[Occupymendocino] Fwd: A New Year's Resolution

[DANIEL BAKER]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Bernie Sanders <info at berniesanders.com>
Date: Mon, Jan 1, 2018 at 10:59 AM
Subject: A New Year's Resolution
To: DANIEL BAKER <blackdantheman100 at gmail.com>


Maintaining a vibrant democracy based on principles of justice has never
been easy. In these dangerous and unprecedented times, it may be more
difficult than ever. [image: Friends of Bernie Sanders]

DANIEL -

What a year it was!

Yes. We all know that we have seen a president take office who is the most
dishonest, bigoted, divisive and reactionary president in the modern
history of our country.

We have also seen a right-wing extremist, Republican Congress attempt to
throw up to 32 million Americans off of the health care they have, give
hundreds of billions in tax breaks to the richest people in our country and
the largest corporations, destroy environmental legislation and work
overtime to deny women the right to control their own bodies.

Yes. We have seen all of that and much more. But we are also seeing
something else that, from an historical perspective, is far more important.
We are seeing the American people come together, fight back and win
important victories all across the country.

During my campaign for president in 2016 I stated over and over again that
the future of our country was dependent upon our willingness to make a
political revolution. I stressed that real change never occurs from the top
on down. It always happens from the bottom on up. No real change in
American history, not the labor movement, the civil rights movement, the
women's movement, the gay rights movement, the environmental movement or
any other movement has ever had success without grassroots activism,
without millions of people engaged in the struggle for justice.

That's what I said when I ran for president. That's what I believe now and
that's what millions of us have been working to accomplish over the last
several years. At a time of massive and growing income and wealth
inequality, when our nation moves closer and closer to an oligarchic form
of society, we are working hard and effectively to create an unprecedented
grassroots political movement to defeat the greed of the billionaire class
and the politicians they own.

And the good news is that we're making progress. In state after state
ordinary Americans are successfully taking on establishment politicians who
are more concerned about protecting their wealthy campaign contributors
than the needs of the middle class or working people they are supposed to
represent.

In 2017 we made progress when millions of people, in every state in the
country, took to the streets for the Women's March in opposition to Trump's
reactionary agenda. We made progress when an unprecedented grassroots
movement elected a young African-American as mayor of Birmingham, Alabama.
We made progress when tens of thousands of Americans turned out in rallies
and town meetings to successfully oppose the Republican efforts to repeal
the Affordable Care Act, and we're making progress when more and more
Americans are joining the fight for a Medicare-for-all, single-payer
program.

We're making progress when governors and local officials in every part of
the country announce, in response to student demands, tuition-free public
colleges and universities. We're making progress when states and
communities from coast to coast adopt legislation which provides a minimum
wage of $15 an hour.

We're making progress when, on Election Day, Nov. 7, 2017, in local and
state elections all across the country, Trumpism suffered a major defeat as
hundreds of progressive first time candidates from every conceivable
background ran for school board, city council, state legislature and other
local offices - and many of them won.

We're making progress when, on Dec. 10, 2017, a strong Democrat was elected
to the U.S. Senate from Alabama, one of the most conservative states in the
country.

The truth is that the American people are far more united than the media
allows us to believe. They get it. They know that over the last 40 years,
despite a huge increase in worker productivity, the middle class has
continued to shrink while the very rich have become much richer. They know
that, for the first time in the modern history of the United States, our
kids will likely have a lower standard of living than their parents.

Our job, in 2018 and beyond, for the sake of our kids and grandchildren, is
to bring our people together around a progressive agenda.

Are the people of our country deeply concerned about the grotesque level of
income and wealth inequality that we are experiencing? You bet they are. Do
they believe that our campaign finance system is corrupt and enables the
rich to buy elections? By overwhelming numbers.

Do they want to raise the minimum wage to a living wage and provide pay
equity for women workers? Yes they do. Do they think the very rich and
large corporations should pay more in taxes so that all of our kids can
have free tuition at public colleges and universities? Yup. Do they believe
that the United States should join every other major country and guarantee
health care as a right? Yes, again. Do they believe climate change is real?
You've got to be kidding. Are they tired of the United States of America,
the wealthiest country in the history of the world, having a crumbling
infrastructure with roads, bridges, water systems, wastewater plants,
airports, rail, levees and dams falling apart? Who isn't?

Further, a majority of the American people want comprehensive immigration
reform and a criminal justice system that is based on justice, not racism
or mass incarceration.

Today, what the American people want is not what they are getting. In fact,
under Republican leadership in the House, Senate and White House, they are
getting exactly the opposite of what they want.

The American people want a government which represents all of us. Instead,
they are getting a government which represents the interests and extremist
ideology of wealthy campaign contributors. They want environmental policies
which combat climate change and pollution, and which will allow our kids to
live in a healthy and habitable planet. Instead, they are getting executive
orders and legislation which pushes more fossil fuel production, more
greenhouse gas emissions and more pollution. They want a nation in which
all people are treated with dignity and respect, and where we continue our
decades long struggle to end discrimination based on race, religion,
gender, sexual orientation or nation of origin. Instead, they have a
president who seeks to win political support appealing to those very
prejudices.

Maintaining a vibrant democracy based on principles of justice has never
been easy. In these dangerous and unprecedented times, it may be more
difficult than ever.

As a result of the disastrous Citizens United Supreme Court decision,
billionaires are now able to spend hundreds of millions in ugly TV ads
demonizing candidates who dare to stand up to them. Republican governors
and legislatures are working to suppress the vote, making it harder for
people of color, poor people and young people to vote. Republican state
legislatures have created incredibly gerrymandered districts which unfairly
protect Republican candidates.

Yes, I know. These are painful and frightening times. Many friends have
told me that they have given up reading the papers or watching TV. But let
us be clear. Despair is not an option. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not
anytime. That is exactly what our enemies want. Also, please never forget
that the struggle we are engaged in is not just for us. It is for our kids
and grandchildren. It is for the future of the planet.

So here is a New Year's resolution I hope you will share with me. In 2018
we will not only intensify the struggle against Trumpism, we will increase
our efforts to spread the progressive vision in every corner of the land.
Yes. We will create a vibrant democracy where the voices of all people are
heard. Yes. We will create a nation which leads the world in the struggle
for peace, and for economic, social, racial and environmental justice.

*Make a $3 donation today to help me continue to organize and grow our
political revolution across the country to take on Trumpism and build
support for the progressive vision for America's future that we share.
<https://secure.actblue.com/donate/struggle_continues?refcode=em180101-full>*

The struggle continues.

Bernie Sanders









Paid for by Friends of Bernie Sanders

PO BOX 391, Burlington, VT 05402

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