Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign

Bernie Sanders for President
Campaign	U.S. presidential election, 2016
Candidate	Bernie Sanders U.S. Senator (2007–present) U.S. Representative (1991–2007) Mayor of Burlington (1981–1989)
Affiliation	Democratic Party (serves as Independent in Senate)
Status	Announced: April 30, 2015 Formal launch: May 26, 2015
Headquarters	131 Church Street Suite 300 Burlington, Vermont
Key people	Jeff Weaver, campaign manager Symone D. Sanders, press secretary
Receipts	US$41,463,783 (2015-09-30)
Slogan	A Future To Believe In A Political Revolution Is Coming Not For Sale
Chant
Website
berniesanders.com

The 2016 presidential campaign of Bernie Sanders, the junior United States Senator and former Congressman from Vermont, began with a formal announcement by Sanders on May 26, 2015, in Burlington, Vermont, which followed an informal announcement on April 30. Sanders had been considered a potential candidate for President of the United States since at least September 2014. Although Sanders is an independent, he caucuses with the Democratic Party in the Senate, as many of his views align with those of Democrats, and he has confirmed that he is running as a Democrat.

Sanders states that his campaign will focus on income and wealth inequality, which he argues is eroding the American middle class, and on campaign finance reform. Unlike other major presidential candidates, Sanders does not pursue funding through a Super PAC, instead choosing to receive most of his campaign funds from small, individual donations. On September 30, The New York Times reported that Sanders had raised $26 million over the preceding three months, exceeding Barack Obama's pace of fundraising in 2008, and that the campaign had received one million individual donations, becoming the first in 2015 to reach that threshold.

Following the first 2015 Democratic Presidential debate, the Sanders team announced that it had raised $1.3 million over the duration of the event and in the hours after. Sanders has been drawing capacity, record breaking crowds to his speaking events. An August press report stated that recent events had attracted 100,000 supporters, five times as large as those that had turned out for the only other major Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton. Although Sanders has come second after Hillary Clinton in every major nationwide poll, he is the only Democratic candidate that polls ahead of every Republican in presidential election match-ups.

Background

See also: Bernie Sanders

Sanders' former political successes have been in Vermont, one of the most rural U.S. states. Sanders has been involved in political activism nearly his entire adult life. While in college he protested against police brutality, led a weeks-long sit-in against housing segregation, and worked as an organizer for the Congress of Racial Equality. In 1963 he traveled to Washington to attend the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Sanders has supported full equality for gay Americans since at least 1972. As Mayor of Burlington, Bernie Sanders played a prominent role in building support in Vermont for Jesse Jackson's campaign for the presidency in 1984 and 1988.

In a November 2013 interview, Sanders laid out several reasons for mounting his own presidential run: he cited global warming, economic inequality, frustration with the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission Supreme Court decision, and the importance of maintaining public programs like Medicare and Medicaid.

In a March 6, 2014, interview with The Nation, Sanders stated that he was "prepared to run for President of the United States" in 2016, but did not officially announce a campaign. When pressed on the issue, Sanders said he was discussing a campaign for president with people around the country, but felt that it was still premature to make an announcement. Following the 2014 congressional elections, Sanders continued to discuss the possibility of running for president.

On April 28, 2015, Vermont Public Radio reported that Sanders would announce his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination on April 30. In an interview with USA Today on April 29, Sanders stated that he was "running in this election to win," and launched a campaign website, effectively beginning his run. Sanders said he was motivated to enter the race by what he termed "obscene levels" of income disparity, and the campaign finance system.

On May 26, 2015, Sanders officially announced his candidacy at Waterfront Park in Burlington, Vermont.

Campaign

Sanders campaigning in Minneapolis

In a preview of his campaign, Sanders told the Associated Press on April 29, 2015, that he would release "very specific proposals" to increase taxes on the wealthy and corporations, offer tuition-free higher education at public universities, and pass a single-payer Medicare-for-All healthcare system. He also noted his support for substantial regulations of Wall Street, and his opposition to the NAFTA and CAFTA trade agreements and to the Keystone XL pipeline.

He has made the cornerstone of his campaign the reversal of what he calls the "obscene levels" of income and wealth inequality that have eroded the middle class over the last 40 years.

In November 1, 2015, Sanders released his first campaign ad.

Sanders states that his campaign will focus on what he considers to be "real family values". Saying, "The right has claimed the mantle of 'family values' for far too long. When my Republican colleagues use the term they’re usually talking about things like opposition to contraception, denying a woman’s right to choose, opposition to gay rights, and support for abstinence-only education," Sanders advocates what he calls "real family values" which include paid sick time, paid vacations, and access to paid family leave. Speaking on woman's pro-choice issues, he commented that "[Republicans believe] that [a woman] cannot control her own body. I disagree. Let's say it loud and clear: Women control their own bodies – not the government."

Saying that he has "never run a negative political ad in (his) life," Sanders states that he will run a positive campaign with "serious debates on serious issues."

Sanders has said that if he is elected president, a cabinet under his administration "would not be dominated by representatives of Wall Street". He has cited Paul Krugman, Joseph Stiglitz, and Robert Reich as potential cabinet members.

Fundraising

Unlike the majority of other presidential candidates, Sanders will not pursue funding through a Super PAC, instead focusing on small, individual donations. Saying, "We now have a political situation where billionaires are literally able to buy elections and candidates," Sanders has called for an overturn of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission: “To equate the ability of billionaires to buy elections with ‘freedom of speech’ is totally absurd. The Supreme Court is paving the way toward an oligarchic form of society in which a handful of billionaires like the Koch brothers and Sheldon Adelson will control our political process.”

Sanders raised over $1.5 million in the first 24 hours after he announced his presidential campaign on April 30, 2015. This was greater than the amount raised by any of the Republican candidates in the first 24 hours after their respective announcements. By May 5, Sanders campaign had received approximately 75,000 contributions and had raised $3 million, with the average donation being $43. According to a campaign adviser, 99.4 percent of the donations were $250 or less, and 185,000 supporters had signed up on the campaign's website.

Required reports to the Federal Election Commission in July 2015 showed a total of $15.2 million in donations to the Sanders campaign with an average donation of $31.30. He reported total spending of $3 million; Clinton reported $18.7 million. At the end of June Sanders had $12.1 million in cash; Clinton had $28.9 million. On September 30, The New York Times reported that Sanders had raised $26 million over the preceding three months, just short of Hillary Clinton's total of $28 million. However, Clinton has held ten times as many campaign donor events as Sanders with many contributions of $2,700, the maximum amount allowable, while Sanders's contributions have generally been less than $200.

Speaking events

Sanders at a town meeting in Phoenix, Arizona

Early in his campaign, the media favorably compared the size of rallies for Sanders with those of Hillary Clinton. Events scheduled by his campaign were drawing "overflow crowds" around the country. Sanders drew more than 700 supporters at a mid-June event in Iowa, which the Wall Street Journal noted as “the same number who went to a Hillary Clinton event on Sunday that featured a buffet table and a live band.” A crowd of an estimated 3,000 attended an event in Minneapolis. Sanders said he was "Stunned. Stunned. I mean I had to fight my way to get into the room. Standing room only. Minneapolis was literally beyond belief."

Beginning in June, crowds at Sanders events became much larger than those of any other presidential candidate. At a June 20 appearance in Denver, Sanders drew an estimated 5,000 supporters at a routine campaign stop, equaling the size of the crowd at Hillary Clinton's campaign launch speech in New York City the previous weekend.

Black Lives Matter activists seize the podium at an event in Seattle.

A diverse group of supporters shoot selfies with Sanders in Tucson.

On July 1, a crowd of at least 10,000 showed to see Sanders in Madison, Wisconsin, nearly twice the size of the biggest crowd of his main primary challenger, Hillary Clinton. A Sanders campaign event in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on July 3, drew over 2,500 supporters. To date, this was the largest audience for any 2016 presidential candidate in Iowa, an important early primary state. In Portland, Maine, a city of only 66,000, what had been scheduled as a town hall forum drew an estimated crowd of 8,000 to 9,000 people on July 6. Sanders drew a crowd of over 11,000 on July 18 in Phoenix, Arizona, a typically conservative state. At that time this had been the largest crowd of any 2016 candidate, on either side.

Flyer for the rally in Portland, Oregon

On a three-day West Coast tour in August, Sanders drew a crowd of over 12,000 when he spoke in the basketball arena of the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, speaking to an additional 3,000 supporters outside who could not get into the arena. Black Lives Matter activists had interrupted an earlier event, which the campaign shut down in response. On the following day Sanders spoke to a record crowd of 20,000 supporters at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. The event was again filled to capacity, with an additional 8,000 supporters in the overflow area. The West Coast tour ended in Los Angeles, California where Sanders spoke to a capacity crowd of over 27,000. On September 14, 2015, Sanders spoke at Liberty University, a highly Republican-influenced college, during their Convocation.

Reception

In an interview on September 16, 2015, with Ronald Reagan, Jr., the son of President Ronald Reagan, Ronald Jr. said of Sanders, "I like Bernie. I used to do a radio show for Air America and I would have Bernie on every week. This was before we were all ‘feeling the Bern.’ He’s always impressed me as an unusual politician, in that he just pretty much told you what he thought about something. There was no B.S. There’s a real authenticity there to him, which I think is pretty much lacking in everybody else I see on either side at this point."

