final trade agreement needs to include strong worker protections and that she will reserve judgment until a completed deal is presented. Negotiators from the U.S, and 11 other nations from the Pacific Rim, including Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Australia, Mexico and Canada, are meeting in the next week in Hawaii in an attempt to reach a final agreement.
Bernie believes the lack of pre-k in America is disgraceful:
Independent Bernie Sanders, a candidate for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, said the country needs to invest in universal pre-school for America’s toddlers.
“The truth of the matter is taking care of kids and providing the quality care that they need, the quality education they need, is an expensive proposition,” Sanders said.
“So I believe in universal pre-K as a radical idea, it is an expensive idea.” Sanders spoke to a group of 25 people Friday at a roundtable discussion hosted by “Every Child Matters” – an organization calling on presidential candidates to talk about policies that impact children and working families.
“Everybody in this room understands that the most formative years of a human being’s life is from zero to four years of age. And, to turn our back on children at that period is disgraceful,” Sanders said. Sanders has also called for “free” college tuition, financed by higher tax rates and Sanders acknowledged that universal pre-K education is expensive, too.
“Any serious person who tells you they’re concerned about kids has got to tell you that they’re prepared to ask the wealthiest people, the largest corporations in America to start paying their fair share of taxes,” he said. Sanders said.
Keeping July 29th In The Headlines:
On Wednesday, July 29, at thousands of homes and halls across the country, supporters of Senator Bernie Sanders will begin to build the organization that will take this country back from the billionaire class.
People attending the meetings will share their own stories of why they are getting involved, hear from Bernie himself via live streaming video, and have the opportunity to sign up for an organizing team.
Commentary by George Ochenski:
While the media and political pundits anointed Hillary Clinton as the chosen one for the Democratic Party’s presidential candidacy for the 2016 race, things aren’t turning out quite the way the political insiders had hoped.
Just last week, Sanders rebuffed the status quo naysayers by drawing the largest crowd of any of the 2016 presidential contenders when 10,000 people showed up in Madison, Wisconsin, for his July 1 appearance. Nor was the massive crowd, in the political dog days of summer, a fluke. Wherever he goes, from Iowa to New Hampshire, crowds seeking a new and hopeful future have filled the venues to beyond capacity. As Sanders told reporters after a late June appearance: “I had to fight my way to get into the room. Standing room only. Minneapolis was literally beyond belief.”
There’s a reason for Sanders’ popularity right now — and it has everything to do with income inequality, living wages, opposition to so-called “free trade” agreements, corporate taxation, tighter regulation of Wall Street, tuition-free college, our continuous state of war around the world, global warming, health care for all and freedom from the oligarchy now ruling Congress, the White House and the nation.
Saying “I don’t believe that the men and women who defended American democracy fought to create a situation where billionaires own the political process,” and unlike Clinton, Bush and the yowling pack of presidential contenders, Sanders announced early on he would not form a Super PAC to take massive campaign contributions from mega-wealthy donors. Instead, and again much to the surprise of the pundits, Sanders launched a mom-and-pop, truly grassroots fundraising effort that garnered an astounding $1.5 million in its first 24 hours. It has grown quickly since then, with 400,000 contributors averaging $33.51 apiece — an amount a truly “average” American might be able to spare to support someone who is finally saying what they have waited so long to hear, that he will “take on the greed of Wall Street and the billionaire class.”
But in a glimpse into the real conditions in our nation right now, even those who cannot afford to contribute are sending Sanders’ campaign heart-rending letters:
“I wish I could donate. I’m disabled and on limited income. Sorry. $5 means no food at the end of the month. I am going to vote for Bernie.” — D. from Alabama.
“As much as I believe in you and want to donate, I can’t. I get less than $500 a month from Social Security and have no money. None. I can’t even pay my monthly bills and when something breaks down, I can’t fix it. I’m sorry.” — C. from Florida.
“I wish I had the money to donate to your cause Bernie, I really do. Right now my family is going through very hard times and as of yesterday we are completely broke, with absolutely no money. However, if there is anything else I can do to help with your campaign, just let me know.” — C. from Arizona.
Of course, Sanders knows he’s running against the wealthy entrenched interests and won’t be able to out-raise candidates kowtowing to the billionaires. While Sanders has raised $15 million from tiny contributions, Hillary Clinton has already amassed $45 million. But as most folks know, those million-dollar contributions to Clinton’s Super PAC come with expectations of political payback if and when she walks into the White House.
North Carolina:
McDowell County supporters of Democratic presidential primary candidate Bernie Sanders will hold a meeting Wednesday evening in Old Fort which will include a live online address from the U.S. senator from Vermont.
The campaign for Sanders is organizing volunteers across the country. A live online address by Sanders will be held Wednesday evening all over the nation to kickoff his campaign. Local supporters will gather at the Old Fort branch library for a meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. The live online address will start at 7:30 p.m. The library is located at 65 E. Mitchell St. in Old Fort.
More than 30 meetings are taking place across western North Carolina, hosted by volunteers for Sanders. Participants can attend or host meetings at berniesanders.com/events.
"The response to the meeting has been phenomenal." said Carol Tribble of Marion. "Already 28 people in our local community are signed up to attend and are giving up their evening to hear Bernie. It is a clear demonstration that he is addressing issues that matter deeply to people."
Sanders Vs Cruz?:
Bernie Sanders could participate in a one-on-one, leftwing versus right debate with Ted Cruz during the presidential primary, without violating restrictive rules set by the Democratic and Republican national committees. The two senators would just have to face off at their workplace, the US Capitol.
The first debate of the extended primary election will see the top 10 Republican candidates in a field of 16 face off in Cleveland on 6 August, in an event hosted by Fox News. Both parties have made clear that if candidates appear in unsanctioned debates, they will be barred from any official debates.
But staffers for both the DNC and RNC confirmed that the restrictions on presidential debates do not apply to debates held on the floor of Congress.
Sean Spicer, the chief strategist for the RNC, told the Guardian: “Senate business would not be a violation.”
Sanders, a self-professed democratic socialist who represents Vermont as an independent but is running for the Democratic nomination, attracting large crowds and performing well in the polls, has long expressed a willingness to debate Republican rivals one on one.