As to his last point regarding a third party, Jill Stein sent a fund raising
email on Saturday indicating that the rate of donations to the Green Party
increased significantly on the day that Bernie endorsed Hillary.
Miriam
Reich writes: "Polls now show huge majorities of Americans think moneyed
interests have too much sway in Washington. And thanks, in large part, to
Bernie's campaign, progressives on Capitol Hill are readying a
constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United, and bills requiring
full disclosure of donors, ending gerrymandering, and providing automatic
voter registration."
Robert Reich. (photo: unknown)
Bernie's 7 Legacies
By Robert Reich, Robert Reich's Website
18 July 16
Bernie Sanders's campaign is now officially over, but the movement he began
is still just beginning. He's provided it seven big legacies:
First, Bernie has helped open America's eyes to the power of big money
corrupting our democracy and thereby rigging our economy to its advantage
and everyone else's disadvantage.
Polls now show huge majorities of Americans think moneyed interests have too
much sway in Washington. And thanks, in large part, to Bernie's campaign,
progressives on Capitol Hill are readying a constitutional amendment to
overturn Citizens United, and bills requiring full disclosure of donors,
ending gerrymandering, and providing automatic voter registration.
None of these will get anywhere in a Republican-controlled Congress, but
they will give progressives a powerful theme for the upcoming election. It's
called democracy.
Second, Bernie has shown that it's possible to win elections without
depending on big money from corporations, Wall Street, and billionaires. He
came close to winning the Democratic nomination on the basis of millions of
small donations from average working people. No longer can a candidate
pretend to believe in campaign finance reform but say they have to take big
money because their opponent does.
Third, Bernie has educated millions of Americans about why we must have a
single-payer health-care system and free tuition at public universities, and
why we must resurrect the Glass-Steagall Act and bust up the biggest banks.
These issues will be front and center in every progressive campaign from
here out, at all levels of American politics.
Fourth,the Sanders campaign has brought millions of young people into
politics, ignited their energy and enthusiasm and idealism.
Fifth, the movement Bernie ignited has pushed Hillary Clinton to take more
progressive positions on issues ranging from the minimum wage to the Trans
Pacific Partnership, the XL Pipeline, Wall Street, and Social Security.
Sixth, he's taught Americans how undemocratic the Democratic Party's system
for picking candidates really is. Before Bernie's candidacy, not many people
were paying attention to so-called "super-delegates" or whether independents
could vote, or how primary elections and caucuses were run. From now on,
people will pay attention. And the Democratic National Committee will be
under pressure to make fundamental changes.
Seventh is the real possibility Bernie has inspired of a third party - if
the Democratic Party doesn't respond to the necessity of getting big money
out of politics and reversing widening inequality, if it doesn't begin to
advocate for a single-payer healthcare system, or push hard for higher taxes
on the wealthy - including a wealth tax - to pay for better education and
better opportunities for everyone else, if it doesn't expand Social Security
and lift the cap on income subject to the Social Security payroll tax, if it
doesn't bust up the biggest banks and strengthen antitrust laws, and expand
voting rights.
If it doesn't act on these critical issues. the Democratic Party will become
irrelevant to the future of America, and a third party will emerge to
address them.
Bernie, we thank you for your courage, your inspiration, your tireless
dedication, and your vision. And we will continue the fight.
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Robert Reich. (photo: unknown)
http://robertreich.org/http://robertreich.org/
Bernie's 7 Legacies
By Robert Reich, Robert Reich's Website
18 July 16
ernie Sanders's campaign is now officially over, but the movement he began
is still just beginning. He's provided it seven big legacies:
First, Bernie has helped open America's eyes to the power of big money
corrupting our democracy and thereby rigging our economy to its advantage
and everyone else's disadvantage.
Polls now show huge majorities of Americans think moneyed interests have too
much sway in Washington. And thanks, in large part, to Bernie's campaign,
progressives on Capitol Hill are readying a constitutional amendment to
overturn Citizens United, and bills requiring full disclosure of donors,
ending gerrymandering, and providing automatic voter registration.
None of these will get anywhere in a Republican-controlled Congress, but
they will give progressives a powerful theme for the upcoming election. It's
called democracy.
Second, Bernie has shown that it's possible to win elections without
depending on big money from corporations, Wall Street, and billionaires. He
came close to winning the Democratic nomination on the basis of millions of
small donations from average working people. No longer can a candidate
pretend to believe in campaign finance reform but say they have to take big
money because their opponent does.
Third, Bernie has educated millions of Americans about why we must have a
single-payer health-care system and free tuition at public universities, and
why we must resurrect the Glass-Steagall Act and bust up the biggest banks.
These issues will be front and center in every progressive campaign from
here out, at all levels of American politics.
Fourth,the Sanders campaign has brought millions of young people into
politics, ignited their energy and enthusiasm and idealism.
Fifth, the movement Bernie ignited has pushed Hillary Clinton to take more
progressive positions on issues ranging from the minimum wage to the Trans
Pacific Partnership, the XL Pipeline, Wall Street, and Social Security.
Sixth, he's taught Americans how undemocratic the Democratic Party's system
for picking candidates really is. Before Bernie's candidacy, not many people
were paying attention to so-called "super-delegates" or whether independents
could vote, or how primary elections and caucuses were run. From now on,
people will pay attention. And the Democratic National Committee will be
under pressure to make fundamental changes.
Seventh is the real possibility Bernie has inspired of a third party - if
the Democratic Party doesn't respond to the necessity of getting big money
out of politics and reversing widening inequality, if it doesn't begin to
advocate for a single-payer healthcare system, or push hard for higher taxes
on the wealthy - including a wealth tax - to pay for better education and
better opportunities for everyone else, if it doesn't expand Social Security
and lift the cap on income subject to the Social Security payroll tax, if it
doesn't bust up the biggest banks and strengthen antitrust laws, and expand
voting rights.
If it doesn't act on these critical issues. the Democratic Party will become
irrelevant to the future of America, and a third party will emerge to
address them.
Bernie, we thank you for your courage, your inspiration, your tireless
dedication, and your vision. And we will continue the fight.
http://e-max.it/posizionamento-siti-web/socialize
http://e-max.it/posizionamento-siti-web/socialize
