Bernie Sanders

From KeyWiki

Bernie (Bernard) Sanders is an openly socialist Independent member of the United States Senate, representing Vermont. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006 after serving 16 years in the United States House of Representatives. He is married to Jane O'Meara Sanders.^[1]

Early life

Born in Brooklyn, Bernie Sanders was the younger of two sons in a modest-income family. After graduation from the University of Chicago^[2]in 1964, he moved to the Vermont. Early in his career, Sanders was director of the American People’s Historical Society. Elected Mayor of Burlington by 10 votes in 1981, he served four terms. Before his 1990 election as Vermont’s at-large member in Congress, Sanders lectured at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and at Hamilton College in upstate New York.

Student activism

After one year at Brooklyn College, Sanders spent four years at the University of Chicago, where he joined the Young Peoples Socialist League, youth wing of the Socialist Party USA, the Congress on Racial Equality and the Student Peace Union. He also worked briefly for the communist led United Packinghouse Workers Union. At the end of his junior year Sanders worked in a mental hospital in California as part of a project for the American Friends Service Committee.^[3]

I.F.Stone's endorsement letter

In October 1988, journalist I. F. Stone, a former secret Communist Party USA member and Soviet agent, wrote a letter endorsing Burlington mayor Bernie Sanders' congressional run.

Dear Friend,

I've been politically active all my life. I was a member of the Executive Committee of the Socialist Party in New Jersey, before I was old enough to vote.

Now I'd like to ask you to join me in a historic step forward in American politics. My favorite Mayor -- Bernie Sanders of Burlington, Vermont -- is running for Congress, and with our help he can win an unprecedented victory for us all.

Bernie is a unique figure in our political system. He's an unapologetic socialist who has been elected Mayor of Vermont's largest city four times. He has proved that a socialist, running as an Independent against the combined opposition of Republicans and Democrats, can be successful by speaking out for working people, the elderly and the poor.

Under Bernie's leadership, Burlington has become a vibrant, innovative city, nationally recognized for its accomplishments. The U. S. Conference of Mayors recently gave it the "Most Liveable City" award, and even the conservative U.S. News and World Report has spotlighted Bernie as one of the country's Top Twenty Mayors (December 21, 1987).

Bernie has been a leader in the struggle for peace and justice . His activism was instrumental in Vermont's strong support of the Nuclear Freeze in its town meetings in 1982. He has traveled to Nicaragua to speak out against the Reagan Administration's war, and to establish a Sister City relation between Burlington and Puerto Cabezas. More recently, he went to the Soviet Union to set up a Sister City program with Yaroslavl.

While socialism has a long and proud history in America, extending back to the utopian experiments of the early 1800s, it's been a long time since we've had a socialist voice in Congress. Not since Victor Berger of Milwaukee in the twenties , has the debate gone beyond the limits set by the conventional two-party system.

Having Bernie in Washington will widen out the limits of political discussion. He'll speak up loudly, as he has in Vermont, for real alternatives. He'll show that we need a pragmatic socialism to deal with the grave problems of our economic system.

I.F. STONE

Addressed Communist Party USA, front meeting

An ad/notice was placed in the Guardian, November 8, 1989, concerning an upcoming U.S. Peace Council national conference. The text of the notice was:

"End The Cold War Fund Human Needs" U.S. Peace Council's Tenth Anniversary National Conference - Boston, Mass., Nov. 10-12, 1989

Speakers Included:^[4]

• Leslie Cagan
• Rep.John Conyers - (D-Mich)
• Prof.Gerald Horne
• Prof. Michio Kaku
• Robert Krimsky
• Prof. Manning Marable
• Jack O'Dell - Rainbow Coalition Operation PUSH
• Dennis Rivera - Local 1199 Drug & Hospital Workers Union
• Angela Sanbrano- CISPES
• Bernie Sanders
• Holly Sklar
• Zehdi Terzi - Palestine Liberation Organisation
• Dessima Williams - Grenada Foundation

