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Press Releases from Democracy for America
December 17, 2015
Democracy for America endorses Bernie Sanders for President
After receiving 87.9% of member vote, Sanders captures first Democratic presidential endorsement in progressive PAC’s history
Burlington,VT – Today, Democracy for America (DFA) endorsed
Senator Bernie Sanders for President in the 2016 race for the
Democratic Party’s nomination. Sanders earned the
endorsement after receiving an unprecedented 87.9% of the 271,527
votes cast by DFA members nationwide over a nine-day voting
period. To win DFA’s endorsement, a single
candidate needed to secure a supermajority (66.67% or more) of votes
cast.
This is the first presidential primary endorsement in DFA’s 11-year history. A similar member endorsement vote held prior to the 2008 election received just over 150,000 votes, but no single candidate was able to clear the grassroots progressive PAC’s supermajority threshold.
Statement from Charles Chamberlain, Democracy for America’s Executive Director,on today’s endorsement of Bernie Sanders for President:
“Bernie Sanders is an unyielding populist
progressive who decisively won Democracy for America members’ first
presidential primary endorsement because of his lifelong commitment to
taking on income inequality and the wealthy and powerful interests who
are responsible for it.
“Throughout his campaign, Bernie has repeatedly said that the huge problems of income inequality, money in politics, and structural racism that our country must confront are bigger than a single campaign -- they need a political revolution. With today’s endorsement, DFA members are joining Bernie’s “political revolution” and working to take it both to the White House and up-and-down the ballot, in races coast to coast.” -- Charles Chamberlain, Executive Director, Democracy for America
The fully quotable email Chamberlain sent to DFA
members announcing the organization’s endorsement of Sanders is also
available below.
DFA’s endorsement of Sanders brings with it a one-million member-strong grassroots army that has knocked hundreds of thousands of doors, made over 11 million phone calls, and raised and contributed more than $32.7 million to help elect 843 progressive candidates nationwide since 2004.
While Bernie Sanders has conclusively won DFA’s
endorsement, Secretary Hillary Clinton and Gov. Martin O’Malley’s decision
to actively engage DFA members over the course of their vote
was both appreciated and makes clear that, no matter what, Democrats
will have a 2016 nominee who deeply respects the power of the
grassroots progressive base of the party.
As the PAC has previously said, DFA will run a 100% positive campaign in support of Sanders and is steadfastly committed to ensuring that Sanders -- or any other candidate who secures the Democratic nomination -- wins the White House in 2016.
Additional details about DFA’s Presidential Primary Endorsement Vote and its subsequent endorsement of Sanders:
-
Final vote percentages for the options on the endorsement ballot were: Sen.
Bernie Sanders (87.9%); Sec. Hillary Clinton (10.3%); Former Gov.
Martin O’Malley (1.1%); “Don’t Endorse” (0.8%). -
To receive DFA’s endorsement, a single candidate needed to secure a supermajority (66.67% or more) of the votes cast.
-
271,527 votes were cast in the DFA Presidential Primary Endorsement Vote over the course of the 9-day voting period (12/7-12/15) at 2016.DemocracyForAmerica.com
-
All progressives were encouraged to cast a ballot in DFA’s endorsement vote. Individuals could cast their vote -- and change their mind -- as many times as they liked over the course of the voting period, but only their final vote was counted.
-
Over the course of the voting period, Sanders, Clinton and O’Malley sent email messages to DFA members asking for their support -- marking the first time all the 2016 Democratic presidential candidates had openly competed for the support of members of a grassroots progressive organization.
Prior to today’s endorsement of Sanders, DFA was one of the leading progressive organizations behind Run Warren Run, a national grassroots effort dedicated to encouraging Senator Elizabeth Warren to run for President.
While DFA and its allies at MoveOn.org suspended the campaign in June 2015, the effort played a critical role in ensuring that the battle against income inequality and for bold Warren Wing ideas advanced by Sanders like debt-free college, Social Security expansion, and Wall Street accountability remains at the center of the debate within the Democratic Party.
ENDORSEMENT VOTE ANNOUNCEMENT EMAIL
--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Charles Chamberlain, Democracy for America <info@democracyforamerica.com >
Date: Thursday, Dec 17, 2015
Subject: (OFFICIAL ENDORSEMENT POLL) And the winner is.....
To:
Cathy --
With 271,527 votes cast -- and all three presidential candidates campaigning directly for your vote -- the results are in and they are extraordinary.
Bernie Sanders has earned Democracy for America's endorsement in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary with an astonishing, record-breaking 87.9% of the vote (including 77.8% of voters who were already members of DFA prior to the poll being launched on December 7).
