Bernie Sanders apparently plans to stay in the Democratic Party. But he will help “true progressives” whether or not they are Democrats. In an exclusive interview with USA Today, Sanders announced his next steps. He will continue his political revolution.
Sanders Convention Plans
Before the Democratic convention, Sanders will try to get some of the rules changed. Abolishing superdelegates, or at least preventing them from endorsing candidates before there are two in the race, is one of his goals. He also wants to allow independents to vote in all primaries. If he does not get the changes he seeks before the convention, he will take them to the convention floor.
At the convention, Sanders will insist on a vote on the nomination so that his pledged delegates will get a chance to vote for him. Then, the rest of the country can see how many delegates he won.
Electing Progressives
Bernie Sanders will certainly campaign for Hillary Clinton. He views a Trump presidency as a disaster. But he also plans to campaign for at least 100 down-ballot progressives. Sanders will probably start with Tim Canova, who is running against Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL) for her seat in Congress.
To pave the way for the election of more progressive candidates, Sanders has created two new organizations. Our Revolution will be a 501(c)(4) organization that recruits, trains, and funds progressive candidates. Shannon Jackson, former senior adviser to the Sanders campaign, will lead this organization.
Educating the Public
Jane and Bernie Sanders also have formed the Sanders Institute, which will produce documentaries and other media presentations to educate the public.The Sanders Institute will focus on the progressive issues that Bernie raised throughout his campaign: income equality, campaign finance reform, corporate power, and corruption on Wall Street. It also will educate people about issues that came to Bernie’s and Jane’s attention during the campaign, such as the dire conditions under which American Indians live.
Bernie is also at work on a book, to be titled, Our Revolution: A Future to Believe In. St. Martin’s Press will release the book on November 15, a week after the election.
Continuing Without Him
Many Sanders supporters have already taken similar steps. In June, the People’s Summit convened in Chicago to share lessons learned from the campaign and plan for the future. Brand New Congress also formed to recruit and support progressive candidates.
Featured Image by Alex Hanson/Flickr used through Creative Commons 2.0 License.