Filling in for Sanders at a campaign event in Iowa, Cornel West "electrified" the crowd opening his speech saying, "“What a blessing it is to be here with all of my brothers and sisters of all colors here in central Iowa! Brother Bernie and I come from a great tradition, the tradition of [socialists] Martin Luther King Jr. and Albert Einstein; the tradition of Helen Keller and Ella Baker; the tradition of John Dewey — who is the founder of pragmatism, but he was a democratic socialist, too. The point is that, you see, democratic socialism is not some kind of alien element. It’s organic and indigenous in the history of this nation.”

Polls

Sanders's support in both New Hampshire and Iowa, early primary election states often seen as a major test for both Democratic and Republican candidates, has steadily grown. A poll released in September 2015 showed that Sanders was leading Clinton in Iowa with 41% to Clinton's 40%. Two August 2015 polls showed Sanders leading Hillary Clinton by seven points in New Hampshire. Both the RealClearPolitics polling average and Huffington Post Pollster average for the New Hampshire Democratic primary showed Sanders leading Clinton by about 3.5 percent on August 28, 2015.

Nationwide, Sanders has considerable support among white Americans but considerably less among non-white Americans. A report by the New York Times published in April 2015 suggests that because the Democratic electorate describes themselves as moderate or conservative, "[o]nly about a quarter of Democratic-leaners hold the consistently liberal views that would potentially put them to the left of Mrs. Clinton." A June 2015 piece in the New York Times reported, "in an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll this week, 95 percent of nonwhite Democratic voters said they could see themselves supporting Mrs. Clinton for the nomination in the primary. Only about one-quarter of respondents said they could see themselves voting for Mr. Sanders." In September, the New York Times published numerous articles and opinion pieces addressing their readers' concerns that the Times was minimizing the Sanders campaign in favor of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, among others. On November 20, an online NBC News poll showed that Sander's national support continues to grow. A poll which surveyed 5,755 adults nationwide showed Sanders to be the preferred candidate of 33% of Democratic and independent voters, trailing Hillary Clinton by 16 points. Sanders continues to show a strong lead among young voters and trails Clinton by only three points among white voters.

According to a national Quinnipiac University poll released December 2, 2015, Sanders beats all top Republican candidates in the field.

Social media

Sanders has used social media to help his campaign gain momentum. He uses Twitter, Facebook and Reddit. Sanders has gained a large online grassroots following independently produced numerous online resources. He gained followers and attention on Twitter by live-tweeting both of the first Republican primary debates, ending his tweets for the September 16, 2015, debate by tweeting "Thank you all. I've had it. I'm going home. Talk to you soon. #DebateWithBernie" before the debate ended. After the first Democratic presidential debate, on October 13, 2015, Sanders picked up 42,730 new Twitter followers to Hillary Clinton's 25,475, leading some outlets to posit that he had won the debate.

As of December 1, 2015, early online polling suggested that Sanders was the front-runner to become Time's 2015 Person of the Year with 10.5% of votes compared to second place holder Malala Yousafzai's 5.3%.

Popular media

Saturday Night Live highlighted Sanders in its October 17, 2015, cold open with “Seinfeld” writer Larry David portraying him in SNL's parody of the first Democratic Primary Presidential debate, which had aired four days earlier on CNN. David returned to the show for the first time in 30 years to portray Sanders. His impression of Sanders, widely received favorably on Twitter, had him waving his arms and saying: “I’m going to dial it right up to a ten: We’re doomed! We need a revolution! We’ve got millions of people in the streets. We gotta do something and we gotta do it now”. David stood podium-to-podium with Alec Baldwin as former Virginia senator Jim Webb and SNL cast members Kate McKinnon as Hillary Clinton, Taran Killam as Martin O'Malley, Kyle Mooney as Lincoln Chafee, and Jon Rudnitsky as CNN debate moderator Anderson Cooper. When shown a clip of David's impression of him by George Stephanopoulos on ABC's "This Week", Sanders responded: “I think we’ll use Larry at our next rally. He does me better than I do.”

Sanders was also highlighted on SNL's November 7, 2015, 'cold open' segment, a parody of a democratic candidates forum hosted by Rachel Maddow which had aired on MSNBC earlier that week, with Larry David again portraying Sanders.

Political positions

Main article: Political positions of Bernie Sanders

Economics

Income and wealth inequality

A cornerstone of Sanders's campaign is to fight the decreasing income of the middle class and the increase of wealth inequality:

What we have seen is that while the average person is working longer hours for lower wages, we have seen a huge increase in income and wealth inequality, which is now reaching obscene levels. This is a rigged economy, which works for the rich and the powerful, and is not working for ordinary Americans … You know, this country just does not belong to a handful of billionaires.

— The Guardian (April 2015)

In July 2015 Sanders introduced legislation that would incrementally increase the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by the year 2020. On November 10, 2015, Sanders joined striking Senate cafeteria workers at a "Fight for $15" rally in Washington DC and voiced support for the movement.

Taxes

Sanders supports repeal of some tax deductions that benefit hedge funds and corporations, and would raise taxes on capital gains and the wealthiest two percent of Americans. He would use some of the added revenues to lower the taxes of the middle and lower classes. Reporting that offshore tax havens have allowed America's largest corporations to avoid more than $1 trillion in profits, Sanders has also introduced legislation to end offshore banking. He believes we should invest this added revenue in America’s small businesses and in aid for working people.

Wall Street reform

On May 6, 2015, Sanders introduced legislation to break up "too big to fail" financial institutions. With three of the four banks that were bailed out during the 2007–08 Global Financial Crisis now larger than they were then, Sanders believes that "no single financial institution should have holdings so extensive that its failure would send the world economy into crisis. If an institution is too big to fail, it is too big to exist."

Jobs

Sanders has introduced amendments to Senate bills that promote the creation of millions of middle-class jobs by investing in infrastructure, paid for by closing loopholes in the corporate and international tax system. He also supports legislation that would make it easier for workers to join or form a union. Sanders' campaign website has also recognized the plight of the long-term unemployed, citing that "the real unemployment rate is much higher than the 'official' figure typically reported in the newspapers."

Trade

Sanders is opposed to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, which he has called "a continuation of other disastrous trade agreements like NAFTA [and] CAFTA." In a 2013 statement denouncing the TPP Sanders wrote: "Let’s be clear: the TPP is much more than a 'free trade' agreement. It is part of a global race to the bottom to boost the profits of large corporations and Wall Street by outsourcing jobs; undercutting worker rights; dismantling labor, environmental, health, food safety and financial laws; and allowing corporations to challenge our laws in international tribunals rather than our own court system."

Environment

Sanders considers global warming a serious problem. Along with Senator Barbara Boxer, Sanders introduced the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act of 2007 on January 15, 2007. In a July 26, 2012 speech on the Senate floor, Sanders addressed claims made by Senator Jim Inhofe: "The bottom line is when Senator Inhofe says global warming is a hoax, he is just dead wrong, according to the vast majority of climate scientists." He was Climate Hawks Vote's top-rated senator on climate leadership in the 113th Congress.

Health care

Sanders is a staunch supporter of a universal health care system, and has said, "If you are serious about real healthcare reform, the only way to go is single-payer." He advocates lowering the cost of drugs that are high because they remain under patent for years; some drugs that cost thousands of dollars per year in the U.S. are available for hundreds, or less, in countries where they can be obtained as generics.

As chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging, Sanders has introduced legislation to reauthorize and strengthen the Older Americans Act, which supports Meals on Wheels and other programs for seniors. Sanders believes that supporting seniors "is not only the right thing to do, it is the financially smart thing to do", because it decreases expensive hospitalizations and allows seniors to remain in their homes.

NARAL Pro-Choice America has given Sanders a 100% score on his pro-choice voting record.

Campaign finance

Sanders supports the DISCLOSE Act, which would make campaign finances more transparent and ban U.S. corporations controlled by foreign interests from making political expenditures. He has been outspoken in calling for an overturn of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, in which the Supreme Court overturned McCain-Feingold restrictions on political spending by corporations and unions as a violation of the First Amendment. Saying that he believes that the Citizens United decision is "one of the Supreme Court's worst decisions ever" and that it has allowed big money to "deflect attention from the real issues" facing voters, he has proposed a constitutional amendment to undo the ruling. He warns: "We now have a political situation where billionaires are literally able to buy elections and candidates."

Foreign policy and national security

Israeli–Palestinian conflict

Sanders supports Israel's right to exist and supports a two-state solution. In July 2014, Sanders formed part of the "unanimous consent" on the Senate Resolution in support of Operation Protective Edge, a military operation Israel launched on July 8, 2014. Sanders has said that Israel must have a right to live in peace and security. Sanders has compared himself to the first Israeli Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion.

A statement published on his Senate website read in part: "Sanders believes the Israeli attacks that killed hundreds of innocent people – including many women and children – in bombings of civilian neighborhoods and UN controlled schools, hospitals, and refugee camps were disproportionate, and the widespread killing of civilians is completely unacceptable. Israel's actions took an enormous human toll, and appeared to strengthen support for Hamas and may well be sowing the seeds for even more hatred, war and destruction in future years."

