Who is Bernie Sanders?

Bernie Sanders is a candidate for President of the United States , running for the Democratic Party's nomination.

Why is Bernie running for President and what he's fighting for?

"What this political revolution looks like is people reaching out to their friends and neighbors, talking nearly the issues that securely affect their lives and bringing them into the political process. When we exercise that, we can accomplish extraordinary things for our country." –Bernie Sanders, 2019

What are the major planks of Bernie'due south presidential campaign?

Bernie'due south campaign is about a progressive agenda that — among other things — will create jobs, raise wages, protect the environment, provide healthcare for all, increase access to higher education, reform our immigration and criminal justice systems, reaffirm our civil rights, promote a more sensible foreign policy, and reduce the influence of money in politics.

What does it mean that Bernie is an contained?

Bernie is the longest-serving independent in Congressional history, currently serving his third term in the U.S. Senate, where he represents Vermont. Bernie won re-election in 2018 after earning 66 percentage of the vote. Prior to becoming a senator in 2006, Bernie was Vermont'southward sole Congressman in the House of Representatives for 16 years.

Why is Bernie running as a Democrat?

Bernie is running as a candidate for the Democratic Political party's nomination considering the system is fix that way. Since 1852 , only Republican or Autonomous nominees have been elected President. The two-party organisation has a lot of hurdles for 3rd political party candidates that tin't be overcome. So, given the current political system in America, a 3rd-party candidate tin can't realistically win the U.S. presidential nomination.

Just he's NOT a Democrat!

Yes, technically he's not a Democrat. Merely, even though Bernie is non a fellow member of the Democratic Political party, Bernie caucuses with the Democrats in the Senate and has washed so during his entire congressional career. He serves in the Senate Autonomous Leadership every bit the Chairman of Outreach .

Democrats rely on his vote to pass legislation and vote for legislation that he introduces. The Democratic leadership has also named Bernie to key positions such as the ranking, or lead, member on the Senate Budget Commission , Veterans Diplomacy Committee , and appointed him to numerous other committees and subcommittees .

Bernie'south addressed the question in this way:

"The dilemma is that, if you run outside of the Democratic Party … you're non just running a race for president, you're actually running to build an entire political movement. In doing that, you would be taking votes away from the Democratic candidate and making information technology easier for some right-wing Republican to get elected—the [Ralph] Nader dilemma."

How do we know he will stay a Democrat when he becomes President?

For the 2020 election, Bernie, like all of the candidates for the Democratic nomination, signed a Autonomous National Committee (DNC) loyalty pledge. In it, Bernie affirms "I am a member of the Democratic Party,"  and "I volition run a Democrat, have the nomination of my Party, and I volition serve as a Democrat if elected."

The notarized document also states that the DNC is the organization to decide who is "a bonafide Democrat."

Is Bernie a socialist?

No. He'due south a democratic socialist, which is completely different than socialist in totalitarian U.Due south.S.R., and the institution press knows that. Bernie addressed the question directly at a 2019 CNN boondocks hall.

What is democratic socialism?

Hither'southward what Bernie says : "What autonomous socialism means to me is nosotros aggrandize Medicare, we provide educational opportunities for all Americans, we rebuild our crumbling infrastructure, in other words, Authorities serves the needs of all people rather than just wealthy campaign contributors"

The last person with similar political beliefs who ran for president won the ballot and saved America from the Great Depression. His proper noun was Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) and his policies — via the New Deal — are role of why he is consistently rated as one of the greatest U.S. presidents always , alongside Abraham Lincoln and George Washington.

Bernie describes what democratic socialism means to him here . He further elaborated on democratic socialism in a CNN interview . In 2019, Bernie delivered a major spoken communication on democratic socialism and why his message is what America needs to defeat Donald Trump.

What was Bernie'south story before he went into public service?

