I SEE AMAZING
POTENTIAL HERE: Accomplishing what we have with such a small percentage of or
readers helping out the mind reels at what could be accomplished with a
significant portion of our readership participating. Let’s have done with low
expectations. / Marc Ash, Founder Reader Supported News
Galindez writes: "Senator Bernie Sanders loves Iowa, but not enough to spend three days here in the heart of winter without a very good reason: he was here to see if Iowans are ready to take on the oligarchy that is running America."
Senator Bernie Sanders. (photo: Sanders.gov)
Bernie Sanders: "Stand Up and Fight With Me"
23 February 15
enator Bernie Sanders loves Iowa, but not enough to spend three days here in the heart of winter without a very good reason: he was here to see if Iowans are ready to take on the oligarchy that is running America. Sanders served notice that he is not interested in just beating whomever the Republicans nominate for president. He is ready to take on the billionaire class, but only if we stand up and fight with him.
Sanders stressed the need for a massive grassroots movement to take on the Koch brothers and other millionaires, and the hundreds of millions of dollars they’ll be spending to maintain the status quo.
He talked of his frustration with people who no longer participate in the political process, people who have given up. “If elections were not important, why would the Koch brothers spend hundreds of millions of dollars to win them?” asked Sanders.
My impression is that Bernie wants to run, and run to win. He isn’t running just to influence the debate. He wants to take on big money; he wants to build an America that works for all people and not just the elite. However, he doesn’t want to do it alone – he wants a massive grassroots army to fight with him. He wants to know if the American people are up for the fight.
Bernie’s visit to Iowa began in Iowa City at the Prairie Lights Bookstore. It was billed as a reading from his book, “The Speech,” but when the senator arrived and saw a packed room with people standing in places where they couldn’t even see the podium, I think he saw an opportunity. He seized on it and gave his stump speech to a crowd that seemed to agree with his message. Bernie was very pleased. He said he had expected about 40 people and there was clearly close to four times that.
Many who couldn’t find a seat sat in the cafe in the next room. When the senator spoke of equal pay for women, applause rang out in the cafe.
That evening Senator Sanders held a town hall meeting on campus of the University of Iowa. Over 100 people attended and appeared to be very supportive of his message.
The following day began at Drake University in Des Moines. After we heard from a panel of students on climate change, student debt, Citizens United, and violence against women, Bernie delivered his message and then took questions. When asked if he would run for president, he turned the question on the crowd, essentially asking if they were ready to run with him. They seemed to be ready: one woman had driven four hours to attend the event, and a “Run Warren Run” supporter expressed support for a Sanders run. When one young man said the election of Obama showed that the country was ready for a Sanders run, Bernie shot back, “But I’m going to take on people he didn’t take on.” Read into that what you will, but it sounds to me like the senator is planning to run.
The second day ended in Johnston, Iowa, at the 35th anniversary dinner for the Iowa Citizen Action Network. About 80 people enjoyed barbecue before the senator delivered the keynote speech.
After visits to Cedar Rapids and Tipton, the last stop was the highlight of the three days in Iowa. The Story Counter Democratic Party held what they called a “soup supper.” By my count, 300 people packed the room. A band played country music while the crowd enjoyed chili and soup while waiting for the senator to arrive. The new state party chairman was in attendance and could be seen agreeing with Bernie often. The local Democrats brought the soup and Bernie delivered the red meat and drew frequent applause during his speech. I heard the party treasurer tell people that they raised more money that night than at any previous event. I spoke to many of the Story County Democrats’ leaders, who said they were impressed with the senator and thought that his message would play well in Iowa.
Story County treasurer Tom Corrieri told me that Bernie spoke to working class issues that unfortunately the Democratic Party has walked away from, and he said that Sanders’ message could “resonate throughout Iowa and the nation.”
Another local party leader reminded me that while it was very early, and the polls show Hillary with a big lead in the state, nobody had expected Obama to win in 2008. He also said that Bernie touched on many issues that people are concerned about and don’t know how to address, and that Bernie provided encouragement by telling people they can do something about issues like income inequality if they stand up together.
Throughout the three days, one constant theme presented by Bernie Sanders was that, while it will not be easy, if we stand up together we can win. He offered recent examples of progressive victories, asking all of the audiences what they would have said 30 years ago if someone in the crowd had said that a black man would be elected president in 2008 and then be re-elected in 2012. He pointed out that 25 years ago there was only one woman in the U.S. Senate, but now there are 20 and the number is still rising. He reminded the crowd that 10 years ago, if someone had said that gay marriage would be allowed in conservative states, you would have asked him what he was smoking.
Sanders then went on to say that while we have been winning big battles, on economic issues we are losing, but if we stand together and fight we can build an America that works for us all again.
Bernie on the Issues
Sanders highlighted many issues that will be at the forefront of his campaign. They all come back to money is politics. As long as our government is owned and operated by the oligarchy, progress will not be made. Here are just a few topics he covered.
Citizen United and the Koch Brothers
Bernie believes that no matter which issue is most important to people, if we don’t take the money out of politics we won’t be able to address the issue. As long as the Koch brothers and their ilk own the Congress, issues like climate change and inequality will not be a priority. The Koch Brothers have pledged to spend as much money on the 2016 election as the Obama and Romney campaigns spent in 2012. They have a database of Republican voters that is larger than the RNC’s. If this continues, they will soon be more powerful politically than either major political party. Sanders believes that if Citizen United isn’t reversed, the billionaire class will control the economy and our political discourse, if they don’t already.
Climate Change
Bernie said: “It is not a good thing for a nation to reject science. On this issue there is no debate. The scientific community is very clear: climate change is real, it is caused by human activity, and is already wreaking havoc around the world. What the scientists are telling us is if we don’t get our act together and act boldly to cut carbon emissions, by the end of this century Planet Earth will be 5 to 10 degrees warmer.” Bernie blamed big money on the resistance to the science. The fossil fuel industry, including the Koch brothers, are making too much money to stop what they are doing. For them, the continuation of their harmful practices is profitable.
The Economy
Bernie also took aim at economic inequality. He gave examples of how the economy is rigged against the poor and the middle class. He pointed out that real unemployment is over 11% if you count people who have given up on finding a job. Unemployment is 18% for young people and over 30% for young African Americans. Bernie supports raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour over 2 years.
Student Loan Debt
One thing for sure, Bernie is going after student loan debt. He is not looking to just lower interest rates, he wants to eliminate tuition in America. He talked about how most of Europe has free college education. He said President Obama is proposing a $36 billion increase in military spending. Sanders proposed shifting $18 billion to public universities to provide tuition-free education.
Taxes
Bernie blasted corporations for sheltering their money in offshore accounts and criticized the tax breaks for the wealthy. He said “Corporations and the wealthy are going to have realize they are part of America and need to play their fair share."
Bernie also blasted the media for not covering the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, saying he would reject the TPP. He opposes sending troops back to the Middle East, and said ISIS will have to be defeated by the countries in the region. He acknowledged our role in creating ISIS, saying that if we hadn’t invaded Iraq in the first place, there would be no ISIS.
Without a doubt, for progressives, Bernie Sanders checks all the boxes. In Part 2, I will tell you why Bernie thinks he can win if you stand with him.
Scott Galindez co-founded Truthout and will be reporting on the presidential election from Iowa throughout 2015.
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