Surveillance

Sanders has long been critical of U.S. government surveillance policies. He voted against the USA PATRIOT Act and all of its renewals and has characterized the National Security Agency as "out of control." He has frequently criticized warrantless wiretapping and the collection of the phone, email, library, and internet browsing records of American citizens without due process:

In my view, the NSA is out of control and operating in an unconstitutional manner. I worry very much about kids growing up in a society where they think 'I'm not going to talk about this issue, read this book, or explore this idea because someone may think I'm a terrorist.' That is not the kind of free society I want for our children.

Iraq

Sanders strongly opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq and voted against the 2002 resolution authorizing the use of force against Iraq. In a 2002 speech, he said, "I am opposed to giving the President a blank check to launch a unilateral invasion and occupation of Iraq" and "I will vote against this resolution. One, I have not heard any estimates of how many young American men and women might die in such a war or how many tens of thousands of women and children in Iraq might also be killed. As a caring Nation, we should do everything we can to prevent the horrible suffering that a war will cause. War must be the last recourse in international relations, not the first. Second, I am deeply concerned about the precedent that a unilateral invasion of Iraq could establish in terms of international law and the role of the United Nations."

Sanders has called the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) "a barbaric organization" and "a growing threat," but does not believe that the U.S. should lead the fight against it. Sanders has said that "the United States should be supportive, along with other countries, but we cannot and we should not be involved in perpetual warfare in the Middle East--the Muslim countries themselves must lead the effort."

Education

Early childhood

Drawing figures from a OECD report that ranks the U.S. 33rd out of 36 nations in reading literacy, 27th in mathematical literacy, 22nd in science literacy, and 18th overall in secondary education, Sanders has said, "In a society with our resources, it is unconscionable to that we do not properly invest in our children from the very first stages of their lives". He has introduced legislation to provide child care and early education to all children six weeks old through kindergarten. Sanders said "the Foundations for Success Act would provide preschool children with a full range of services, leading to success in school and critical support for hard-pressed families nationwide."

Student loans

See also: Student debt

Sanders has long been an advocate of making college more affordable. He has spoken out against the high interest rates on federal student loans, noting that in the next ten years, the federal government will profit by as much as $127 billion from them. He has also criticized President Obama for signing legislation that temporarily froze student loan interest rates in exchange for allowing the rates to reach historic highs over the next two years. Sanders believes tax reform is the solution, and has developed a plan to bring matching grants from the federal and state governments to cut tuition at public universities by more than half. He has criticized both Republicans and Democrats for failing to institute reforms that will stop predatory lending practices in the student loan market.

Tuition-free public universities

Sanders is in favor of public funding for college students. He believes "we live in a highly competitive global economy and, if our economy is to be strong, we need the best-educated work force in the world." He further maintains that many developed nations in Western Europe have long taken this approach to higher education. Sanders expects his plan to meet strong opposition from the Republican Party, but says it is ultimately "the American people" who will determine its failure or success.

On May 19, 2015, Sanders introduced the College for All Act (S.1373), which would use a Robin Hood tax of 50 cents on every "$100 of stock trades on stock sales" to fund tuition at four-year public colleges and universities for students who meet admission standards. In addition, the Robin Hood tax would include a .5% speculation fee to be charged on investment houses, hedge funds, and other stock trades, while a .1% fee would be charged on bonds, and a .005% fee on derivatives.

Social issues

Racial justice

Sanders was a civil rights organizer at the University of Chicago in the 1960s, and has a 100% rating from the NAACP for his civil rights voting record. In 1988, Sanders worked for Jesse Jackson's presidential campaign saying: "Jesse Jackson uniquely and alone has shown the courage to tackle the most important and basic issues facing working class Americans, poor people, elderly people, environmentalists, peace activists, women, and America's minorities."

As part of his 2016 presidential platform, Sanders calls for an end to “the four central types of violence waged against black and brown Americans: physical, political, legal and economic.” Speaking on these issues, Sanders says:

It is an obscenity that we stigmatize so many young Americans with a criminal record for smoking marijuana, but not one major Wall Street executive has been prosecuted for causing the near collapse of our entire economy. This must change. We must address the lingering unjust stereotypes that lead to the labeling of black youths as "thugs." We know the truth that, like every community in this country, the vast majority of people of color are trying to work hard, play by the rules and raise their children. It’s time to stop demonizing minority communities.

Immigration

Sanders voted for the comprehensive immigration reform bill in 2013, saying, "It does not make a lot of sense to me to bring hundreds of thousands of [foreign] workers into this country to work for minimum wage and compete with American kids." Sanders opposes guest worker programs and is also skeptical about skilled immigrant (H-1B) visas, saying, "Last year, the top 10 employers of H-1B guest workers were all offshore outsourcing companies. These firms are responsible for shipping large numbers of American information technology jobs to India and other countries." He believes a path to citizenship should be created for new immigrants.

LGBT rights

Sanders has long supported LGBT rights, voting against the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act when he was in the House of Representatives, and his home state of Vermont was the first to legalize same-sex unions in 2000, and gay marriage in 2009, both of which Sanders actively supported. Following the Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges in June 2015, Sanders said: "For far too long our justice system has marginalized the gay community, and I am very glad the court caught up to the American people."

Paid leave

Sanders has become a prominent supporter of laws requiring companies to provide their workers parental leave, sick leave, and vacation time, arguing that such laws have been adopted by almost every developed country, and that there are significant disparities among the types of workers who have access to paid sick and paid vacation time.

Sanders's Guaranteed Paid Vacation Act (S.1564) would mandate that companies provide 10 days of paid vacation for employees who have worked for them for at least one year. He is cosponsoring a Senate bill that would give mothers and fathers 12 weeks of paid family leave to care for a baby. Sanders has also cosponsored a bill that would guarantee workers at least seven paid sick days per year for short-term illness, routine medical care, or to care for a sick family member.

Gun violence

Sanders supports banning semi-automatic weapons and closing a loophole that allows buyers to skirt regulations when making a purchase at a gun show. He is also in favor of instant background checks for gun owners, although he previously opposed the Brady Act, which provided for federal background checks.

In the House of Representatives, Sanders voted for the 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. Speaking to CNN's Jake Tapper on State of the Union, Sanders said, "If somebody has a gun and it falls into the hands of a murderer and the murderer kills somebody with a gun, do you hold the gun manufacturer responsible? Not any more than you would hold a hammer company responsible if somebody beats somebody over the head with a hammer." Sanders has said, "we have millions of people who are gun owners in this country -- 99.9% of those people obey the law. I want to see real, serious debate and action on guns, but it is not going to take place if we simply have extreme positions on both sides. I think I can bring us to the middle." Sanders also dismissed the idea that gun control measures could have prevented the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, saying “if you passed the strongest gun control legislation tomorrow, I don’t think it will have a profound effect on the tragedies we have seen.”

Criminal justice reform

Sanders has called for reforms to sentencing guidelines, drug policy, and use of force policies within police departments. Noting that there are more people incarcerated in the U.S. than any country in the world at an annual cost to taxpayers of $70 billion, Sanders argues that the money would be better spent on education and jobs. He has spoken out against police brutality and the uneven rates of arrest of African-Americans and other minorities, saying: "From Ferguson to Baltimore and across this nation, too many African-Americans and other minorities find themselves subjected to a system that treats citizens who have not committed crimes as if they were criminals and that is unacceptable." Following the release of footage depicting the arrest of African American Sandra Bland for a minor traffic violation, Sanders strongly condemned the “totally outrageous police behavior” shown in the video, stating that: “This video highlights once again why we need real police reform. People should not die for a minor traffic infraction. This type of police abuse has become an all-too-common occurrence for people of color and it must stop."

Sanders has also spoken out against the privatization of prisons throughout the United States, stating:

It is morally repugnant and a national tragedy that we have privatized prisons all over America. In my view, corporations should not be allowed to make a profit by building more jails and keeping more Americans behind bars. We have got to end the private-for-profit prison racket in America!

— Remarks by Senator Sanders to the National Urban League (July 2015).

On September 17, 2015, Sanders introduced the "Justice Is Not for Sale" Act, which prohibits the United States government at federal, state and local levels from contracting with private firms to provide and/or operate detention facilities within two years. He noted that "We cannot fix our criminal justice system if corporations are allowed to profit from mass incarceration."

Death penalty

Sanders has been a strong opponent of the death penalty throughout his political career.

Marijuana legalization

On October 28, 2015, Sanders expressed his support for the decriminalization and eventual legalization of marijuana by way of its removal as a schedule I controlled substances drug at the federal level, removing it from the list of dangerous substances outlawed by the federal government. This would clear the way for it to be fully legalized at the state level unimpeded by the federal government. Sanders is also in favor of the regulated sale and taxation of marijuana at the state level in a similar manner to alcohol and tobacco.