Bernie was built-in in Brooklyn, North.Y. to Eli and Dorothy Sanders, the 2nd of two sons. Eli was a Jewish immigrant from Poland who lost most of his family in Europe during the Holocaust. Eli was a high school drop-out who " never made any money " although he worked very difficult to support his family unit every bit a paint salesman, putting 25,000 miles a year on his machine for piece of work. Dorothy was a high school graduate who dreamt of a "private home" but made do with the rent-controlled 3-and-a-half room apartment in which they raised Bernie and his older brother Larry.

Watch Bernie go personal in the episode "Kickoff Hear the Bern".

Bernie's lower center-class, paycheck-to-paycheck upbringing helped inform his political ideology.

Of this, he's said:

"The lack of money caused stress in my family unit and fights betwixt my mother and begetter. That is a reality I have never forgotten: today, in that location are many millions of families who are living under the circumstances that we lived under."

Bernie and his brother attended public schools in New York City. At James Madison High Schoolhouse, he was a good educatee , wrote for the school paper, was helm of the track team, and won a land basketball championship. At Madison, Bernie got his first taste of politics when he ran for student body president. He lost, and became class president instead.

As Bernie approached the end of high school, Dorothy, who'd had rheumatic fever as a kid, became ill. Upon graduating, Bernie enrolled at nearby Brooklyn Higher. He is the first person in his family unit to become to college. Later on his mother died at 46 post-obit a failed second heart surgery, Bernie decided to transfer to the University of Chicago, and left his hometown for the first time.

When did Bernie become interested in politics and civil rights?

In Chicago , Bernie was very agile in the civil rights movement, the generational issue of the time. He was active in both the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE) and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). He organized sit-in protests against the segregated housing on campus , as seen in the photo below, and in 1962 was arrested for protesting segregation in Chicago public schools.

In 1963, Bernie went to D.C. for the first time to participate in the march on Washington organized by Martin Luther Male monarch, Jr., and was among the hundreds of thousands who heard him give his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.

He graduated in 1964 with a caste in political science. That twelvemonth, Bernie bought land in Vermont — for just $2,500, according to public records.

Earlier moving to Vermont full-fourth dimension in 1968, Bernie worked as an aide at a psychiatric hospital in New York, taught low-income preschoolers through Head Start, and helped register people for nutrition assistance programs.

How did he get into politics?

Upon moving to Vermont, Bernie became involved with the Freedom Union Party, a new, Vermont-only political move, that was small, anti-state of war, and progressive. In 1972, he ran on the Liberty Wedlock ticket for a special Senate election, again for a Senate seat in 1974, and for governor in 1976, never winning more than 6 percent of the vote.

Bernie thought he was done with electoral politics until 1980, when a friend showed him how well he'd performed in his prior runs amongst voters in Burlington, Vermont. In 1981, Bernie ran for mayor of Burlington and won by a mere 10 votes. He was re-elected iii times, with majorities each time. Bernie then ran for Congress in 1990, and was elected for 8 terms. He served 16 years as the sole representative for Vermont in the Firm. He was elected to the Senate in 2006.

Source

What's his family similar?

Bernie met his married woman, Jane O'Meara, right earlier he became mayor of Burlington in 1981. She attended all-girls Cosmic schools and grew up 15 blocks away from where Bernie grew up in Brooklyn. Prior to meeting Bernie, Jane had been a banking concern teller, cashier, and anti-war activist. After earning a degree in social piece of work, she worked for the Burlington Police Department'due south juvenile sectionalisation. She helped pay off her educatee loans by joining AmeriCorps.

In the 1980s, Jane was involved in starting a newspaper, a teen center, after school programs, and a 24-hour interval care centre. She and Bernie married in 1988.

Over the years, Jane earned a doctorate degree and worked every bit an educator and ambassador at two colleges in Vermont. She was a commissioner for a radioactive waste disposal oversight bureau, also as a commissioner for the Vermont Economic Development Authority.

Jane and Bernie have four children and seven grandchildren . Bernie calls Jane " a soulmate, a sounding board " for him.

Has Bernie been consistent about his views?

Very. If you look at his political tape, which at present spans iv decades, you'll detect that he's been fighting for the same things , regardless of the political climate of the time.

