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Our Revolution

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Our Revolution
Founded2016
President
Jeff Weaver
Websiteourrevolution.com

Our Revolution is an American progressive political action organization spun out of Senator Bernie Sanders's 2016 presidential campaign to continue its work.[1] The organization's mission is to educate voters about issues,[2][3] get people involved in the political process, and work to organize and elect progressive candidates. Our Revolution is also the title of a book by Sanders released in November 2016.[4][5]

Launch and focus

The organization officially launched on August 24, 2016, designated as a 501(c)(4),[6] with a presentation that was live-streamed online via YouTube to meetings across the country and shown by Free Speech TV.

Our Revolution's three main goals are:

  1. to revitalize American democracy by engaging millions of individuals in the political processes;
  2. to empower the next generation of progressive leaders;
  3. to elevate political consciousness by educating the public about issues confronting the United States.[7]

More specifically, the organization aims to create, support, promote and elect progressive candidates from school board to US Senate; support and help pass progressive ballot measures; create, train and mobilize activists; and protest things such as oil pipelines and the Trans-Pacific Partnership.[8] The progressive issues Our Revolution promotes are almost identical to those of Sanders's 2016 presidential campaign: reducing income and wealth inequality, working for single-payer healthcare, reducing the price of prescription drugs, instituting a $15 minimum wage, expanding Social Security, creating jobs, and making public colleges and universities tuition-free.[9] The organization will support minority rights, specifically African American, Latino and Native American rights, including government respect of treaties with Native Americans. Organizations that support Our Revolution include People for Bernie, National Nurses United, and the Communications Workers of America, among others.[10]

2016 Election

During the 2016 Election, the organization supported several ballot measures and candidates, with $1.3 million raised.[11] Of the 106 candidates and 34 ballot initiatives Our Revolution supported, 58 candidates and 23 ballot initiatives won in 2016.[12][13] Our Revolution, like Sanders, opposed the presidential candidacy of Donald J. Trump. After Trump's election, Our Revolution issued the following statement:

We will do everything in our power to ensure that the president-elect cannot ignore the battles Americans are facing every single day. Our job is to offer a real alternative vision and engage on the local and national level to continue the work of the political revolution in the face of a divided nation.[12]

Sanders himself announced, "I intend to work with President Trump on those issues where he will, in fact, work for the middle class and working families of this country. I will vigorously oppose him if he appeals to racism or sexism or some of the other discriminatory measures that he brought up during his campaign."[14]

Chairman Larry Cohen cited populist sentiment and cautioned that political and economic elitists may face backlash in upcoming elections.[15]

Staffing

The organization's staff include chairman Larry Cohen and president Jeff Weaver.[16][17][18] Erika Andiola, the Sanders campaign's Latino press secretary, has joined the organization's communications staff.[19] Our Revolution's 501(c)(4) designation prevents Sanders from playing a role in the organization because he is an elected official.[20]

On August 29, 2016 the board of Our Revolution was announced as:

  • Larry Cohen (Chairman) – Labor
  • Nina Turner – Former Ohio State Senator
  • Deborah Parker – Native American Leader
  • Ben Jealous – Civil Rights Leader
  • Jim Hightower – Political Leader, National Radio Commentator & Writer
  • Jim Zogby – Arab American Human Rights Leader
  • Huck Gutman – Former Chief of Staff for Senator Bernie Sanders
  • Jane Kleeb – Environmental Activist
  • Lucy Flores – Former Nevada Assemblywoman
  • Catalina Velasquez – Immigration, Reproductive Justice and Trans Queer Liberation Activist
  • Shailene Woodley – Actress and Environmental Activist[21][22]

At the start, the organization faced a significant staffing challenge as eight of its initial 15 staffers left before the launch when Weaver was chosen as president. They objected to the way he had handled Sanders' presidential campaign and to his decision to make Our Revolution a 501(c)(4).[23][24] Some staffers also left in protest of a lack of diversity among the organization's leaders.[10] The remaining staff were subsequently joined by an additional three staffers, bringing the total to ten.[16][25][26]

References

  1. ^ "Bernie Sanders will launch organizations to spread progressive message". USA Today. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  2. ^ Hensch, Mark (August 3, 2016). "Sanders fundraising 'to transform American society'". The Hill. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  3. ^ "Bernie Sanders seeks contributions for 'Our Revolution'". USA Today. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  4. ^ "Bernie Sanders Writing Book With Policy Ideas, Primary Reflections". Hollywood Reporter. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  5. ^ "Bernie Sanders wrote a book that's out in November". ew.com.
  6. ^ "Our Revolution". ourrevolution.com. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
  7. ^ "BERNIE SANDERS LAUNCHING POLITICAL GROUP CALLED OUR REVOLUTION". Newsweek. August 24, 2016. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  8. ^ "No rest for Sanders supporters on TPP". POLITICO. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
  9. ^ "What's Next for the Revolution?." In These Times. (September 2016 ): 554 words. LexisNexis Academic. Web. Date Accessed: 2016/10/21.
  10. ^ a b "WHOSE REVOLUTION?." In These Times. (October 2016 ): 1427 words. LexisNexis Academic. Web. Date Accessed: 2016/10/21.
  11. ^ "Bernie Sanders's Our Revolution Faces Its First Big Test". The Nation. ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
  12. ^ a b "Sanders-Backed 'Our Revolution' Scores Major Victories on Election Day". IVN.us. November 10, 2016. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
  13. ^ https://ourrevolution.com/election-2016/
  14. ^ "Bernie Sanders: "I Intend To Work With President Trump"". www.realclearpolitics.com. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
  15. ^ Reporter, Cora Lewis BuzzFeed News. "Here's How Labor Activists Are Reacting To A Trump Presidency". BuzzFeed. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
  16. ^ a b Weigel, David; Wagner, John (August 24, 2016). "Bernie Sanders launches 'Our Revolution' with electoral targets — and a few critics left behind". Washington Post. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  17. ^ Tracy, Abigail. "Bernie Sanders's Post-Campaign Political Revolution Is Imploding". Vanity Fair. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  18. ^ "Larry Cohen: Stop the TPP". Democratic Underground.
  19. ^ "Bernie's Best-Known Latina Staffer Set To Join Post-Campaign "Our Revolution" Group". BuzzFeed.
  20. ^ Linda Feldmann Staff, writer. "Bernie's revolution revs up for 2016 election and beyond – without him." Christian Science Monitor 26 Aug. 2016: N.PAG. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 Oct. 2016.
  21. ^ "Statement of Our Revolution Board of Directors". Our Revolution. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
  22. ^ "Our Revolution Announces Formation of Board". Our Revolution. August 29, 2016. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  23. ^ Pritt, Pamela. "Sanders announces 'Our Revolution' with national event." Register-Herald (Beckley, WV) 25 Aug. 2016: Newspaper Source. Web. 21 Oct. 2016.
  24. ^ "Democracy Now!". democracynow.org. August 25, 2016. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
  25. ^ "Bernie Sanders' new group is already in turmoil". Politco.
  26. ^ "Bernie Sanders's New Political Group Is Met by Staff Revolt". The New York Times. August 25, 2016.
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