Endorsements

See also: Endorsements for the Democratic Party presidential primaries, 2016

List of Bernie Sanders endorsements

U.S. Cabinet members and Cabinet-level officials

Robert Reich

Former

• Robert Reich, 22nd Secretary of Labor (1993–1997)

U.S. Senators

Jeff Merkley

Current

• Jeff Merkley, OR

Former

• Mike Gravel, AK (1969–1981)
• Paul G. Kirk, MA (2009–2010)
• Don Riegle, MI (1976–1995)

U.S. Representatives

Tulsi Gabbard

Current

• Keith Ellison, MN
• Tulsi Gabbard, HI
• Alan Grayson, FL
• Raúl Grijalva, AZ
• Marcy Kaptur, OH
• Peter Welch, VT
• Rick Nolan, MN
• Collin Peterson, MN

Former

• Brad Miller, NC (2003–2013)

State and territorial governors

Former

• Aníbal Acevedo Vilá, 9th Governor of Puerto Rico (2005–2009)
• Jesse Ventura, 38th Governor of Minnesota (1999–2003)
• John Kitzhaber, Governor of Oregon (1995–2003; 2011–2015)

State executive officials

Current

• Jim Condos, 38th Secretary of State of Vermont
• Matthew Dunlap, 47th & 49th Secretary of State of Maine
• Doug Hoffer, 30th Vermont Auditor of Accounts

Former

• Dudley Dudley, New Hampshire Executive Council member (1977–1985)
• Jim Hightower, 8th Texas Agriculture Commissioner (1983–1991)
• Barbara Lawton, 43rd Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin (2003–2011)
• Vel Phillips, 29th Secretary of State of Wisconsin (1979–1983)
• John Shea, New Hampshire Executive Council member (2006–2010)

State legislators

Justin Chenette

Kaniela Ing

Tina Liebling

James Sanders, Jr.

John Wisniewski

Current

• Terry Alexander, SC Rep.
• Susan Allen, MN Rep.
• Tom Anzelc, MN Rep.
• Tim Ashe, VT Sen. (VPP)
• Justin Bamberg, SC Rep.
• Roberta Beavers, ME Rep.
• Brian Blake, WA Rep.
• Lydia Blume, ME Rep.
• David Bly, MN Rep.
• Jonathan Brostoff, WI Rep.
• James J. Campbell, ME Rep. (Ind.)
• Mark Cardenas, AZ Rep.
• Ralph Chapman, ME Rep.
• Maralyn Chase, WA Sen.
• Justin Chenette, ME Rep.
• Ben Chipman, ME Rep.
• Jackie Cilley, NH Rep.
• Karen Clark, MN Rep.
• Robert Cushing, NH Rep.
• Andrea Dalessandro, AZ Sen.
• Mark Dion, ME Rep.
• Michelle Dunphy, ME Rep.
• Jamie Eldridge, MA Sen.
• Jeffrey Evangelos, ME Rep. (Ind.)
• Richard Farnsworth, ME Rep.
• Jessyn Farrell, WA Rep.
• Gail Finney, KS Rep.
• La Shawn K. Ford, IL Rep.
• Vincent Fort, GA Sen.
• Noel Frame, WA Rep.
• Steve Gallardo, AZ Sen.
• Eric Genrich, WI Ass.
• Carmine Gentile, MA Rep.
• Wendell Gilliard SC Rep.
• Cheryl Glenn, MD Del.
• Adam Goode, ME Rep.
• Roger Goodman, WA Rep.
• Geoffrey Gratwick, ME Sen.
• Ana Sol Gutierrez, MD Del.
• Will Guzzardi, IL Rep.
• Sandy Haas, VT Rep. (VPP)
• Denise Harlow, ME Rep.
• Bob Hasegawa, WA Sen.
• Arthur L. Haywood III, PA Sen.
• Jack Hennessy, CT Rep.
• Gary Holder-Winfield, CT Sen.
• Frank Hornstein, MN Rep.
• Kaniela Ing, HI Rep.
• Troy Jackson, ME Sen.
• Pramila Jayapal, WA Sen.
• Pat Jehlen, MA Sen.
• Bert Johnson, MI Sen.
• Mary Keefe, MA Rep.
• John Kefalas, CO Sen.
• Jeff Kessler, WV Sen.
• Stephen Kulik, MA Rep.
• Tina Liebling, MN Rep.
• Carlos Mariani, MN Rep.
• Paul Mark, MA Rep.
• Marisa Márquez, TX Rep.
• John Marty, MN Sen.
• Jeff McCabe, ME House Maj. Leader
• Juan Mendez, AZ Rep.
• Michael Merrifield, CO Sen.
• David Miramant, ME Sen.
• Kim Monaghan-Derrig, ME Rep.
• Michael Moran, MA Rep.
• Luis Moscoso, WA Rep.
• Joseph Neal, SC Rep.
• Rob Nosse, OR Rep.
• Jerry Ortiz y Pino, NM Sen.
• John Patrick, ME Sen.
• Chris Pearson, VT Rep. (VPP)
• Christine Pellegrino, NY Rep.
• Charles F. Pelkey, WY Rep.
• Bill Perkins, NY Sen.
• Paul Pinsky, MD Sen.
• Anthony Pollina, VT Sen. (VPP)
• Robyn Porter, CT Rep.
• Christine Powers, ME Rep.
• Martín Quezada, AZ Sen.
• J. Aaron Regunberg, RI Rep.
• Marcus Riccelli, WA Rep.
• Shane Robinson, MD Del.
• Russell Ruderman, HI Sen.
• Diane Russell, ME Rep.
• Deane Rykerson, ME Rep.
• Joseph Salazar, CO Rep.
• James Sanders Jr., NY Sen.
• Robert Saucier, ME Rep.
• David Sawyer, WA Rep.
• Tick Segerblom, NV Sen.
• Mike Sells, WA Rep.
• Luis R. Sepúlveda, NY Ass.
• David Sharpe, VT Rep.
• James Sheehan, RI Sen.
• Amy Sheldon, VT Rep.
• Jonathan Singer, CO Rep.
• Michael J. Skindell, OH Sen.
• Timothy Smith, NH Rep.
• Jimmy Tarlau, MD Del.
• Fred Thiele, NY Ass.
• Peter Tercyak, CT Rep.
• Sharon Tomiko Santos, WA Rep.
• Edwin Vargas, CT Rep.
• Robert Q. Williams, SC Rep.
• John Wisniewski, NJ Ass.
• Dan Wolf, MA Sen.
• Teo Žagar, VT Rep.
• David Zuckerman, VT Sen. (VPP)

Former

John G. Richardson

• Daryl Beall, IA Sen. (2003–2015)
• Gloria Bromell Tinubu, GA Rep. (2011)
• Bruce Bryant, ME Sen. (2002–2010)
• Lon Burnam, TX Rep. (1997–2015)
• Terrance Carroll, 34th CO House Speaker (2009–2011)
• Gil Cedillo, CA Sen. (2002–2010)
• Amanda Curtis, MT Rep. (2013–2015)
• Thomas Duane, NY Sen. (1999–2012)
• Matt Dunne, VT Sen. (2002–2006)
• Robert W. Duplessie, ME Rep. (1998–2006)
• David Dutremble, ME Sen. (2012–2016)
• Ed Fallon, IA Rep. (1993–2016)
• Frances Farenthold, TX Rep. (1969–1973)
• Tom Fiegen, IA Rep. (2000–2003)
• Lucy Flores, NV Ass. (2011–2015)
• Michael Foley, OH Rep. (2006–2014)
• Michael Futrell, VA Del. (2014–2016)
• Domingo García, TX Rep. (1996–2002)
• Rod Halvorson, IA Sen. (1995–1999) and Rep. (1979–1995)
• Becky Lourey, MN Sen. (1991–2007)
• Dave McTeague OR Rep. (1985–1995)
• Heather Mizeur MD Del. (2007–2015)
• Matt Patrick, MA Rep. (2001–2011)
• C. J. Prentiss, OH Sen. (1999–2006)
• Charles R. Priest, ME Rep. (2006–2014)
• John G. Richardson, 97th ME House Speaker (2004–2006)
• Nina Turner, OH Sen. (2008–2014)
• Tom Turnipseed, SC Sen. (1976–1980)
• Hector Uribe, TX Sen. (1981–1991)

Tribal leaders and officials

• Russell Begaye, 8th President of the Navajo Nation

Mayors

Current

John Fetterman

Rocky Anderson

• John Fetterman, Mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania
• James R. Fouts, Mayor of Warren, Michigan (Independent)
• Bao Nguyen, Mayor of Garden Grove, California
• Paul Soglin, Mayor of Madison, Wisconsin

Former

• Rocky Anderson, 33rd Mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah (2000–2008) (Justice Party founder)
• Michael F. Brennan, 87th Mayor of Portland, Maine (2011–2015)
• Daryl Justin Finizio, Mayor of New London, Connecticut (2011–2015)
• Bill Gluba, 74th Mayor of Davenport, Iowa (2008–2016)
• Harry Kim, 10th Mayor of Hawaii County, Hawaii (2000–2008) (unaffiliated)
• Steve Marchand, Mayor of Portsmouth, New Hampshire (2006-2008)
• Michael McGinn, 52nd Mayor of Seattle, Washington (2010–2014)
• Gayle McLaughlin, Mayor of Richmond, California (2007-2015) (Green Party)
• Gus Newport, 17th Mayor of Berkeley, California (1979–1986)
• David Orr, 52nd Mayor of Chicago, Illinois (1987)
• James Scheibel, 50th Mayor of St. Paul, MN, from 1990 to 1994.
• Zareh Sinanyan, Mayor of Glendale, California (2014–2015)

