We should be cognizant the Sanders revolution is already starting to transition into a sustained movement with offshoots emerging that focus on things like getting better Democrats into the congress.
If you thought one Bernie Sanders was good, how about 100 of him?
The passion around his presidential campaign can be channeled into transforming Congress. We’ll pool resources across the US to beat big money
By Anoa Changa
...it’s important to think beyond the presidential election. Progressives have a fierce fight on our hands in 2016 and beyond. Republican donors like Art Pope, an ally of the Koch brothers, have pledged to invest millions into down-ballot races instead of funding Donald Trump. We, like them, should have an eye to changing more than just the White House. We must change Congress, and every other level of government, right down to the grassroots.
So, will progressives be able to harness the energy and momentum of the Sanders movement to bring candidates to power across the country, candidates who stand for the same things he does?
I am a part of an initiative called Brand New Congress. Many of us are former Sanders campaign staffers, who are hoping to help elect Bernie Sanders-like candidates in at least 100 different districts in the next two years. Rachel Maddow described us as running a “presidential campaign with 400 heads”.
The aim is to run one campaign for hundreds of candidates. Instead of running the races separately, we will be centralizing fundraising, awareness raising and organizing for campaigns across the country. Our unified process will level the playing field, and thus permit new leaders to rise up from the ranks of our working and middle class.
No longer will capable and competent individuals be told to wait on the sidelines because they don’t have big-money donors behind them. We seek to provide the infrastructure and strategic expertise to a new cadre of candidates across the country.
This is a watershed moment for progressives. From state and local elections to congressional races, there are politicians and grassroots volunteers moving the needle on progressive action in this country. By empowering people to take part in the political process, via their voices and their votes, we have the beginnings of a change in the game.
This is a very positive story. I hope we can maintain that kind of opptimism in the discussion.
Brand New Congress