Political positions of Bernie Sanders
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U.S. Senator from Vermont U.S. Representative for Vermont's At-large Mayor of Burlington |
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Bernie Sanders is a United States Senator from Vermont, a former member of the US House of Representatives from Vermont, and former Mayor of Burlington. He has taken positions on many political issues, both through his public comments and based on his senatorial voting record. In 2015, he announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for U.S. President in the 2016 presidential election.
Contents
Economics[edit]
Income and wealth inequality[edit]
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)[1]
In July 2015 Sanders introduced legislation that would incrementally increase the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by the year 2020.[2][3]
Taxes[edit]
Sanders supports repeal of some of the tax deductions that benefit hedge funds and corporations, and would raise taxes on capital gains and the wealthiest one percent of Americans. He would use some of the added revenues to lower the taxes of the middle and lower classes.[4][5] Sanders has suggested that he would be open to a 90% top marginal tax rate (a rate that last existed during the years after World War II) for the wealthiest earners,[6] and has proposed a top marginal rate of 65% for the federal estate tax, up from the current 40% rate.[7]
Wall Street reform[edit]
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."[8][9] As a representative from Vermont, Sanders opposed the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act, signed into law in 1999 by then president Bill Clinton, which repealed the provision of the Glass–Steagall Act that prevents any financial institution from acting as both a securities firm and a commercial bank. Sanders supports legislation sponsored by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) to re-instate Glass–Steagall.[10]
Trade[edit]
Sanders is opposed to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, which he has called "a continuation of other disastrous trade agreements, like NAFTA, CAFTA, and permanent normal trade relations with China." He has said he believes Americans need to rebuild their own manufacturing base by using American factories and supporting decent-paying jobs for American labor rather than outsourcing to China and other countries.[4][11]
Jobs[edit]
Saying, "America once led the world in building and maintaining a nationwide network of safe and reliable bridges and roads. Today, nearly a quarter of the nation's 600,000 bridges have been designated as structurally deficient or functionally obsolete...Almost one-third of America's major roads are in poor or mediocre condition...," Sanders has introduced amendments to Senate bills (S.Amendt.323) 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.[12][13] He also supports legislation that would make it easier for workers to join or form a union.[14] 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. When you include workers who have given up looking for jobs, or those who are working part time when they want to work full time, the real number is much higher than official figures would suggest."[15]
Employee ownership[edit]
Sanders supports the establishment of worker-owned cooperatives and introduced legislation in June 2014 that would aid workers who wanted to "form their own businesses or to set up worker-owned cooperatives."[14][16][17] As early as 1976, Sanders was a proponent of workplace democracy, saying, "I believe that, in the long run, major industries in this state and nation should be publicly owned and controlled by the workers themselves."[18]
Environment[edit]
Global warming[edit]
Sanders considers global warming a serious problem.[19] Along with Senator Barbara Boxer, Sanders introduced the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act of 2007 on January 15, 2007.[20] 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."[21] He was Climate Hawks Vote's top-rated senator on climate leadership in the 113th Congress.[22]
Believing that "[we need to] transform our energy system away from fossil fuel," Sanders voted against the Keystone Pipeline bill, saying, "Unless we get our act together, the planet that we're going to be leaving to our kids and grandchildren will be significantly less habitable than the planet we have right now...I think it's a good idea for the president, Congress, and the American people to listen to the overwhelming amount of scientists who tell us loudly and clearly that climate change is one of the great planetary crises that we face."[23]
Nuclear energy[edit]
Following the 2011 Japanese nuclear accidents, Sanders called for a moratorium on the licensing of new nuclear plants and re-licensing of existing ones, in an effort to slow down what has been touted as a nuclear renaissance in the United States.[24] Sanders wrote to President Obama asking him to appoint a special commission to review the safety of U.S. nuclear plants. Sanders also wants to repeal a federal law that he says leaves the taxpayers to pay most of the costs of a major nuclear accident. He says, "in a free-enterprise system, the nuclear industry should be required to insure itself against accidents."[24]