This is an historic moment for DFA, for the progressive movement, for the Democratic Party, for people-powered politics -- and for Bernie supporters who relentlessly rallied over nine intense days to Get Out The Vote and win this pivotal endorsement.
This is the first time since our founding that DFA members have chosen to make an endorsement in a presidential primary and it couldn't have happened without the participation and Get Out The Vote efforts of members like you. With your help, Bernie was able to easily clear 67% -- a two-thirds threshold that TIME Magazine called a "high bar" -- undeniably demonstrating the overwhelming support he has from our members.
We're grateful to each of the Democratic candidates -- Hillary Clinton, Martin O'Malley and Bernie Sanders -- for participating fully in this process and making it clear how much they value our support.
Now, driven by the relentless energy of DFA members, we’ll immediately start organizing on behalf of Bernie in key primary states, from Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada to nearly a dozen states voting on Super Tuesday. We’ll also be building -- as Bernie has called for -- a political revolution ready to elect populist progressive candidates nationwide to local school boards, city councils, and state legislatures, and all the way up to the U.S. Senate.
We know that our people-powered organization can make a huge difference in this election and our first chance to prove it starts now. Please join me on this historic day in showing Bernie -- and the establishment -- that DFA members are working to win.
At DFA, a cornerstone of our electoral vision for revitalizing the Democratic Party is the knowledge that primaries matter -- and Bernie's campaign is a perfect example of why they do.
Like DFA members, Bernie has kept the fight against income inequality front and center in the presidential race. The 2016 presidential primary election could’ve been dominated by the same Republican-Lite rhetoric that helped Democrats lose control of the U.S. Senate in 2014. Instead, Bernie’s ideas and solutions for rebuilding the middle class have dominated the debate. His success has helped move critical issues like expanding Social Security, debt-free college, breaking up the big banks and getting big money out of politics -- all issues supported by the majority of Americans nationwide -- into the mainstream of the Democratic Party.
And Bernie is doing all of this while building a powerful, insurgent campaign that is steadily dismantling the conventional wisdom of DC skeptics who claimed he would never have a chance to win.
Bernie has held several huge events with tens of thousands of people in places like Portland, Oregon and Boston, Massachusetts -- but the political revolution hasn’t been limited just to liberal states. Over 8,000 showed up at a rally in Dallas, Texas, over 9,200 at an event in South Carolina, and over 11,000 people attended a July rally in Phoenix, Arizona, during one of the hottest days of the year. All in all, the Washington Post reports that over a four-week period this summer, more than 100,000 people attended Bernie's rallies, proving that his vision for America resonates across the country no matter where you live.
It’s not just the crowds. Bernie is polling in first place in New Hampshire and is in striking distance of a win in Iowa. The campaign broke a record just last night, as the first presidential campaign in history to bring in over 2 million individual contributions this early in the primary contest.
We're excited to be backing a bold progressive champion like Bernie, and we're going into full campaign mode to support him but -- as a grassroots progressive movement organization -- we're going to need some significant resources to make it happen.
Of course, this isn't the first time DFA has stood side by side with Bernie Sanders. Our organization has been working with him to make progressive change happen for years.
Together, we've run issue campaigns focused on raising the minimum wage, overturning Citizens United and stopping the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership -- and he has regularly chatted with our members on several DFA Live conference calls over the years.
On one riveting DFA Live call last year, Bernie warmly praised DFA members and celebrated the economic populism that has defined DFA, especially over the last two years: "Income inequality is the greatest moral, economic, and political issue facing our country today. That's why I've been so impressed with DFA's relentless work to address it."The fact that Sen. Sanders was able to win our endorsement vote by such a huge margin is proof of the incredible energy and enthusiasm his campaign is inspiring. As Bernie himself so often says, this isn't just about him -- it's about bringing new people and energy into a movement that will fight for working families far into the future.
DFA has a long history of backing progressive candidates in contested primaries -- and when we give our endorsement, it's more than just talk. In every election cycle since Howard Dean founded DFA in 2004, not only have DFA members supported progressive candidates with their donations -- DFA members have also been the invaluable "boots on the ground" candidates need to get them over the top in close races.
We know how to build progressive power -- and that's exactly what we’ll do in Iowa, New Hampshire and beyond, by recruiting and training volunteers, fundraising for the campaign, and uplifting the issues that matter in this election.
Over the coming days and weeks, we will be working with the Sanders campaign to maximize our impact, add value, and help drive the campaign to victory. But the first action you can take right now -- with only 45 days left until voting begins in Iowa -- is to make the most of this pivotal moment with a huge, meaningful show of support for Bernie.
