Despite Sanders’ Prior Compromises To Democrats
I post Bernie Sanders’ latest email in full:
Dear Bill,
We just finished up a truly remarkable few days on the road. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and I held five rallies in three states in three days. And the response was incredible.
North Las Vegas, Nevada
We began in Las Vegas on Thursday where we were joined by Congressman Steve Horsford — a former member of the Culinary Workers Union and past Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. The last time Donald Trump was in Las Vegas, in January of this year, 2,000 people came out to his event. 3,200 people joined ours. It was the largest event I have ever held in the city.
Tempe, Arizona
And then it was on to Tempe, Arizona. And that was pretty crazy.
The largest rally turnout we have ever had in the Tempe-Phoenix area was 11,300 in 2015 when I was running for president. This weekend, in a non-campaign event, 15,000 Arizonans turned out. Not only was the arena filled to capacity — many thousands waited outside in the parking lot. Remarkable.
Greeley, Colorado
On Thursday we began the day in Greeley, Colorado. Greeley is a small city with a population of 108,000. Well, 11,300 of those Coloradans joined our event. There were more people in the overflow area outside, nearly 6,000, than we could fit into the gym.
Denver, Colorado
And then it was on to Denver. Total insanity.When you run for President you hold a lot of rallies. And I have. But I’ve never held a rally like this – ever. At Denver we were joined by great musicians and speakers from the trade union movement. And 34,000 people turned out. 34,000 people! This is, by far, the largest rally that I have ever held anywhere. And, by the way, it is a larger number than Trump ever had in Denver.
Tucson, Arizona
On Saturday morning we had our last rally – in Tucson, Arizona. We were joined by Congressman Greg Casar from Texas — the Chair of the House Progressive Caucus. It was a warm, beautiful day. We were planning on 8,000 to 10,000 people attending. We were wrong. Over 23,000 showed up at the high school football stadium.
So. What do these huge turnouts tell us? I think the answer is pretty clear.
The American people do not want Trumpism. They do not want oligarchy. They do not want authoritarianism. They are tired of massive income and wealth inequality and the greed of the billionaire class. They are tired of a corrupt political system that allows billionaires in both parties to buy elections and leaves working people behind.
All across this country Americans are prepared to take on the forces that control our economic and political lives. They are prepared to fight back. They want a government and an economy that works for all, not just the 1%.
And they understand that the Democratic Party isn’t going to save us. This fight is up to all of us at the grassroots level.
What history has always told us is that real change only occurs when ordinary people stand up against oppression and injustice.
That is the history of the founding of our nation when brave men and women took on the mighty British empire. It is the history of the abolitionist movement, the labor movement, the civil rights movement, the women’s movement, the environmental movement and the gay rights movement.
Yes, the oligarchs ARE enormously powerful. They have endless amounts of money. They control our economy. They own much of the media. They have enormous influence over our political system.
But, from the bottom of my heart, I am convinced that they can be beaten. But it won’t be easy.
Our job in the days, weeks and months ahead is to energize and organize.
We need to hold meetings and rallies in all 50 states, and then do it again and again and again. And when those rallies are over, we need to organize the people who attend to mobilize in their communities and fight back in every way we can.
We need progressives to run for office at all levels. I am talking about school boards, city councils, state legislatures and the races that are not in the news but make a tremendous difference in local communities. I’m talking about races for governor, U.S. House and U.S. Senate.
But it’s not just running for office. At a time when many of our people feel lonely and isolated, we need to build community and bring people together. In the deepest sense we need to care for each other and give each other strength.
This is a pivotal moment in American history. What we do now will not only impact our lives, but the lives of our kids and future generations. In terms of climate change, it will determine the well-being of the entire planet.
Now is not the time for despair. It’s not the time to hide under the covers. It’s the time to organize and fight back.
Together, we can and will win.
In Solidarity,
Bernie