Bernie Sanders wrote an OpEd for the Los Angeles Times, published today. He lays out why he strongly supports Hillary and asks anyone who voted for him to join him in supporting Hillary.
Note: Some polls have the support of Bernie’s former supporters for Hillary at close to 90%, but in a few other polls it was also seen closer to 80%.
Op-Ed Bernie Sanders: I support Hillary Clinton. So should everyone who voted for me
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By Bernie Sanders
Donald Trump would be a disaster and an embarrassment for our country if he were elected president. His campaign is not based on anything of substance — improving the economy, our education system, healthcare or the environment. It is based on bigotry. He is attempting to win this election by fomenting hatred against Mexicans and Muslims. He has crudely insulted women. And as a leader of the “birther movement,” he tried to undermine the legitimacy of our first African American president. That is not just my point of view. That’s the perspective of a number of conservative Republicans.
In these difficult times, we need a president who will bring our nation together, not someone who will divide us by race or religion, not someone who lacks an understanding of what our Constitution is about.
On virtually every major issue facing this country and the needs of working families, Clinton’s positions are far superior to Trump’s. Our campaigns worked together to produce the most progressive platform in the history of American politics.
The choice is easy. Really.
Bernie goes on to posit that Clinton’s position on Citizens United would lead to her picking a great Supreme Court justice, whereas Trump’s SC choice would merely preserve the right-wing majority.
With the Supreme Court tied at 4-4 and with Scalia’s death making a Supreme Court replacement necessary, we have the rare chance to see a Progressive/Liberal Supreme Court for the first time in almost 50 years. That will make a major difference.
Clinton understands that in a competitive global economy we need the best-educated workforce in the world. She and I worked together on a proposal that will revolutionize higher education in America.
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Trump, on the other hand, has barely said a word about higher education.
Hillary’s College Compact will revolutionize higher learning.
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Clinton understands that climate change is real, is caused by human activity and is one of the great environmental crises facing our planet.
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Trump, on the other hand, like most Republicans, rejects science
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He believes that climate change is a “hoax,” and that there’s no need to address it.
Science deniers like Trump are ok with doing nothing about climate change. We need to save them from themselves by voting them all out of office.
Bernie then goes into universal health care, and posits that Hillary wants to move towards the public option and a 55+ opt-in for Medicare, and compares to Trump’s idea to simply get rid of the Affordable Care act and throw 20 Million people off life-saving health care.
20 Million MORE people rely on the expanded health insurance provisions the Affordable Care Act provided. We can’t let Trump allow to throw them off live saving health care to see the health care sector go back to the same terrible system we had before.
I understand that many of my supporters are disappointed by the final results of the nominating process, but being despondent and inactive is not going to improve anything. Going forward and continuing the struggle is what matters. And, in that struggle, the most immediate task we face is to defeat Donald Trump.
Bernie Sanders is the junior U.S. senator from Vermont.