Thanks for your vote and your support in this exciting and critical moment for the progressive movement and the Democratic Party.
- Charles
Charles Chamberlain, Executive Director
Democracy for America
###
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December
7, 2015
Contact:
Neil Sroka
Democracy for America launches 2016 Presidential Primary Endorsement Vote
To receive national progressive PAC’s primary endorsement, one candidate must receive a supermajority of votes cast
Burlington, VT -- This morning, Democracy
for
America
(DFA)
launched
its
2016
Presidential
Primary
Endorsement
Vote.
The endorsement vote gives the national
progressive political action committee’s members the opportunity to
decide if the PAC will support Hillary Clinton, Martin O'Malley, Bernie
Sanders, or make no endorsement in the 2016 Democratic presidential
primary.
Key details about the DFA Presidential Primary Endorsement Vote:
-
Voting will take place at 2016.DemocracyForAmerica.com
-
The options on the endorsement ballot include: Sec. Hillary Clinton, Former Gov. Martin O’Malley, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and “Don’t Endorse.”
-
In order to receive DFA’s endorsement, a single candidate must secure a supermajority (66.67% or more) of the votes cast.
-
All progressives are encouraged to cast a ballot in DFA’s endorsement vote.
Individuals can cast their vote -- and change their mind -- as many times as they like over the course of the voting period, but only their most recent vote will count. -
DFA members will be able to follow discussion of the endorsement vote via DFA's hashtag on Facebook, Twitter, and elsewhere: #DFA2016vote.
-
Voting will begin on Monday, December 7, 2015 and end at 11:59pm ET on Tuesday, December 15.
-
Results will be announced -- following a complete security review of the votes -- at 12pm ET on Thursday, December 17.
If
members
vote
to endorse, this would be DFA’s first endorsement in a
presidential primary (no candidate was able to clear the supermajority
threshold during a member endorsement vote prior to the 2008 election). DFA will run a 100%
positive campaign in support of any endorsed candidate and --
regardless of any endorsement decision -- DFA will be
supporting the Democratic nominee for president in the 2016 general
election.
DFA’s endorsement brings with it a million
person-strong grassroots army that has knocked hundreds of thousands of
doors, made over 11 million phone calls, and raised and contributed
more than $32.7 million to help elect 843 progressive candidates
nationwide.
Statement
from Democracy for America Executive Director Charles Chamberlain on
today’s announcement:
“After spending the
last two years making certain that the battle against income inequality
was a defining issue of the 2016 race and seeing every single
Democratic candidate respond by putting the issue at the front and
center of their campaign, now is the right time to see if Democracy for
America’s grassroots members have reached a consensus on the candidate
we should support.
“DFA was founded on
the firm belief that the Democratic Party is stronger when it listens
to and invests in the organizing of its grassroots, progressive base.
Our open presidential endorsement process is specifically
designed to reflect our time-tested faith in the
progressive movement’s grassroots wisdom, energy, and enthusiasm. We
could not be more excited to see what it reveals.”
-- Charles Chamberlain,
Executive Director, Democracy for America
The full email DFA’s Chamberlain sent to DFA
members this morning announcing the launch of the endorsement voting
period is available below.
DFA’s endorsement vote is not the first time
DFA has engaged in the 2016 presidential primary. In December
2014, DFA
became
one
of
the
leading
progressive
organizations
behind
the
Run
Warren Run campaign, a national grassroots effort
dedicated to encouraging Senator Elizabeth
Warren to run for President.
While
DFA and its allies at MoveOn.org suspended the campaign in June 2015,
the
effort
played
a
critical
role
in
ensuring
the
battle
against
income
inequality
and
in
support
of
Warren
Wing
populist
progressive
priorities
like
debt-free
college,
Social
Security expansion, and Wall
Street accountability have remained at the top of the agenda for all
the Democrats running for president.
ENDORSEMENT
VOTE
ANNOUNCEMENT
EMAIL
----------Forwarded message ----------
From: Charles Chamberlain,
Democracy for America
Subject: VOTE NOW: DFA's 2016 presidential
endorsement is in your hands
Philip --
Democracy for America has a HUGE announcement.
Starting today, you -- and other DFA members nationwide -- have the opportunity to decide if our people-powered organization will make an endorsement in the Democratic Party presidential primary race.
You know that primaries matter -- and when it
comes to the future of our country and the world, presidential
primaries matter exponentially. Our presidential nominee will set the
tone for the entire Democratic Party in this extremely pivotal election
year.
