Sen. Sanders Calls for A Political Revolution

We Need A Political Revolution

Friday, July 11, 2014

The status of American democracy is frighteningly dismal. 

In the coming November elections, it is estimated that 60 percent of Americans will not vote.  Worse, 70-80 percent of those hurting most economically, low and moderate income workers, will not be participating in the election.

Further, political consciousness in this country is extremely low, with most people not knowing who their member of Congress is or which political political parties control the U.S. House and U.S. Senate.

Meanwhile, while tens of millions of American workers have given up on the political process and no longer see government as relevant to their lives, the billionaire class is more active politically than ever before.  As a result of the disastrous Citizens United Supreme Court decision, the Koch brothers, Sheldon Adelson and other billionaires will be spending hundreds of millions of dollars to elect candidates whose main function is to help the wealthiest and most powerful people become even wealthier and more powerful.

In other words, the rich are becoming richer and spend huge sums on political donations.  The poor are becoming poorer and don't even vote.

Our job is to make a political revolution.  Our job is to educate and organize so that working people fight for their rights and for their dignity - and are actively participating in the political process.  When we do that, when we stand together, we win: Health care for all, a fair distribution of wealth and income, a major federal jobs program, higher wages, reversing global warming and real campaign finance reform.  

When we give up and don't participate, we lose.  And what we will see is the continued collapse of the middle class and an increase in poverty, cuts in Social Security and Medicare, a growing gap between the very rich and everyone else, no increase in the minimum wage, no effort to make college affordable and more devastation because of global warming.

Please share your ideas with me.  How do we make that political revolution?  How do we bring people together to fight for their rights and a progressive agenda which represents the needs of all Americans, and not just the top 1 percent.