Sanders has gone on record against the government financial backing of the nuclear industry, which he calls "nuclear welfare".[25] Additionally, he expresses concern over the logistics and fiscal challenges of nuclear waste.[25] He has spoken in favor of sustainable alternatives and cites Vermont as a state leading such endeavors, saying in regard to opposition of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's 2011 extension (just one week after the Japanese accidents) of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant's operating license, "In my state there is a strong feeling that we want to go forward with energy efficiency and sustainable energy. I believe that we have that right. I believe that every other state in the country has that right. If we want to move to sustainable energy and not maintain an aging, trouble-plagued nuclear power plant, I think we should be allowed to do that."[26]
Transparency and corruption[edit]
Campaign finance[edit]
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.[27] 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.[28] 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,[29] he has proposed a constitutional amendment to undo the ruling.[30] He warns: "We now have a political situation where billionaires are literally able to buy elections and candidates."[31]
Instant runoff voting[edit]
In 2007, Sanders testified to the Vermont Senate Government Operations Committee that he "strongly supports Instant-Runoff Voting" because it "allows people to vote for what they really want without worrying about the possibility of them getting what they really don't want."[32] The committee and legislature ultimately passed legislation that would have enacted instant runoff voting for U.S. Representatives and U.S. Senators, but the governor vetoed it.[33]
Media reform[edit]
Sanders has been a leader in calling for media reform and opposes increased concentration of ownership of media outlets,[34] as well as being a contributing author for OpEdNews.[35] He appeared in Orwell Rolls in His Grave and Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism, two documentaries on the subject.[36]
Foreign policy and national security[edit]
Israeli–Palestinian conflict[edit]
Sanders supports a Two-state solution, saying that "the Palestinian people, in my view, deserve a state of their own, they deserve an economy of their own, they deserve economic support from the people of this country. And Israel needs to be able to live in security without terrorist attacks."[37]
According to the Bernie Sanders senate webpage, Writing for Salon, David Palumbo-Liu noted (wrongly) that Sen. Sanders “voted” for the resolution (supporting Operation Protective Edge) which actually passed without a vote.[38] A statement published on his Senate website reads 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."[37]
On March 3, 2015, Sanders was the first senator to decline to attend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress.[39] He said that the address, arranged without consultation with President Obama, improperly interfered with the President's role. He also argued that it was inappropriate for Netanyahu to use the U.S. Congress for his own political purposes so close to the Israeli legislative election.[40] After the speech, Sanders released a statement supporting the Obama administration's diplomatic effort to address Iran's nuclear program and regretting that Netanyahu's speech did not offer "any serious alternatives" to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.[40] Sanders has said, "I am not a great fan of President [sic] Netanyahu" and "I think in that region, sadly, on both sides, I don't think we have the kind of leadership that we need."[41]
Iraq[edit]
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."[42]
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 believes 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."[43]
Iran[edit]
Sanders supports the agreement with Iran reached by President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry. While calling it less than a perfect agreement, he believes that the United States needs to negotiate with Iran rather than enter in yet another war in the Middle East.[44]
Surveillance[edit]
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:[45]
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.[46]
During the first Democratic presidential debate in October 2015 the candidates were asked for their opinion of whistle blower Edward Snowden. When asked the question "hero or traitor?" Sanders replied, "I think Snowden played a very important role in educating the American people to the degree in which our civil liberties and our constitutional rights are being undermined. He did—he did break the law, and I think there should be a penalty to that. But I think what he did in educating us should be taken into consideration." Journalist Norman Solomon praised Sanders's reply saying, "I think Bernie Sanders handled it the best in terms of scoping out and describing the terrain. And for the most part, I think Edward Snowden would probably agree with what he said."[47]
Veterans[edit]
Sanders won the 2014 Col. Arthur T. Marix Congressional Leadership Award from the Military Officers Association of America for his leadership in support of veterans.[48] Sanders introduced the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2013 (S. 893; 113th Congress) into the Senate on May 8, 2013.[49] The bill would increase the disability compensation rate for American veterans and their families.[50] Sanders co-wrote, with Senator John McCain, the Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014, a bill intended to reform the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in response to the Veterans Health Administration scandal of 2014.[51]
Cuba[edit]