DFA was founded out of the presidential
primary in 2004, and our members have voted on whether or not we should
get involved in every contested presidential primary since then. While
we've always done powerful and effective work in presidential
campaigns, DFA has never
actually endorsed a specific candidate in a contested presidential
primary before. But that could all change this year, IF one candidate
receives the support of a super-majority of DFA's members.
The very first votes in the 2016 election will
be cast on February 1 in Iowa. This means that, if we endorse, we will
immediately hit the ground running, devoting real resources -- people,
time and money -- to helping your chosen candidate win the nomination.
DFA is a
people-powered organization. To maximize your opportunity to vote and
to rally your friends and family to vote too, we're keeping this poll
open until 11:59pm Eastern Time on Tuesday, December 15.
To be completely clear: DFA's number one priority in 2016 is to
make sure the Democratic nominee -- no matter who it is -- wins the
White House in November. Period.
And, if we do endorse in the primary, we'll
work hard for your chosen candidate. But we won't tear down other
Democratic Party candidates in the process. Our goal will be to run a 100% positive
campaign that will put the nominee in the strongest
position to beat Donald Trump -- or whomever the Republicans nominate
-- on Election Day.
Here's how DFA's presidential endorsement
process will work:
-
The endorsement vote is live right now and will end at 11:59pm Eastern Time on Tuesday, December 15.
-
Just like in a real election, you will need to work hard to maximize support
for your candidate if you want them to win this endorsement. That means getting your friends, family and other like-minded progressives to cast their votes for your candidate as well -- on Facebook, Twitter, over email, on the phone, or however you want to spread the word!
-
DFA will only endorse in this presidential primary if there is overwhelming support for one candidate from our members. That means that, just like in 2007 when we last conducted an official presidential endorsement vote, we will only endorse if one candidate reaches the super-majority threshold of 67% (two-thirds of votes cast, or 66.67% to be technical about it).
-
On Thursday, December 17 -- after a complete security review of the votes -- we will announce the results.
I can't wait to find out what DFA members will
decide. Can one candidate earn our support? Will your candidate win?
Thanks for participating in this critical DFA
endorsement vote and sharing it with your friends. Together, we're
unstoppable.
- Charles
Democracy for America
###
This afternoon, Democracy for America will begin sending its members email messages authored by all three 2016 Democratic presidential candidates asking for their support in DFA's 2016 Presidential Primary Endorsement Vote at 2016.
Some additional info about these emails and our 2016 Presidential Primary Endorsement Vote:
- DFA launched its endorsement poll on
Monday @ 2016.DemocracyForAmerica.com
. We'll be ending voting at 11:59pm ET on 12/15 and then reporting the results sometime around noon ET on 12/17. - All three emails were authored by the campaign -- DFA did some editing of the messages to make sure the asks were structured similarly, etc. with their approval after the initial submission.
- We gave all the campaigns an option to send the message directly from the candidate and/or a surrogate, but strongly encouraged them to have the messages come from the candidate themselves (since those almost always are more effective).
- These emails will be sent to our members over the next three days on a rolling basis (so 1/3 will receive a message from Clinton today, 1/3 will receive the message from Sanders, and 1/3 will receive the message from O'Malley, etc.) This was specifically done to ensure that the emails were sent in an order that is as fair as possible.
- I'm fairly certain that this is the first time all three Democratic candidates have openly asked members of a grassroots progressive group for their endorsement ahead of the 2016 race.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Hillary Clinton & Howard Dean <info@democracyforamerica.com >
Welcome to Democracy for America's official 2016 Presidential Endorsement Poll -- in which you have the power to decide which Democratic candidate DFA will endorse! This week, DFA members will be receiving messages from all three candidates -- Hillary Clinton, Martin O'Malley, and Bernie Sanders -- with each making the case for why they deserve your vote. To level the playing field between the candidates, we're randomizing the daily order in which DFA members receive these emails and sending each candidate's message to an equal number of recipients. Enjoy reading these important messages -- and don't forget to vote and share your vote with your friends! - Eden James, Political Director, Democracy for America
As you make your decision about who Democracy for America will endorse to be our next president, I want to share a few words about my choice: Hillary Clinton.
Hillary Clinton is the candidate who shares our progressive values on issues like climate change, immigration reform, and LGBT rights -- and she has the experience and ability to turn those values into policies that will help Americans. She has spent her entire career fighting for families, from her first job out of law school helping disabled kids at the Children's Defense Fund to her courageous work standing up for women and girls around the world as First Lady and Secretary of State.