Socialist Scholars Conference 1990

The Socialist Scholars Conference 1990, held September 6-8, at the Hotel Commodore, New York, included panels such as:^[5]

The Democratic Party and Electoral Strategy for the Left

• Sponsor: Democratic Socialists of America
• Bernie Sanders, former mayor, Burlington, Vermont
• Jim Shoch, former Democratic Socialists of America Director
• Christine Riddiough, Democratic Socialists of America Vice Chair; former Director National Gay and Lesbian Clubs

Socialist Scholars Conference 1992

Speakers at the Opening Plenary at the Tenth Annual Socialist Scholars Conference, Whose New World Order? included Bernie Sanders, Member of Congress, Vermont, Joseph S. Murphy, Political Science, CUNY Graduate Center, Dennis Rivera, President, SEIU Local 1199 Health & Hospital Workers Union and Ellen Willis, author, Beginning to See the Light. The conference was held April 24-26, 1992 at the Borough of Manhattan Community College, New York City^[6]

Socialist Scholars 1997

In March 28-30 1997 Democratic Socialists of America convened their annual Socialist Scholars Conference at Borough of Manhattan Community College, New York.

The conference was themed "Radical alternatives on the eve of the millenium".

Invitees were asked to join Doug Henwood, Robert Heilbroner, Paul Sweezy, Harry Magdoff, Bill Tabb, Frances Fox Piven, Robert Fitch, Jane Slaughter and Ellen Meiksins Wood "as they debate changes in the labor movement, Marxist theory, the state of the economy, market socialism, and other areas where theory and practice meet".

Or "listen to the United States' only independent and socialist congressman", Rep. Bernie Sanders, "dialogue with" Joel Rogers of the New Party and In These Times' ....Salim Muwakkil on independent politics..^[7].

Back to Basics conference

A Back to Basics conference on the future of the American Left, was held in Chicago October 9-11, 1998. Speakers included: Sen. Paul Wellstone, Rep. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Cynthia McKinney, Barbara Dudley, Quentin Young and Jim Hightower. The conference was sponsored by Sponsored by In These Times^[8].

Sponsored Communist Party "Jobs Bill"

H.R. 950, the Job Creation and Infrastructure Restoration Act of 1997 was introduced in the 105th Congress on March 5, 1997 by Congressman Matthew Martinez of California. It had 33 original co-sponsors, including Bernie Sanders. The primary purpose of this emergency federal jobs legislation was to provide much needed jobs at union wages to crisis ridden cities by putting the unemployed to work rebuilding our nation's infrastructure (schools, housing, hospitals, libraries, public transportation, highways, parks, environmental improvements, etc. $250 billion is authorized for emergency public works jobs over a five year period.

Congressman Martinez had previously introduced this bill in the last Congress (as HR 1591) at the the request of over 50 prominent Labor leaders who formed the Los Angeles Labor Coalition for Public Works Jobs, which is why it is often referred to as the "Martinez Public Works Jobs Bill."^[9]

This is the most significant jobs legislation introduced in Congress since Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal established the Works Progress Administration (WPA). This bill is the WPA-type program for today. It has strong provisions which will put hundreds of thousands of unemployed building trades workers to work as well as provide jobs for victims of plant closures, welfare recipients who are parents, youth, and the long term unemployed. The public works projects which will be established under this bill will be built in communities with the highest levels of unemployment and with the greatest needs.

The goal of the New York Coalition for Public Works Jobs is to build the movement to pass the Martinez Jobs bill as part of the National Labor Coalition for Public Works Jobs. You can help by asking your union, community organization, or local government body to to join those who have already passed resolutions to endorse the bill. Such a resolution has been introduced in the New York City Council. Calling on additional Congressional Representatives to co-sponsor the bill is very important. We will be organizing petition campaigns, visits to elected officials, and demonstrations and other actions for a public works jobs program.

The leaders of the Los Angeles Labor Coalition for Public Works Jobs and its only affiliate New York Coalition for Public Works Jobs, were all known supporters or members of the Communist Party USA.