Municipal officials

Jesus "Chuy" Garcia

Current

• John Arena, Chicago City Alderman
• Lisa Bender, Minneapolis City Council Member
• Cecil Bothwell, Asheville City Councilor
• Matthew Cubetus, Member of the Sandwich Planning Board
• Rafael Espinal, New York City Council
• Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, Cook County, IL Commissioner
• Jane Kim, San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
• Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, Chicago City Alderman
• Susie Sadlowski Garza, Chicago City Alderwoman
• Steve Novick, Portland City Commissioner
• Kshama Sawant, Seattle City Councilor (Socialist Alternative)
• Ritchie Torres, New York City Council
• Jumaane Williams, New York City Council

Former

• Harry Britt, President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors (1989–1990)
• Richard Mell, Chicago City Alderman (1975–2011)
• Tim Hagan, Cuyahoga County, OH Commissioner (1982–1998, 2004–2011)

Democratic National Committee members

Larry Cohen

Constance N. Johnson

Heather Mizeur

Current

• David Bowen, WI Dem. Party Vice Chair
• Larry Cohen, DC/CWA
• Peter Corroon, UT Dem. Party Chair, former Mayor of Salt Lake County
• Connie Johnson, OK Dem. Party Vice Chair
• Bert Marley, ID Dem. Party Chair
• Heather Mizeur, MD
• James Zogby, DC
• Erin Bilbray, NV
• Richard Cassidy, VT
• Dottie Deans, VT
• Reni Erdos, NJ
• Larry Murakami, AK
• Chad Nodland, ND
• Pat Cotham, NC
• Bart Dame, HI
• Elaine Harris, WV
• Pete Gertonson, ID
• Ken Sherman, DA
• Lupita Maurer, OR
• Larry Taylor, OR
• Theresa Hunkin, AS
• Johnnie Patton, MS
• Rev. Douglas N. Pyle, HI
• Jake Quinn, NC
• Chris Regan, WV
• Gary Suwannarat, DA
• Emmett Hansen, VI
• Troy Jackson, ME
• Jim Condos, VT
• John Wisniewski, NJ
• Tim Jerman, VT
• Danica Oparnica, AZ
• Wayne Holland, UT
• Tim Vanderveer, HI
• Martha Fuller Clark, NH
• Maureen Monahan, NE
• Jean Lemire Dahlman, MT
• Nancy C. Jacobson, FL
• Keelan Sanders, MS
• Curtis Wylde, MO

Former

• Severin Beliveau, former ME Dem. Party Chair
• Bill Press, former CA Dem. Party Chair
• Dick Harpootlian, former South Carolina Democratic Party Chair
• Paul G. Kirk, Chairman of the DNC (1985–1989)

International politicians

Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela

Jeremy Corbyn of the United Kingdom

Heads of state and government

• Nicolás Maduro, 65th President of Venezuela (United Socialist Party of Venezuela)
• Evo Morales, 80th President of Bolivia (Movement for Socialism)

National and Supranational Ministers and Secretaries

• Yanis Varoufakis, former Greek Minister of Finance (2015) (Syriza)
• Ciro Gomes, former Brazilian Ministry of Economy (1995) and former presidential candidate in 2018 Brazilian general election.

Members of National and Supranational Parliaments

• Karin Andersen, Norwegian MP (Socialist Left Party)
• Niki Ashton, Canadian MP (New Democratic Party)
• Walden Bello, former Filipino MP (2007–2015) (Citizens' Action Party)
• Kirsti Bergstø, Norwegian MP (Socialist Left Party)
• Pippo Civati, Italian MP (Leader of Possible)
• Jeremy Corbyn, British MP and Leader of the Opposition (Leader of the Labour Party)
• Sevim Dagdelen, German MP (The Left)
• Uffe Elbæk, Danish MP (Leader of The Alternative)
• George Galloway, former British MP (1987–2010; 2012–2015) (Leader of the Respect Party)
• Rasmus Hansson, Norwegian MP (Green Party)
• Paul Murphy, Irish TD (Anti-Austerity Alliance)
• Patrick Harvie, Scottish MSP (Scottish Green Party)
• Heikki Holmås, Norwegian MP (Socialist Left Party)
• Andrej Hunko, German MP (The Left)
• Pablo Iglesias, Spanish MP (Leader of Podemos)
• Birgitta Jónsdóttir, Icelandic MP (Leader of the Pirate Party)
• Stefan Liebich, German MP (The Left)
• Audun Lysbakken, Norwegian MP (Leader of the Socialist Left Party)
• Jean-Luc Mélenchon, French MEP (La France Insoumise)
• Niema Movassat, German MP (The Left)
• Sverre Myrli, Norwegian MP (Labour Party)
• Abid Raja, Norwegian MP (Liberal Party)
• Freddy de Ruiter, Norwegian MP (Labour Party)
• András Schiffer, Hungarian MP (Leader of Politics Can Be Different)
• Jonas Sjöstedt, Swedish MP (Leader of the Left Party)
• Torstein Tvedt Solberg, Norwegian MP (Labour Party)
• Snorre Valen, Norwegian MP (Socialist Left Party)
• Nikolaj Villumsen, Danish MP (Red-Green Alliance)
• Sahra Wagenknecht, German MP (The Left)

Regional Ministers, Legislators, and Party Leaders

Natalie Bennett

• Natalie Bennett, Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales
• Cheri DiNovo, Ontario MPP (Ontario NDP)
• Neil Findlay, Scottish MSP (Labour Party)
• Colin Fox, former Scottish MSP (2003–2007) (Socialist Party)
• Jim Harris, former Leader of the Green Party of Canada (2003–2006)
• Norm Kelly, Toronto City Councillor (Independent)
• Enrico Rossi, Governor of Tuscany (Democratic Party)
• Larry Sanders, former Oxfordshire County Councillor (2005–2013) (Green Party) (brother of Bernie Sanders)
• Gerry Carroll, Northern Ireland People Before Profit MLA for West Belfast

Notable individuals

Activists, humanitarians, and labor leaders

Benjamin Jealous

Erin Brockovich

Richard Stallman

• Patch Adams, founder of Gesundheit! Institute
• John W. Boyd Jr., National Black Farmers Association Founder and 2000 U.S. House candidate (D–VA)
• Erin Brockovich, environmental activist
• Jamal Harrison Bryant, founder of Empowerment Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church
• Helen Caldicott, physician, author and anti-nuclear advocate
• Charles R. Chamberlain, Democracy for America Executive Director
• Wade Davis, You Can Play Executive Director and former American football player
• Jim Dean, Democracy for America Chairman
• Tim DeChristopher, environmental activist
• RoseAnn DeMoro, Executive Director, National Nurses United
• John Draper, computer programmer and hacker, former phreaker
• Jodie Evans, co-founder of CODEPINK
• Erica Garner, civil rights activist (daughter of Eric Garner)
• Jim Gerritsen, Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association President
• Wael Ghonim, internet activist and entrepreneur
• Thor Halvorssen, founder and CEO of Human Rights Foundation
• Julia Butterfly Hill, environmental activist and author
• Ruth Hull, journalist, attorney, activist, co-founder of Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party, founder of Patrick Henry Democratic Club of America
• Jonathan Jackson, Rainbow/PUSH National Spokesman (son of Rev. Jesse Jackson)
• Benjamin Jealous, former NAACP President
• Shaun King, Black Lives Matter activist and writer
• Winona LaDuke, White Earth Land Recovery Project and Honor the Earth Executive Director
• Mordechai Liebling, former Jewish Funds for Justice Executive Vice President
• Harold Meyerson, Democratic Socialists of America Vice Chair and The American Prospect editor-at-large
• Bill McKibben, founder of climate change group 350.org
• David McReynolds, former Socialist Party USA presidential nominee and former chair of the War Resisters League
• Brady C. Olson, founder of Deez Nuts presidential campaign
• Bruce Perens, free software advocate
• Carolyn Raffensperger, co-founder of Science & Environmental Health Network
• Kwame Rose, social activist
• Brant Rosen, co-founder and co-chairman of Jewish Voice for Peace, and American Friends Service Committee Regional Director
• Gyasi Ross, author and activist
• Sal Rosselli, National Union of Healthcare Workers President
• Linda Sarsour, executive director of Arab American Association of New York
• Yosi Sergant, publicist of the Barack Obama "Hope" poster
• Stanley Sheinbaum, peace and human rights activist
• Daniel Sieradski, writer and Occupy activist
• Ted Smith, founder of Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition and environmental activist
• Richard Stallman, founder of the GNU Project and the Free Software Foundation
• Jill Stein, Green Party presidential nominee in 2012 and 2016
• Zephyr Teachout, CEO & Chairwomen of Mayday PAC and 2016 U.S. House candidate (NY)
• Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, member of protest groups Voina and Pussy Riot
• Arthur Waskow, leader in Jewish Renewal movement, co-founder of Institute for Policy Studies, and former DC alternate delegate
• Cameron Whitten, Occupy Portland activist
• Marianne Williamson, founder of Project Angel Food
• Claire Wineland, entrepreneur and chronic health activist
• James Zogby, President of Arab American Institute
• Ray Rogers, Labor strategist, organizer & director, Corporate Campaign, Inc.