In the below letter written during his failed run for governor of Vermont in 1976, Bernie was already advocating for LGBTQ rights , environmental protection , healthcare-for-all , fairer taxes on corporations , fewer military engagements abroad , a more sensible drug policy , and women's reproductive rights .

Source

And the thing to note hither is that while some people think of Vermont as a super-blueish state — it is, these days — it was arguably one of the most Republican states until 1990. At the time Bernie was elected to Congress that year, Gyre Call , the "newspaper of Capitol Colina" called Bernie's victory over incumbent Rep. Peter Smith "one of the 25 nigh significant elections in American history." This makes Bernie'south progressive platforms in the 1970s and through the 1980s all the more impressive for their bravery and political backbone.

Wow, gay rights as role of his political platform in the 1970s? Sounds like he was on the right side of history there.

Yeah, and Bernie's been on the correct side of history quite a few times, which is why so many people like him.

He voted against the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) , which banned LGBTQ Americans from marrying until the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional in 2015. Bernie also voted against the Gulf War and the Republic of iraq war — which the majority of Americans now believe was a mistake .  He voted against the Patriot Human activity , calling it an overreaching, Orwellian slice of legislation . He was against the deregulating Wall Street, which led to the Nifty Recession of 2008. Scout him school and then-Federal Reserve chief Alan Greenspan in 2003 . The list goes on, just that's a sampler to get you started.

Almost politicians are beholden to special interests and rely on corporate money and wealthy contributors to get re-elected. Not Bernie, he has never been beholden to corporate and other super-moneyed interests. Indeed, over his entire career, his biggest donors have been labor unions and marriage members — in other words, regular Americans.

Bernie has never cared much well-nigh the institution, and that'due south evidenced in the fashion he's running his presidential campaign. He's chosen to remain an independent, refuses to accept money from Super PACs , holds rallies and meetups with voters rather than with fundraisers and large contributors, and raises money to fund his campaign from pocket-size donors.

What's he similar exterior of the public eye?

Well, we know he really loves Willie Nelson and Motown:

( The Rolling Rock article this video is from is a good read. )

Other than that, he's really virtually sticking to the bug, rather than sharing nearly his personal life. As he frequently says, "This is not about me — it'due south about you."

I like his story. How practice voters feel about Bernie'southward views?

Bernie and a bulk of American voters share the same views on the most important issues facing our families, communities, country, and planet today, according to polling data. Here are merely a few examples:

  • Bernie and 68 per centum of Americans believe the super-wealthy pay besides little in federal taxes.
  • Bernie and 85 percent of all business owners concord with endmost all overseas taxation loopholes.
  • Bernie and 68 percent of Americans think we should shut tax loopholes for corporations who offshore jobs.
  • Bernie and 65 pct of Americans want to expand Social Security benefits.
  • Bernie and three out of 4 Americans , including Republicans, want Medicaid expanded.
  • Bernie and 65 per centum of Americans support raising the minimum wage.
  • Bernie and 6 in 10 Americans , including half of Republicans, think employers should offer paid sick leave.
  • Bernie and 3 out of iv Americans , including a bulk of Republicans, say employees should be offered paid fourth dimension off after childbirth.
  • Bernie and 64 percentage of Americans desire strict carbon limits on existing coal plants.
  • Bernie and 80 percent of Americans back up expanded access to lower-cost student loans.
  • Bernie and 3 in iv Americans support more spending on our nation's infrastructure.
  • Bernie and 84 pct of Americans , including 90 per centum of Democrats and 80 percent of Republicans, believe money has likewise much influence in U.Southward. politics.
  • Bernie and 70 percent of Americans support Medicare For All.
  • Bernie and more than than fourscore percentage of Americans , including 92 per centum of Democrats and 64 percentage of Republicans, support a Light-green New Deal.

Wow. Has he received any big endorsements?

Yes, Bernie has received plenty of endorsements already. Check out the growing list of Bernie's endorsements at our Endorsements page .

