When I endorsed Bernie Sanders in December, I did so because I aligned with what Bernie Sanders has fought for and continues to fight for over his 40+ years as an activist and as an elected official. On the issues of civil rights, wages, women’s rights, money in politics, foreign policy and the environment, Bernie Sanders has been on the right side of history time and time again.
In my own campaign for Congress here in Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District, I am fighting for a living wage with a minimum wage of $15/hr and it wasn’t a number that was pulled out of thin air. It’s a number that has been studied and chosen as the baseline for moving full-time workers out of poverty. I am fighting for civil rights for all Americans as I am a supporter of Black Lives Matter because in fact, Black Lives Matter. I am a fighter for LGBTQ rights, as the assault on LGBTQ rights are the civil rights struggle of our day that the right-wing are waging today in an effort to divide and scare the country of “other”.
I agree with Senator Sanders on the importance of Global Warming and its urgency. If we don’t solve the issue of our ever-growing sick planet, all other measures and progress we make on other issues will mean little if we don’t heal our planet. Here in Nevada, we have a chance to transform how we create and consume energy, and it will take a concentrated effort of political will and direct government investment. This fight will be a multi-generational effort that has to begin today.
So, you now know I align with Bernie Sanders for President, and it has nothing to do with being anti-Hillary. While I caucused for Bernie Sanders here in Nevada, I didn’t disparage or fight against Hillary supporters, as I believe that those that support Hillary are good and honest Democrats. The idea that those who don’t agree with my platform are my enemy is counter-productive and at the end destructive in politics. I will work tirelessly to fight for the causes I am fighting for in my campaign when I am sent to Washington, but I will not attack those for whom I disagree with. What we need to do is lay out where we disagree and point that out for the voters, whether you’re in a campaign or in office, it’s important for voters to know where one stands on the issues.
I believe there has to be nuance when supporting your preferred candidate. While Senator Sanders supports a $15/hr minimum wage and Secretary Clinton supports a $12/hr minimum wage, we have to understand what that means in the larger fight. A President Sanders would fight for a $15/hr minimum wage but would sign a $12/hr minimum wage, and a President Clinton would sign a $15/hr minimum wage. I don’t believe a President Clinton would veto a comprehensive Climate Change plan or a strong banking bill. Just like I don’t believe that a President Sanders would veto a gun-regulation bill that went after gun manufacturers.
We have to keep the larger picture in mind when it comes to this election. While the fear of an opposing candidate should not be the number 1 motivating factor in voting for a candidate, it has to rank up there as a reason. A President Trump, Cruz or even the anti-women Kasich would be detrimental and destructive to our country. With a Supreme Court opening and potentially 2 or 3 more in the next Presidential term, the risk is too great not to vote. Not only as a candidate for office am I against ‘Bernie or Bust.' but as a voter, it is not something I can get behind. Not voting does nothing to advance our democracy, and if you don’t vote if your preferred candidate doesn’t win, you have little leverage to hold an elected official accountable. Your not voting reduces your power in a democracy, plain and simple.
Same rules apply for Clinton supporters who attack Sanders and his supporters as being too idealistic and unrealistic. There is nothing wrong with striving high and aiming for great social and economic progress. If Secretary Clinton is successful in the primary, she also must reach out to Sanders supporters and mend fences, as that is the Presidential thing to do. We must be a united and Progressive party, and that means bringing in and winning over voters who didn’t support you in the primary.
This post may not be popular with my supporters or those that support Bernie Sanders as I so strongly do, but it’s necessary to speak the truth in this primary. I am a Progressive Democrat that has been unwavering in my fight for strong and progressive progress that goes beyond just this election. But, my support for Bernie Sanders has nothing to do with Hillary Clinton and being against her. I believe that when we advocate for Bernie Sanders, we must do so without attacking Hillary as that doesn’t advance our agenda and only bogs us down in the minutia of politics. And, Hillary Clinton supporters must advocate for why Secretary Clinton could pass her agenda in a modern day Congress.
I hope that we can come together as a strong Democratic Party that goes beyond personal attacks and false news sources and memes.
Thank you,
Alex Singer
SingerforCongress.com
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