Democratic Party figures

Bill Moyers

• Clay Aiken, 2014 U.S. House candidate (NC) and singer
• Zack Exley, political consultant and co-founder of New Organizing Institute
• Gary Kroeger, 2016 U.S. House candidate (IA) and actor
• David McReynolds, Leader of Social Democrats, USA
• Jay Stamper, 2014 U.S. Senate candidate (SC)

Government officials

• Bill Moyers, 13th White House Press Secretary (1965–1967)
• Kal Penn, White House Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs Associate Director (2009–2011)
• Gus Speth, 5th Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality (1979–1981)

Journalists and commentators

Cenk Uygur

Ed Schultz

• Aaron Bastani, political commentator
• Kevin Carson, political writer
• Amy Goodman, founder and co-host of Democracy Now!
• Diego Bianchi, blogger and host of Gazebo
• Brent Budowsky, journalist
• Dan Carlin, historian, journalist, and host of Common Sense and Hardcore History
• Jordan Chariton, field reporter for The Young Turks
• Arthur Chu, columnist, former Jeopardy! champion
• Alan Colmes, host of The Alan Colmes Show, former co-host of Hannity and Colmes, political commentator for Fox News Channel and blogger
• Jamal Dajani, journalist and news producer
• Liza Featherstone, journalist and author
• John Fugelsang, comedian, actor, and host of radio talkshow Tell Me Everything
• Thom Hartmann, host of The Thom Hartmann Program and The Big Picture with Thom Hartmann
• Doug Henwood, journalist and editor of Left Business Observer
• John Iadarola, creator of ThinkTank
• Owen Jones, columnist, political commentator and author
• Bill Kauffman,
• Stephen Kinzer, author, journalist, and academic
• Ana Kasparian, co-host and producer of The Young Turks
• Jamie Kilstein, writer, political comic, and host of Citizen Radio
• Sally Kohn, CNN commentator
• Mike Malloy, host of The Mike Malloy Show
• Ben Mankiewicz, commentator on The Young Turks
• John Nichols, journalist
• David Pakman, host of The David Pakman Show
• Mike Papantonio, attorney and co-host of Ring of Fire
• Ron Reagan, journalist, former host of The Ron Reagan Show and Connected: Coast to Coast, and son of Ronald Reagan
• Sam Seder, comedian, actor, and co-host of Ring of Fire
• David Shuster, journalist
• Ed Schultz, former host of The Ed Show and The Ed Schultz Show
• Harry Leslie Smith, commentator
• Matt Taibbi, journalist
• Jonathan Tasini, strategist, organizer, activist, and writer
• Cenk Uygur, The Young Turks co-founder, business owner, activist, journalist and writer
• Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor and publisher of The Nation
• Lizz Winstead, commentator and co-creator of The Daily Show
• Elizabeth Wurtzel, journalist

Leaders in business

Steve Wozniak

• Sophia Amoruso, founder of Nasty Gal
• Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry's
• Kim Dotcom, entrepreneur and political activist
• Asher Edelman, financier and investor
• Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry's
• Jamie Masada, founder of Laugh Factory
• Tom Ortenberg, CEO of Open Road Films.
• Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Inc.

Scholars and critics

Noam Chomsky

Norman Finkelstein

Thomas Piketty

• Rachel Adler, theologian
• Linda Martín Alcoff, philosopher and activist
• Dean Baker, Center for Economic and Policy Research co-founder
• Lourdes Benería, economist
• William K. Black, legal scholar and economist
• Wendy Brown, political scientist, author, and activist
• Robert Brulle, environmental sociologist
• Gary Chartier, associate dean of La Sierra University
• Vivek Chibber, sociologist
• Victoria Chick, economist
• Noam Chomsky, linguist, philosopher, and activist
• Steven M. Cohen, sociologist and expert in American Jewish Community
• Hamid Dabashi, sociologist and expert in Islamic studies
• William A. Darity, Jr., economist
• Gary Dorrien, ethicist and theologian
• Anthony Fantano, music blogger/vlogger behind The Needle Drop
• Thomas Ferguson, political scientist
• Leon Fink, historian
• Norman Finkelstein, political scientist and author
• Nancy Folbre, economist
• Thomas Frank, historian and political analyst
• Nancy Fraser, critical theorist and author
• James K. Galbraith, economist
• Jeffrey Guterman, psychologist
• Huck Gutman, literary scholar and former political advisor
• Steven Hahn, social and political historian
• Gerald S. Handel, sociologist
• Michael Hardt, philosopher and literary theorist
• Carl Hart, psychologist
• Tyson Herberger, political scientist, economist, and rabbi
• Robert C. Hockett, legal scholar
• James M. Jasper, sociologist
• Barbara Katz Rothman, sociologist
• Steve Keen, economist
• Stephanie Kelton, economist
• David Korten, business scholar
• David Laibman, economist
• Robert W. McChesney, media scholar
• Michael Meeropol, economist
• Walter Benn Michaels, literary theorist
• Ruth Milkman, sociologist
• Anne Norton, political scientist
• Camille Paglia, author and social critic
• David Naguib Pellow, environmental justice scholar and author
• Ann Pettifor, economist
• Massimo Pigliucci, philosopher
• Hasan Piker, Twitch streamer and political commentator
• Thomas Piketty, economist
• Frances Fox Piven, sociologist and activist
• Steven Pressman, economist
• Yasir Qadhi, scholar and writer
• Adolph L. Reed, Jr., political scientist and activist
• Jeffrey Sachs, economist
• Jane O'Meara Sanders, former President of Burlington College (wife of Bernie Sanders)
• Juliet Schor, sociologist and economist
• Joel Selvin, music critic
• Anwar Shaikh, economist
• Sylvie Simmons, rock historian
• Rogers Smith, political scientist and author
• Lester Spence, political scientist and social commentator
• Andrew Szasz, environmental sociologist
• Bhaskar Sunkara, founder of Jacobin magazine
• Pavlina R. Tcherneva, economist
• John Weeks, economist
• Cornel West, philosopher and activist
• Jeffrey A. Winters, political scientist
• L. Randall Wray, economist

Writers, filmmakers and visual artists

Spike Lee

Michael Moore

Seth MacFarlane

• Pat Bagley, editorial cartoonist
• Yves Bigerel, comic book artist and animator
• Norm Breyfogle, comic book artist
• Ta-Nehisi Coates, writer, journalist, and educator
• Matthew Cooke, film producer and director
• Hank Corwin, film editor
• Craig McCracken, animator, writer, director and producer
• Frank Darabont, screenwriter, film director and producer
• Mike Drucker, comedy writer and stand-up comic
• Alison Eastwood, director
• Emek, designer, illustrator, and fine art painter
• Lydia Emily, street artist, muralist, and oil painter
• Ron English, contemporary artist
• Shepard Fairey, contemporary street artist, activist, and founder of OBEY
• Charles Ferguson, director
• Josh Fox, documentary filmmaker and environmental activist
• Terry Gilliam, director, animator, and screenwriter
• David Holden, screenwriter
• Linda Joy Holtzman, author and rabbi
• Max Joseph, film director, producer, and writer
• Mike Kappus, record producer and manager
• Lloyd Kaufman, filmmaker and co-founder of Troma Entertainment
• Daniel Kellison, television and film producer
• Howie Klein, record producer and activist
• Naomi Klein, writer and filmmaker
• Matt Koff, comedian and The Daily Show writer
• Bryan Konietzko, animation director, writer, and producer
• Krystine Kryttre, alternative comics artist
• Alicia Bay Laurel, author, visual artist, musician, and activist
• Malcolm D. Lee, director, screenwriter, and producer
• Marie Myung-Ok Lee, author and essayist
• Spike Lee, director, producer, writer, and actor
• Jonathan Lethem, novelist
• David Lynch, director, writer, musician, and painter
• Seth MacFarlane, actor, animator, and singer, creator of Family Guy
• Spencer Madsen, writer, poet, and founding editor of Sorry House
• Adam McKay, screenwriter, director, comedian, and actor
• Michael Moore, documentary filmmaker
• Brad Neely, comic book artist and television writer
• Thurop Van Orman, director, animator, voice actor and writer
• Annabel Park, documentary filmmaker and activist
• Oren Peli, director, producer, and screenwriter
• Shira Piven, director
• Ted Rall, editorial cartoonist and writer
• Spencer Rothbell, writer and voice actor
• Stuart Schuffman, travel writer and blogger
• Oliver Stone, director, screenwriter, and producer
• Todd Tobias, record producer and musician
• Lana Wachowski, screenwriter, director, and producer
• Vincent Waller, animator and writer
• Haskell Wexler, cinematographer, film producer and director