Los Angeles , National Labor Coalition For Public Works Jobs

• Jerry Acosta - Chairman
• Art Rodriguez - Coordinator

A New York affiliate, New York Coalition for Public Works Jobs, c/o Utility Workers Union of America Local 1-2.

• Eddie Davis
• Bill Davis

Staffer's 2000 trip to Cuba

In February 2000, Sandra Caron from the office of Congressman Bernie Sanders spent six days in Havana, Cuba, for the purpose of "fact-finding, study effects of U.S. embargo". The trip cost $1,778.47 and was paid for by the Christopher Reynolds Foundation.^[10]

Ties to Democratic Socialists of America

In 1990 the Democratic Socialists of America Political Action Committee endorsed two Congressional candidates, "DSAer Democrat" Neil Abercrombie seeking to regain the House seat representing Honolulu and Vermont independent candidate Bernie Sanders.^[11]

Sanders has long standing ties to Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Sanders is a regular speaker at DSA conferences and the organization is a major fund-raiser for his campaigns.

In November 1991, Sanders spoke at the Democratic Socialists of America national convention at Mundelin College, Chicago.^[12]

From a Spring 2000^[13]Democratic Left editorial;

Electoral tactics are only a means for DSA; the building of a powerful anti-corporate and ultimately socialist movement is the end. Where third party or non-partisan candidates represent significant social movements DSA locals have and will continue to build such organizations and support such candidates. DSA honored independent socialist Congressperson Bernie Sanders of Vermont at our last convention banquet, and we have always raised significant funds nationally for his electoral campaigns. .

In November 1999 Bernie Sanders was keynote speaker at D.S.As national convention in San Diego. he was introduced by local congressman Bob Filner.

DSA support in Senate campaign

DSA's Democratic Left Winter 2006

DSA's 2005 National Conference in Los Angeles committed the organization^[14]to supporting Sanders' 2006 U.S. Senate race-and using it to recruit some new members along the way;

From now through November 2006, the Sanders for Senate campaign in Vermont will focus national media attention on the most serious socialist electoral effort in the United States since the Debsian period. Bernie Sanders has been an articulate voice for democratic socialist politics among the 435 members of the House of Representatives and has spoken at DSA events on many occasions.

Sanders would become a much more visible national spokesperson for socialist politics if and when he serves as one of 100 members of the more powerful United States Senate.

His election is by no means assured and he will need the financial and organizational help of the broad democratic left around the country. In addition, Sanders support work provides a natural vehicle in any locality for DSA to reach out to—and potentially recruit—unaffiliated socialists and independent radicals.

Thus, this convention commits itself to:

a. The national staff and NPC developing feasible, legal, ways that DSA locals, networks, individuals, and campus groups can aid the Sanders for Senate campaign.

b. The national leadership providing guidance as to how local groups engaged in aiding the Sanders campaign can utilize such efforts to recruit for and build DSA.

In 2006 Bernie Sanders received $15,387 from the Democratic Socialists of America Political Action Committee for his campaign as Independent candidate for the Vermont seat in the U.S. Senate primary and general elections.^[15]

Backed by Barack Obama

Barack Obama traveled to Vermont to campaign for Bernie Sanders during the Congressman's successful 2006 U.S. Senate race.

Congressional Progressive Caucus

As of February 20 2009 Bernie Sanders was listed as a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.^[16]

Supported by Council for a Livable World

The Council for a Livable World, founded in 1962 by long-time socialist activist and alleged Soviet agent, Leo Szilard, is a non-profit advocacy organization that seeks to "reduce the danger of nuclear weapons and increase national security", primarily through supporting progressive, congressional candidates who support their policies. The Council supported Bernie Sanders in his successful Senate run as candidate for Vermont.^[17]

The Progressive

Sanders has been a contributor to the liberal magazine, The Progressive.

Staff

The following have worked as staff members for Bernie Sanders:^[18]

External links

• The Progressive website
• Sanders' website with the Senate

References