How's the entrada doing so far?

Bernie's message around edifice a grassroots campaign without corporate money, and of course, his stances on all the bug , is resonating with Americans across the country.

For one, Bernie consistently polls with loftier margins as a candidate who can beat President Trump in November. He polls specially well in the Rust Belt, which is and then critical to winning the 2020 presidential ballot.  His message to working class families is really resonating at that place.

The campaign'due south first FEC filing showed it had received $vi one thousand thousand in the first 24 hours after launching his campaign, $10 1000000 by the end of his kickoff week on the trail, and $xviii.two million from 900,000 private donations that came from 525,000 individual donors . Bernie is raising more than money from individuals — i.due east. not Super PACs — than any other candidate in the race .

Only the dollar corporeality Bernie has raised is really less impressive than the number of people who have gotten involved in his entrada. Within 1 week of his announcement, 1 one thousand thousand volunteers signed up to help his campaign.

On ane weekend in Apr 2019, the campaign held a beginning outcome with over v,000 organizing parties . The campaign besides launched the BERN app , which will help united states of america connect with each other, the people we know, and the people we meet to build the grassroots movement nosotros demand to win this election and get Bernie in the White Firm!

Thousands of people show upwardly at Bernie's tape-breaking rallies . So far in 2019, more than 100,000 people accept attended Bernie rallies and town halls. That number will only go along to get larger and larger.

Indeed, Bernie's presidential entrada is proof we can modify the discussion to issues that working families care about and build a political movement around regular people, and non corporations and the wealthy elites!

I want to know more than about Bernie'due south record on and proposed policies on all the of import issues our state faces.

You've come to the right place. Head over to the home page   (or click on the Problems tab in the navigation page on the height of this folio) and outset exploring a fact- and source-based, FAQ-way breakdown of everything you'd e'er want to know about Bernie past, present, and hereafter. You can become dorsum to the abode page at any moment by clicking on FeelTheBern.org in the navigation bar.

How exercise I go involved?

Get involved with the official entrada:

You can sign upwardly to volunteer , donate , purchase Bernie campaign gear (and wearable it) sign up for updates , and discover out near official events near you (and how to host your ain). You tin fifty-fifty phonebank for Bernie from dwelling with BerniePB .

Annals to vote & and so get out the vote:

Voteforbernie.org is a great place to get to become the detailed about how to register to vote and where to vote vote in your land.

Only a few super important details hither.

Brand certain to empathize what the deadlines are around registering to vote in your state, and make sure yous know whether your state has an open or airtight chief so y'all tin can vote for Bernie.

In closed primary states , you may have to register as a Democrat ASAP if you aren't currently. In semi-closed master states , you lot may have to register as a Democrat or Undeclared if you aren't currently. In open up principal states , it doesn't matter how you're registered — merely you have to be registered to vote, with updated personal data.

If yous're 17 at present, but will be 18 past the general election on Nov 3, 2020, some states volition let you vote in the primaries , fifty-fifty if you're non already eighteen when your country principal is held.

Once y'all've registered to vote, brand sure yous become out the vote by sharing the details with everyone you know.

Bring together the grassroots:

There are as well lots of grassroots volunteer groups brewing, online and offline, which can use your help, however you want to offering it.

Visit the Grassroots Resource folio to acquire how you can become involved with great people working to elect Bernie — across general-interest groups, there are some for specific demographics and ones in each state.

You can besides volunteer with us . :-)

Share this website with everyone you lot know!

Cognition is ability, and informed voters are much more likely to vote in their own interests — non to mention in the interests of the issues affecting their customs, land, and planet — by having access to more information rather than less of it, and ideally sooner rather than later.

Bernie is one of the few politicians out at that place who we like more the more we larn virtually him, and equally his supporters, we have to use all the great facts, information, videos, quotes, and policies out at that place to tell his story, considering we can't count on the establishment media and political process to do and so. We congenital this website to make information technology really easy for anyone to learn almost Bernie, and then share what they've learned most Bernie with others.