Celebrities

Actors

Danny DeVito

Susan Sarandon

Rosario Dawson

Mark Ruffalo

Anya Taylor-Joy

Shailene Woodley

• Patrick J. Adams
• Joanna Angel
• Will Arnett
• Justin Bartha
• Jason Bateman
• Kristin Bauer van Straten
• Stephen Bishop
• Rowan Blanchard
• Steve Blum
• Madeline Brewer
• Mehcad Brooks
• Neve Campbell
• Charlie Carver
• Max Carver
• Reg E. Cathey
• Amber Lee Connors
• Natalia Cordova-Buckley
• Nicolaj Coster-Waldau
• Daniel Craig
• James Cromwell
• David Cross
• Alan Cumming
• John Cusack
• William Daniels
• Rosario Dawson
• Lily-Rose Depp
• Danny DeVito
• Eliza Dushku
• Francesca Eastwood
• Will Ferrell
• Frances Fisher
• Ray Fisher
• Ben Foster
• Jeff Garlin
• Danny Glover
• Nicholas Gonzalez
• Sprague Grayden
• Sasha Grey
• Jasmine Guy
• Luis Guzmán
• Deidre Hall
• Brian Hamilton
• Daryl Hannah
• Erin Heatherton
• J. G. Hertzler
• Torri Higginson
• Brendan Hines
• Gaby Hoffmann
• Hal Holbrook
• Willa Holland
• Josh Hutcherson
• Milla Jovovich
• Anya Taylor-Joy
• Alex Karpovsky
• Vincent Kartheiser
• Mimi Kennedy
• Margot Kidder
• Laura Kightlinger
• David Koechner
• Zoë Kravitz
• Shia Labeouf
• Jake Lacy
• Rachelle Lefevre
• Donovan Leitch
• Ted Levine
• Juliette Lewis
• Justin Long
• George Lopez
• Jessica Lowndes
• Jena Malone
• Heather Matarazzo
• Rachel McAdams
• Holt McCallany
• Breckin Meyer
• Alyssa Milano
• Ezra Miller
• Hasan Minhaj
• D.W. Moffett
• Alfred Molina
• James Morrison
• Viggo Mortensen
• Karla Mosley
• Connor Paolo
• Rhea Perlman
• Joaquin Phoenix
• Jeremy Piven
• Anthony Ramos
• Emily Ratajkowski
• Nikki Reed
• John C. Reilly
• Tim Robbins
• Tim Roth
• Mark Ruffalo
• Jonathan Sadowski
• Kendrick Sampson
• Susan Sarandon
• Adam Savage
• Richard Schiff
• Liev Schreiber
• Reid Scott
• Chloe Sevigny
• Daniel Sharman
• Alicia Silverstone
• Frazer Smith
• Bill Smitrovich
• Cole Sprouse
• Dan Stevens
• Fisher Stevens
• Wes Studi
• Tessa Thompson
• Maura Tierney
• Dick Van Dyke
• Milana Vayntrub
• George Wendt
• Devon Werkheiser
• Paul Wesley
• Wil Wheaton
• Kristen Wiig
• Harland Williams
• Elijah Wood
• Shailene Woodley
• Charlyne Yi
• Sasheer Zamata

Comedians

Bill Maher

Sarah Silverman

• James Adomian
• Ted Alexandro
• Joe Bereta
• Seth MacFarlane
• Lewis Black
• Bill Burr
• Dave Chappelle
• Margaret Cho
• Tommy Chong
• Irwin Corey
• Barry Crimmins
• Rob Delaney
• Jimmy Dore
• Ian Edwards
• Janeane Garofalo
• Tiffany Haddish
• Steve Hofstetter
• Dom Irrera
• Maz Jobrani
• Jon Lovitz
• Bill Maher
• Marc Maron
• Kevin Nealon
• Patton Oswalt
• Carl Reiner
• Jeff Richards
• Paul Rodriguez
• Tom Scharpling
• Sarah Silverman
• Doug Stanhope
• Jim Tavaré
• Brandon Wardell
• Larry Wilmore

Athletes and sports figures

Ronda Rousey

• Michael Bennett, NFL player
• Jim Cornette, professional wrestling manager, booker, promoter, and commentator.
• Juan Debiedma, professional gamer
• Jon Fitch, mixed martial artist
• Chad Johnson, former NFL player
• Bill "Spaceman" Lee, former MLB pitcher and 2016 Gubernatorial candidate (VT)
• Aaron Maybin, former NFL player
• Shane Mosley, professional boxer
• Ronda Rousey, UFC fighter WWE wrestler
• Wanderlei Silva, retired UFC fighter
• David Starr, professional wrestler
• Frank Viola, former MLB pitcher
• Frank Viola III, former professional baseball player

Media personalities and socialites

• Courtney Act, drag queen
• Lady Bunny, drag queen
• Charlamagne tha God, radio host
• Ebro Darden, radio host
• Adore Delano, drag queen and singer-songwriter
• Hannah Hart, YouTuber
• Zach Hadel, YouTuber and animator
• JonTron, YouTuber
• TJ Kirk, YouTuber
• Bridget Malcolm, model
• Selema Masekela, TV host
• Sharon Needles, drag queen and musician
• Daniel Negreanu, professional poker player
• Tyler Oakley, YouTuber and activist
• Tim Pool, journalist and political commentator
• Santino Rice, fashion designer
• Charlotte Ronson, fashion designer
• Shaun Ross, model
• Andrew Zimmern, chef