In the 25 years I've known Hillary, I've learned that she has a work ethic that drives her to persist until the job is done and done right. And she has a record in the Senate of successfully working with both sides of our very combative political spectrum in order to accomplish goals that improve the lives of ordinary Americans. I trust her do the same as president.
I trust you, too. I know you'll take this decision as seriously as I have, and I hope that Hillary will be your choice. Click here to vote for Hillary in DFA's 2016 Presidential Endorsement Poll now.
That's enough from me -- read on to see what Hillary has to say about why your vote matters to her. Thanks for your commitment to this process, and to our democracy.
- Howard
Gov. Howard Dean, Founder
Democracy for America
------- Forwarded message --------
FROM: Hillary Clinton
SUBJECT: Your voteI want to thank you for your involvement in Democracy for America, and for taking the time to be thoughtful and engaged in our democracy. I'm excited for all that we're going to accomplish together during the course of this campaign, and I'm really looking forward to all the good we can do if I'm elected president.
I've said before that I'm a progressive who likes to get things done. So I want to talk to you about the things I'd like to accomplish in the White House.
First, I'll work to make sure all Americans are treated fairly -- no matter what you look like, where you live, or who you love. I'm going to fight hard for racial justice in this country: The first speech of my campaign was about ending mass incarceration, and I want to require body cameras for every police force in America. I support a pathway to citizenship for immigrants. I want to make sure everyone earns equal pay -- an issue that disproportionately affects women of color. And I'll work to make sure LGBT Americans finally have equal protection under the law, especially trans Americans, whose needs are too often ignored.
I'm going to raise wages for the middle class. I believe this is the defining challenge of our time. I'm the only Democrat in this race who's pledged not to raise taxes on families making less than $250,000 per year, and I have a comprehensive plan to grow small businesses, make health care and college more affordable, and give employees a chance to share in their companies' profits just like shareholders do.If you agree that we need to strengthen the middle class, stand with me: Ask DFA to endorse me by casting your vote in their 2016 Presidential Endorsement Poll now.
I'll also work to bring the best of American values -- equality, justice, and innovation -- to tackle our biggest global challenges, whether that's climate change or the Syrian refugee crisis. When I was Secretary of State, I brought leaders to the table on issues like girls' education and LGBT rights in countries where those issues had previously been non-starters -- that's how you make progress. I hope to continue that work as president.
Finally, I want to make sure that my term in office would ensure a strong progressive legacy for decades to come. That means appointing the right judges to the Supreme Court and the federal bench, and it means protecting voting rights and overhauling campaign finance law to ensure that people -- not corporations -- are choosing our leaders. I'm going to get corporate money out of our electoral system, even if that means a Constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United.
We all know I'm not afraid to go after Republicans when I need to, but I'm also not afraid to roll up my sleeves and do the hard work of getting unlikely allies to join coalitions. I did that as first lady when I fought for the Children's Health Insurance Program (which still covers 8 million kids today), as a senator when I got health care for 9/11 first responders, and as Secretary of State when I convened a global coalition to bring sanctions against Iran.
I take a backseat to no one when you look at my record in standing up and fighting for progressive values. The plans I've outlined above aren't rhetoric; they're a concrete outline of what I will do everything in my power to accomplish if I'm elected president.If you support the bold vision I've outlined above and you're ready for DFA to join Team Hillary, please cast your vote for me in DFA's Presidential Endorsement Poll today.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to earn your support. I promise that if I'm elected, I'll keep working for it every single day I'm in office.
With deep appreciation,
- Hillary
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Bernie Sanders <info@democracyforamerica.com>
Subject: Let me be very blunt and tell you why I am running
To: Janice Fine
Welcome to Democracy for America's official 2016 Presidential Endorsement Poll -- in which you have the power to decide which Democratic candidate DFA will endorse! This week, DFA members will be receiving messages from all three candidates -- Hillary Clinton, Martin O'Malley and Bernie Sanders -- with each making the case for why they deserve your vote. To level the playing field between the candidates, we're randomizing the daily order in which DFA members receive these emails and sending each candidate's message to an equal number of recipients. Enjoy reading these important messages -- and don't forget to vote and share your vote with your friends! - Eden James, Political Director, Democracy for America
Janice --
As I travel across the country, I am constantly struck by the level of enthusiasm to do something about the rising levels of income inequality in this country, providing health care for all Americans, criminal justice reform, and reclaiming our democracy from a billionaire class buying candidates and elections.
This is not a time to think small. What is required in this moment is a political revolution that takes back our democracy from establishment politicians and the billionaire class. But that can only happen if we stand together. If we do, we will win. If we are divided, the big money interests win.
