[csusbpeace] Concerned over lack of “working-class” energy for midterms, Sanders plans 8-state blitz

From: "raccoon" <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> ("bigraccoon1")
To: "CSUSBPEACE@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <CSUSBPEACE@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2022 17:59:55 -0700

https://www.nationofchange.org/2022/10/20/concerned-over-lack-of-working-class-energy-for-midterms-sanders-plans-8-state-blitz/

<https://www.nationofchange.org/2022/10/20/concerned-over-lack-of-working-class-energy-for-midterms-sanders-plans-8-state-blitz/>

Concerned over lack of “working-class” energy for midterms, Sanders plans
8-state blitz

October 20, 2022

<https://i0.wp.com/www.nationofchange.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/04ccd2f678d54d0e9fee28d00d91af43.jpg?fit=2560%2C1440&ssl=1>
Taking his recent call for Democrats to campaign on economic issues facing
working Americans on the road, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday
announced
<https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/19/us/politics/bernie-sanders-midterms-stops.html?smid=url-share>an
eight-state tour for the final two weekends before the midterm elections on
November 8, with the goal of energizing “young people [and] working-class
people.”

Starting on October 27, the Vermont independent senator will hold at least 19
events with grassroots groups MoveOn and NextGen America.

Sanders gave a frank assessment of the Democrats’ current midterm strategy in
an interview with The New York Times, saying, “I think they’re doing rather
poorly” at convincing working people who are concerned about the economy to
support the party.

“It is rather amazing to me that we are in a situation right now, which I
hope to change, where according to poll after poll, the American people look
more favorably upon the Republicans in terms of economic issues than they do
Democrats,” Sanders told the Times. “That is absurd.”

Sanders’ tour was announced two days after the Times released
<https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/17/us/politics/republicans-economy-nyt-siena-poll.html>new
polling data showing that since September, voters have swung significantly
<https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/10/17/progressives-say-new-midterm-poll-must-be-wake-call-democrats>
toward Republican candidates, with a roughly three-point edge over
Democrats. Just a month ago the same poll found more voters favoring
Democratic candidates.

The poll also showed that voters who are most concerned about the economy and
inflation—which has about a third of Americans struggling
<https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/10/inflation-is-causing-more-americans-to-fall-behind-on-monthly-bills.html>
to pay their bills—are now leaning toward Republican candidates by a 2-to-1
margin.

Meanwhile, in addition to proposing
<https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/09/13/republicans-keep-showing-us-who-they-are-graham-introduces-federal-abortion-ban>
a nationwide 15-week abortion ban and backing candidates who continue to
spread the baseless lie that former President Donald Trump won the 2020
election, Republicans have been explicit this year about their plans to cut
<https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/10/18/believe-him-say-critics-mccarthy-signals-gop-plan-attack-social-security-medicare>
Medicare and Social Security benefits. This week The Washington Post
reported that the GOP aims to pass an extension
<https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/10/17/if-they-retake-congress-gop-plan-make-trump-tax-cuts-rich-permanent>
of their 2017 tax cut package which overwhelmingly benefited the wealthy.

Sanders told the Times that he plans to address those threats on his tour to
states including Nevada, Texas, Florida, Wisconsin, Michigan, and
Pennsylvania.

“They’re going to have to respond to why they don’t want to raise the minimum
wage, why they want to give tax breaks to billionaires, why they want to cut
Social Security,” the senator said. “Those are the questions that I think
these guys do not want to answer. And those are the questions I’m going to be
raising.”

Sanders and other progressives including Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) have also
called on
<https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/10/17/progressives-say-new-midterm-poll-must-be-wake-call-democrats>
Democrats to tout legislation that they could get passed if they gain seats
in the U.S. Senate and keep control of the House, such as anti-price gouging
proposals.

The upcoming tour “is about energizing our base and increasing voter turnout
up and down the ballot,” Sanders told the Times, adding that he is
“concerned” about “the energy level for young people, working-class people.”

“And I want to see what I can do about that,” he said.

On Tuesday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also announced
<https://twitter.com/nicholaswu12/status/1582469403739709442> that she plans
to hold a rally this coming weekend at University of California, Irvine,
where Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) is up for reelection.

“Democrats need to clearly say what more we’ll do to fix the economy for
working people if we hold on to Congress,” said
<https://twitter.com/maxberger/status/1582797781340540928> progressive
organizer Max Berger. “I’m glad Bernie and AOC are on the case!”

[csusbpeace] Concerned over lack of “working-class” energy for midterms, Sanders plans 8-state blitz

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