Voice artists and musicians

Joan Baez

Harry Belafonte

Miley Cyrus

Anthony Kiedis

Art Garfunkel

Killer Mike

Diplo

Neil Young

Post Malone

Justin Vernon

Ezra Koenig

Roger Waters

XXXTentacion

• All Shall Perish, band
• Dua Lipa, singer
• Hoodie Allen, independent hip-hop artist
• Steve Aoki, DJ and producer
• Moses Archuleta, Deerhunter co-founder
• Billie Joe Armstrong, Green Day frontman
• Bassnectar, DJ and producer
• Bun B, rapper
• Brian Baker, Bad Religion guitarist
• Joan Baez, singer-songwriter and musician
• Jay Bentley, Bad Religion bass player
• Brother Ali, rapper
• Cardi B, rapper
• Cat Power, singer–songwriter and musician
• Chris Ballew, The Presidents of the United States of America lead singer
• David Banner, rapper
• Lou Barlow, Sebadoh guitarist and singer
• Gerry Beckley, America guitarist and singer
• Harry Belafonte, singer and activist
• Bhi Bhiman, singer–songwriter
• Jello Biafra, Dead Kennedys singer
• Big Boi, Outkast rapper
• Elvin Bishop, musician
• Cedric Bixler-Zavala, musician
• Billy Bragg, musician
• Olga Breeskin, violinist
• Sean Brennan, London After Midnight lead musician
• Nicholas Britell, pianist
• Chris Brown, singer and songwriter
• Jackson Browne, singer–songwriter
• Dewey Bunnell, America guitarist and singer
• Butterscotch, singer and beatboxer
• Dan "Soupy" Campbell, musician, lead vocalist and primary songwriter of pop-punk band The Wonder Years and indie-folk band Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties.
• Richard Campbell, musician, singer–songwriter, and record producer
• Belinda Carlisle, The Go-Go's lead singer
• Julian Casablancas, musician, The Strokes lead singer
• Tommy Castro, musician
• Matthew Caws, Nada Surf lead
• Cold War Kids, band
• Chapin Sisters, duo
• Best Coast, duo
• Joanna Connor, singer–songwriter and guitarist
• Frankie Cosmos, musician
• Tyler, the Creator, Odd Future co-founder
• Marshall Crenshaw, musician
• David Crosby, musician
• Miley Cyrus, singer-songwriter and actress
• Bob D'Amico, Sebadoh drummer
• Dead Heavens, band
• John Densmore, The Doors drummer
• Kevin Devine, songwriter and musician
• Ani DiFranco, musician and songwriter
• Diplo, DJ and producer
• Johnny Dowd, musician
• David Draiman, Disturbed lead singer
• Joe Driscoll, rapper
• Ed Droste, Grizzly Bear singer
• Greg Dulli, Afghan Whigs singer
• William DuVall, Alice in Chains singer and guitarist
• Steve Earle, singer–songwriter
• Alex Ebert, Ima Robot and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros lead singer
• El-P, half of Run the Jewels
• EPMD, hip hop group
• Alejandro Escovedo, singer–songwriter
• Emperor X, musical project
• Extra Action, Marching Band
• FDA Music, rapper
• Jon Fishman, Phish drummer
• Flea, musician, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist
• Ben Folds, singer-songwriter and record producer
• Mark Foster, Foster the People lead singer
• Foster the People, band
• Nikolai Fraiture, musician, The Strokes bass player
• Kinky Friedman, singer–songwriter
• Bill Frisell, guitarist
• Gang Gang Dance, band
• Art Garfunkel, singer, poet, actor
• Mark "Barney" Greenway
• G-Eazy, rapper
• Mike Gordon, Phish bassist and singer
• Grimes, singer, songwriter, music video director, and record producer
• Billy Gould, Faith No More bassist
• Kristen Gundred, Dum Dum Girls singer
• Halsey, singer–songwriter
• Albert Hammond, Jr., guitarist for The Strokes and solo artist
• Kay Hanley, Letters to Cleo singer
• Darren Hayes, singer–songwriter
• Joe Henry, singer-songwriter
• Maureen Herman, Babes in Toyland bassist
• Holychild, band
• Jana Hunter, Lower Dens lead singer
• Eugene Hütz, Gogol Bordello lead singer
• Scott Ian, Anthrax guitarist
• Brad Jones, singer–songwriter
• JR JR, band
• Lisa Kekaula, The Bellrays lead singer
• Anthony Kiedis, Red Hot Chili Peppers singer
• Killer Mike, half of Run the Jewels
• Nate Kinsella, musician
• Tim Kinsella, Joan of Arc and Owls lead
• Josh Klinghoffer, Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist
• Ezra Koenig, Vampire Weekend lead singer and guitarist
• Wayne Kramer, MC5 guitarist
• Damian Kulash, OK Go lead singer and guitarist
• Sean Lennon, singer and musician
• Jenny Lewis, singer-songwriter, musician, and actress
• Michelle Lewis, singer–songwriter
• Lil B, rapper
• Lil Yachty, rapper
• Lissie, singer–songwriter
• Jason Loewenstein, Sebadoh multi-instrumentalist
• David Longstreth, Dirty Projectors lead singer and guitarist
• Consuelo Luz, singer
• Jesse Malin, singer–songwriter
• Jonathan Mann, singer–songwriter
• Jono Manson, singer–songwriter and musician
• Misha Mansoor
• Dave Matthews, Dave Matthews Band lead
• Zia McCabe, musician
• Cass McCombs, singer–songwriter
• Nellie McKay, singer-songwriter and actress
• Justin Meldal-Johnsen, musician
• Ryan Miller, Guster lead
• Anaïs Mitchell, singer–songwriter
• Thurston Moore, Sonic Youth singer and guitarist
• Morrissey, singer, song-writer, and author
• Charlie Musselwhite, musician
• Nas, hip-hop artist
• Graham Nash, singer–songwriter
• Meshell Ndegeocello, singer–songwriter
• Will Noon, Straylight Run drummer
• Joff Oddie, Wolf Alice guitarist
• Paul Oakenfold, DJ and producer
• Ozomatli, band
• Styles P, The Lox rapper
• Amanda Palmer, singer–songwriter
• Holly Palmer, singer–songwriter
• Pants Velour, musical group
• Van Dyke Parks, musician
• Lourdes Pérez, Puerto Rican singer-songwriter
• Lucian Piane, composer
• Christina Perri, singer
• Quavo, rapper
• Joel Rafael, singer–songwriter
• Raffi, singer–songwriter
• Bonnie Raitt, singer–songwriter and guitarist
• Nathaniel Rateliff, singer–songwriter
• Red Hot Chili Peppers, rock band
• Residente, Calle 13 founder and rapper
• Duke Robillard, musician
• Henry Rollins, musician and activist
• Nate Ruess, Fun. singer and songwriter
• Matthew Ryan, musician
• Gabe Saporta, Cobra Starship lead singer
• Joe Satriani, musician
• Scarface, rapper
• Chris Schlarb, musician
• Walter Schreifels, musician
• Peggy Seeger, singer and musician
• Shana Falana, band
• Will Sheff, Okkervil River lead singer
• Chris Shiflett, Foo Fighters guitarist
• Corky Siegel, singer–songwriter
• Yung Skeeter, DJ and producer
• Chad Smith, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer
• Jill Sobule, musician
• Sam Sparro, singer–songwriter
• Smoke DZA, rapper
• Snatam Kaur, singer-songwriter
• Spirit Family Reunion, band
• Spose, rapper
• Rae Sremmurd
• Tanya Stephens, reggae artist
• Michael Stipe, R.E.M. singer and songwriter
• STNNNG, band
• Tommie Sunshine, DJ and producer
• Serj Tankian, System of a Down singer
• Corey Taylor, Slipknot, Stone Sour lead
• Donnette Thayer, Game Theory guitarist
• Ian Thomas, singer
• Tennessee Thomas, musician and actress
• T.I., rapper
• Chris Tomson, Vampire Weekend drummer
• Fat Tony, rapper
• TV on the Radio, indie rock band
• Jeff Tweedy, Wilco lead
• Justin Vernon, Bon Iver founder
• Loudon Wainwright III, singer–songwriter
• Roger Waters, Pink Floyd co-founder
• Mike Watt, Minutemen co-founder
• Reggie Watts, musician
• Dusty Watson, The Sonics drummer
• Lucinda Williams, singer–songwriter
• Saul Williams, rapper and actor
• Yoni Wolf, Anticon co-founder
• XXXTentacion, rapper, singer, and songwriter
• Neil Young, singer–songwriter
• Mas Ysa, composer and visual artist
• Zedd, DJ and producer
• Hans Zimmer, composer
• Z-Trip, DJ and producer
• Buckwheat Zydeco, musician
• Lzzy Hale, Lead singer and guitarist of Halestorm
• 100 gecs, band

Newspapers and other media

The Seattle Times

• Addison County Independent, Middlebury, Vermont
• The Nation, New York City, New York
• Daily Hampshire Gazette, Northampton, Massachusetts
• East Bay Express, Oakland, California
• Philadelphia Tribune, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Quad-City Times, Davenport, Iowa
• Ring of Fire, radio program
• San Francisco Bay Guardian, San Francisco, California
• Seattle Weekly, Seattle, Washington
• The Arab American News, Dearborn, Michigan
• The Daily Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Iowa
• The Daily Iowan, Iowa City, Iowa
• The Portland Mercury, Portland, Oregon
• The Recorder, Greenfield, Massachusetts
• The San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco, California
• The Seattle Times, Seattle, Washington
• The Stranger, Seattle, Washington
• Willamette Week, Portland, Oregon

Labor organizations

National

• APWU – American Postal Workers Union, representing 250,000
• ATU – Amalgamated Transit Union, representing 190,000
• CWA – Communication Workers of America, representing 700,000
• ILWU – International Longshore and Warehouse Union, representing 50,000
• NNU - National Nurses United, representing 150,000
• NUHW – National Union of Healthcare Workers, representing 15,000
• UE – United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, representing 35,900

State, regional, and local divisions

• AFL-CIO – American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations: VT, SC
• AFGE – American Federation of Government Employees: National Union for Social Security Workers (Council 220)
• AFSCME – American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees: WA, WI and Locals 2724, 2057, and 25 (MI)
• AFT – American Federation of Teachers: Locals 1474, 1931, 1966, 1990, 2023, 2034, 2141, 2199, 2226, and 6366 (CA)
• CTU – Chicago Teachers Union: Caucus Of Rank-and-file Educators (CORE)
• IAIW – International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers: Local 7 (MA)
• IBEW – International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers: Locals 2222, 2304, 2313, 2320, 2321, 2322, 2323, 2324, 2325, 2326, 2327, 159, 357, 440, 490, 776, 1837, 1228, 113 and 1634 (MA, RI, CA, ME, VT, NH, NV, SC, WI, CO, IA)
• IBT – International Brotherhood of Teamsters: Local One-L, Pennsylvania Federation Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division
• IFPTE – International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers: Local 70 (DC)
• NEA – National Education Association: VT
• PASNAP – Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals
• SEIU – Service Employees International Union: Locals 560 and 1984 (NH)
• TWU – Transport Workers Union of America: Local 100
• UBC – United Brotherhood of Carpenters: Locals 1503 (OR)
• UFCW – United Food and Commercial Workers International Union: Local 5 (CA)
• UH – UNITE HERE: NY, CT, RI, MA, VT, NH, ME, and Locals 2, 30, 49, 54, and 2850 (CA, NJ)
• USW – United Steelworkers: Local 310, 1999, 2003 (IA, IN)
• UURWAW – United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers: Local 36 (CA)

Organizations

MoveOn.org

Friends of the Earth

Occupy Wall Street

• Agenda Project
• Americans for Democratic Action
• Armenian National Committee of America, Western Region
• Climate Hawks Vote
• Democracy for America
• Democratic Socialists of America (then a member of the Socialist International)
• Friends of the Earth
• Green Party of Oklahoma
• Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club
• Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Action Fund
• Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club
• Justice Party
• MoveOn.org
• National People's Action
• Occupy Wall Street
• Oregon Progressive Party
• Organic Consumers Association
• Party for Socialism and Liberation
• Peace Action
• People Before Profit
• Progressive Democrats of America
• Robin Hood Tax
• Social Democrats, USA
• Socialist Alternative (member of the Committee for a Workers' International)
• USAction, NY Chapter
• Vermont Progressive Party
• Working Families Party

See also

• United States presidential election, 2016

External links

• Bernie Sanders for President - official campaign website
  • Racial Justice
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
• Profile at Vote Smart
• Bernie Sanders (Video 59:43; C-SPAN; March 9, 2015; National Press Club).
• Senator Bernie Sanders at Liberty University in Virginia 09/14/15 FULL SPEECH!
  • Bernie Sanders at Liberty University with Q&A - 09-14-2015

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