Elections should be determined by the power of good ideas, not who can hustle the most money from the rich and powerful. They should be about the issues that impact the lives of ordinary Americans — not the day-to-day soap operas of campaign staffers, personal emails or fluctuations in the polls. I know that you agree.
In the meantime, let me be very blunt and tell you why I am running.
This country faces more serious problems today than at any time in modern history, and establishment politics will not successfully resolve them.
Corporate greed is rampant, and the very rich keep growing richer while everyone else grows poorer. Despite an explosion in technology and a huge increase in productivity, the middle class continues to disappear, most Americans work longer hours for lower wages, and 45 million live in poverty.
The skyrocketing level of income and wealth inequality is not only grotesque and immoral, it is economically unsustainable. It is unconscionable that a majority of all new income goes to the top 1%. It is absurd that the top one-tenth of 1% own almost as much wealth as the bottom 90%, and that one family (the Waltons of Walmart) has more wealth than the bottom 130 million Americans.
As a result of the disastrous Supreme Court ruling on Citizens United, the billionaire class is spending huge amounts of money to buy candidates and elections. We are now witnessing the undermining of American democracy and the rapid movement toward oligarchy where a handful of very wealthy families and their Super PACs will control our government.
The scientific community is virtually unanimous in telling us that climate change is real, is caused by human activity, and is already bringing catastrophic damage to our planet. Yet, the Republican Party is prepared to reject science in order to gain campaign contributions from the Koch brothers, Big Energy companies and others who make billions on fossil fuels. If we do not act boldly on climate change, the planet we leave to our grandchildren may be uninhabitable.
The United States once led the world in terms of the percentage of our young people who had college degrees. Today, in a highly competitive global economy, we are now in 12th place. Hundreds of thousands of bright young people have given up on the dream of higher education, while millions of others leave school with oppressive debt.
Our infrastructure -- roads, bridges, rail, airports, water systems, wastewater plants, levees, dams -- is crumbling, and Congress refuses to appropriate anywhere near the necessary funds to rebuild it. If we do not invest substantially in infrastructure, a bad situation will only become much worse.
Despite substantial gains, we still have a long way to go to achieve equality for minorities. Instead of investing in opportunities, we are locking people up at an incredible rate. We now have the highest incarceration rate in the entire world with over 2 million in prison and millions more on probation or parole. We have a broken immigration system that divides families and keeps millions of hard-working people in the shadows.
Most of the major Wall Street financial institutions that we bailed out because they were "too big to fail," are now bigger than they used to be. The six largest financial institutions now have assets equivalent to nearly 60% of our GDP, issue 35% of the mortgages, and oversee 65% of credit cards.
Our tax system is wildly unfair - rigged to benefit the very rich. Major corporations that earn billions in profits stash their money in tax havens and pay nothing in federal income taxes, while billionaire hedge fund managers pay a lower effective tax rate than nurses or teachers.
Despite growing poverty among seniors, almost all Republicans, and some Democrats, want to cut Social Security and benefits for disabled veterans. They want more austerity for the elderly, the children, the sick and the poor, and more tax breaks for the rich.
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost us thousands of lives and trillions of dollars. The United States spends more on the military than the next nine biggest-spending countries combined. Today, there are massive cost over-runs with defense contractors and the Pentagon cannot even pass an independent audit.
We are at a moment of truth. We need to face up to the reality of where we are as a nation, and we need a mass movement of people to change that reality.
Let's be clear. This campaign is not about Bernie Sanders. It's about a grassroots movement of Americans standing up and saying: "Enough is enough. This country and our government belong to all of us, not just a handful of billionaires."
I have discussed some of the major crises that we face. Let me give you the outline of an agenda that addresses these problems.
Jobs, Jobs, Jobs: The truth is that real unemployment in our country is not the "official" and widely-reported 5.4 percent. Counting those who are underemployed and those who have given up looking for work, real unemployment is almost 11 percent. Even more disturbingly, real unemployment for white and Hispanic youth is over 30 percent, while African-American youth unemployment is over 50 percent.
We need a major federal jobs program. The most effective way to do that is to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure. To do that, I have introduced legislation that would invest $1 trillion over 5 years to modernize our country's physical infrastructure. This would create and maintain at least 13 million good-paying jobs. It would also make our country more productive, efficient and safe.
As a member of Congress who voted against NAFTA, CAFTA, Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China (PNTR) and is helping to lead the opposition against the TPP, I will continue my opposition to trade policies which have cost us millions of decent paying jobs as corporate America shuts down plants here and moves them to low-wage countries.
Raising Wages: Today, millions of Americans are working for starvation wages and median family income has declined by almost $5,000 since 1999. The current federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour is totally inadequate. We need to raise the minimum wage to a living wage - $15 an hour over the next few years. Our goal must be that no full-time worker in this country lives in poverty. We must also bring about pay equity for women. There is no rational reason why women should be earning 78 cents on the dollar compared to men who perform the same work.
Further, we need to implement "family values" for American working families. It is unacceptable that the United States is the only major country on earth that does not guarantee family and medical leave, sick time and paid vacations.
Wealth and Income Inequality: Today, the richest 400 Americans own over $2.2 trillion in wealth, more than the bottom 150 million Americans combined. Meanwhile, nearly half of all Americans have less than $10,000 in savings and have no idea how they will be able to retire with dignity.
In order to reverse the massive transfer of wealth and income from the middle class to the very rich that we have seen in recent years, we need real tax reform which makes the wealthy and profitable corporations begin to pay their fair share of taxes. It is fiscally irresponsible that the U.S. Treasury loses about $100 billion a year because corporations and the rich stash their profits in the Cayman Islands, Bermuda and other tax havens.
We need a tax system that is fair and progressive. Children should not go hungry in this country while profitable corporations and the wealthy avoid their tax responsibilities.
Reforming Wall Street: I have introduced legislation that would break up the largest financial institutions in the country. In my view, if a bank is too big to fail, it is too big to exist. Wall Street cannot continue to be an island unto itself investing trillions in risky financial instruments. We need banks that invest in the job-creating productive economy. We do not need more speculation and gambling in casino-type activities.
Campaign Finance Reform: We need to return to a one-person, one-vote democracy. It is not acceptable that the Koch brothers and other billionaires are spending endless sums of money to buy elections. I have introduced legislation that would overturn the horrendous Citizens United decision and will only appoint Supreme Court justices who are prepared to do that. We must also demand disclosure of all large campaign contributions. Long term, we need to move to public funding of elections.
Fighting Climate Change: The United States must lead the world in reversing climate change and make certain that this planet is habitable for our children and grandchildren. We must transform our energy system away from fossil fuels and into energy efficiency and sustainable energies. Millions of homes and buildings need to be weatherized, our transportation system needs to be energy efficient and we need to greatly accelerate the progress we are already seeing in wind, solar, geothermal and other forms of sustainable energy. Transforming our energy system will not only protect the environment, it will create good-paying jobs.
Health Care for All: The United States remains the only major country on earth that does not guarantee health care for all as a right. Despite the modest gains of the Affordable Care Act, 35 million Americans continue to lack health insurance and many more are under-insured. Yet, we continue paying far more per capita for health care than any other nation. The United States must move toward a Medicare-for-All single-payer system.
Gun Violence Prevention: Here is the very sad truth: it is very difficult for the American people to keep up with the mass shootings we seem to see every day in the news. It is long past time for Congress to pass expanded background checks to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the dangerously mentally ill. We should ban the sale of assault weapons and high capacity magazines and close loopholes in our laws that allow stalkers and domestic abusers to buy guns. We should close the “terror gap” so that people on the FBI watch list can’t buy guns and we should vastly improve mental health care in this country so that people who need care can get care when they need it, regardless of their level of income. Those are just a few steps, of many, that we should take -- all of which enjoy the support of an overwhelming number of Americans.
Protecting Our Most Vulnerable: Today, the United States has more people living in poverty than at almost any time in the modern history of our country. We have the highest rate of childhood poverty of any major nation, and millions of seniors and people with disabilities struggle to put food on the table because of insufficient Social Security benefits.
In my view, we have a moral responsibility to make certain that no American goes hungry or sleeps on the street. We must also make certain that seniors and people with disabilities can live in dignity. Not only must we vigorously oppose Republican attacks on the social safety net, we must expand benefits for those most in need. That is why I have recently introduced legislation that would extend the solvency of Social Security until 2065, while increasing benefits for those most in need.
Expanding Opportunity and Equality: We need to stop using prisons as a response to poverty. Our criminal justice system needs to be reformed so that we do not continue to house non-violent offenders at huge expense when that money could be used to rebuild communities and create opportunity. We need federal leadership to reform policing in America, to end racial profiling, and to fight the illegal activities of hate groups. We need comprehensive immigration reform that protects families and leads to a responsible and realistic path to citizenship.
Dismantling Structural Racism: Throughout much of our history, the elite in America has divided people along racial lines in an effort to consolidate wealth and power. We need to simultaneously address the structural and institutional racism which exists in this country while at the same time vigorously attacking the grotesque level of income and wealth inequality which is making the very rich much richer, and everyone else - especially the African-American community - much poorer. Meanwhile, too many people of color in this country find themselves subjected to a system that treats citizens who have not committed crimes like criminals. We have more people locked up in jail than any other country on earth. We need to invest in jobs and education, not jails and incarceration. Finally, no person should have to worry that a routine interaction with law enforcement will end in violence and death. Black lives matter: we must reform our criminal justice system, move away from the militarization of police forces, and invest in community policing.
College for All: The United States must join Germany and many other countries in understanding that investing in our young people's education is investing in the future of our nation. I have introduced legislation to make tuition in public colleges and universities free, as well as substantially lowering interest rates on student loans.
War and Peace: I voted against the war in Iraq, and that was the right vote. We must be vigorous in combatting terrorism, but we can't do it alone. We must be part of an international coalition that includes Muslim nations which not only defeats ISIS but which works hard to create conditions for lasting peace. I will vigorously oppose an endless war in the Middle East.
My approach to campaigning is pretty simple and straight-forward. We hold a lot of public meetings in towns that are big and small. People ask questions and make comments. We discuss the important issues facing our country. And that's it. Nothing very fancy. It's called democracy and I like that approach very much. It's something I've done my whole political life.
Let us never forget: This country belongs to all of us, not just a handful of billionaires.
Sincerely,
Senator Bernie Sanders
O'MALLEY EMAIL
Date: Tue, Dec 8, 2015 at 5:45 PM
Subject: I am asking for your vote
To: Samantha Corey
Welcome to Democracy for America's official 2016 Presidential Endorsement Poll -- in which you have the power to decide which Democratic candidate DFA will endorse! This week, DFA members will be receiving messages from all three candidates -- Hillary Clinton, Martin O'Malley and Bernie Sanders -- with each making the case for why they deserve your vote. To level the playing field between the candidates, we're randomizing the daily order in which DFA members receive these emails and sending each candidate's message to an equal number of recipients. Enjoy reading these important messages -- and don't forget to vote and share your vote with your friends! - Eden James, Political Director, Democracy for America
Samantha,
My name is Martin O'Malley -- I'm the former
Mayor of Baltimore and the former Governor of Maryland. I'm a life-long
Democrat who is running for President to rebuild the truth of the
American dream that you and I share and to build upon the progress made
under President Barack Obama.
With fifteen years of executive experience, I have learned how
to be a very effective leader. I
have learned how to get things done. In Maryland, I made it easier --
not harder -- for workers to bargain collectively for better wages for
all of us. Instead of cutting public education funding, we made our
public schools the best public schools in America for five years in a
row.
As governor, I brought people together to pass the Dream Act, to pass Marriage Equality, and to pass the most comprehensive gun safety legislation in the nation with background checks and a ban on the sale of combat assault weapons!
As a member of Democracy for America, you are part of an organized, grassroots movement that believes our country best moves forward when progressives are elected up and down the ticket. You grew tired of politicians who talked a big game, but were never able to deliver because they were beholden to powerful special interests.
Talking about progressive ideas on the campaign trail is one thing. Taking action when elected is what really matters, and I have proven that I am able to do so, while achieving progressive results.
Over the summer, I put forward 15 goals to rebuild the
American Dream. I
want to make the option of debt free college a reality within 5 years,
expand Social Security, move America forward to a 100% clean electric
energy grid by 2050, and create 5 million new jobs along the way.
Nothing you and I care about can be accomplished by words alone. We
must take action. We must not resort to the worn out politics of the
past. We must find our backbone again to stand up for what is best for
our country and what is best for all Americans.
I have never represented Wall Street, and I sure as hell won't
be taking economic orders from the big banks of Wall Street when I'm in
your White House. And as your President, I will have the
independence and the backbone to fight for you: If a bank is too big to
fail, too big to jail, and too big to manage, then it's too damn big,
and it needs to be broken up before it breaks our national economy once
again!
We must also have the courage to put our children's safety and public
safety -- each and every day -- ahead of the craven and morally
bankrupt interests of the National Rifle Association.
We're not going to make our economy work again for all of us by trying
to scrap capitalism and replace it with socialism. Nor are we going to
make our economy work by turning a blind eye to criminal behavior on
Wall Street, or by taking our orders from the big banks and submitting
to the sort of crony capitalism that has wages declining for 70% of us
-- creating an economy of the few, by the few, and for the few.
There is a better way. And that is the way forward. We need new
leadership that can forge a new consensus to rebuild the American dream.
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