On April 14, 2015, after the White House announced that President Barack Obama intended to remove Cuba from the United States’ list of nations that sponsor terrorism, Sanders issued a statement saying: “While we have our strong differences with Cuba, it is not a terrorist state. I applaud President Obama for moving aggressively to develop normal diplomatic relations. Fifty years of Cold War is enough. It is time for Cuba and the United States to turn the page and normalize relations.”[52]
Education[edit]
Early childhood[edit]
Drawing figures from a recent 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 believes that "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."[53][54][55]
Student loans[edit]
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 freeze 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.[56]
Tuition-free public universities[edit]
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 other 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.[57]
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.[58][59][60] 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.[61]
Health care[edit]
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."[62] 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.[63]
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.[64]
NARAL Pro-Choice America has given Sanders a 100% score on his pro-choice voting record.[65]
Social issues[edit]
Paid leave[edit]
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.[53][54]
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. It would also allow workers to take the same amount of paid time off if they are diagnosed with cancer or have other serious medical conditions or to take care of family members who are seriously ill. 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.[53][54]
Gun control[edit]
Sanders supports banning certain semi-automatic weapons and closing an existing 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.[66]
In the House of Representatives, Sanders voted against the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act that required federal background checks on firearm purchasers in the United States. In the United States Senate Sanders voted for the 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.[67] When asked, Sanders stated that his opposition was due to a states' rights issue with nationally legislated waiting periods.[68] 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."[66]
Criminal justice reform[edit]
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."[69] 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."[52]
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).[70]
On September 17, 2015, Sanders introduced the "Justice Is Not for Sale" Act,[71] 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."[72][73]
Death penalty[edit]
Sanders has been a strong opponent of the death penalty throughout his political career.[74]
LGBT rights[edit]
In a letter he published in the early 1970s, when he was a candidate for governor of Vermont, Sanders called for the abolition of all laws against homosexuality.[75]
In the 1980s, Sanders supported the designation of the Burlington "Lesbian and Gay Pride Day" as the mayor of the city and signed a resolution recommending that all levels of government support gay rights.[76]
In the House, Sanders voted against the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996.[77] The bill was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on September 21, 1996.
Vermont was the first state to legalize same-sex unions in 2000 and in 2009 was the first state to legalize same-sex marriage by statute. When the Supreme Court took up the issue in 2015, Sanders issued a statement reaffirming his support, saying gay Americans in every state should be allowed to marry: "Of course all citizens deserve equal rights. It's time for the Supreme Court to catch up to the American people and legalize gay marriage."[78]
Immigration[edit]
Sanders voted for the comprehensive immigration reform bill in 2013,[79] 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[80] 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."[81] He believes a path to citizenship should be created for new immigrants.[82]
Racial justice[edit]
Sanders was a civil rights organizer at the University of Chicago in the 1960s, and has been rated 100% by 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."[83]
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.”[84][85] 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.
Church and state[edit]
Sanders is rated by Americans United for Separation of Church and State as strongly in favor of the separation of church and state.[86]
Genetically engineered food[edit]
In 2012 Sanders, along with Senator Barbara Boxer, introduced an amendment which would have given states the right to require labels on food products which are genetically engineered. Despite passing out of the House Agriculture Committee by a vote of nine to one, Monsanto threatened to sue and the bill went nowhere.[23]
Interest group ratings[edit]
| Group | Advocacy issue(s) | Rating | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACLU | Civil and Political Rights | 100% | 2014 |
| AFBF | Agriculture | 83% | 2014 |
| AFL-CIO | Labor Unions | 100% | 2013 |
| ARA | Senior Citizens | 100% | 2014 |
| HRC | LGBTQ Rights | 100% | 2014 |
| LWV | Civic Engagement | 89% | 2007 |
| NAACP | Minorities and Affirmative Action | 100% | 2014 |
| NARAL | Abortion, Pro-Choice | 100% | 2014 |
| NFU | Farmer's Union | 90% | 2012 |
| NRA | Gun Ownership | 8% | 2012 |
| NTU | Tax Policy, Conservative | 5% | 2013[88] |
| PPFA | Reproductive Health | 100% | 2014 |
| SEIU | Service Union | 100% | 2012 |
References[edit]
- ^ Bernie Sanders confirms presidential run and damns America's inequities. The Guardian, April 29, 2015.
- ^ Tim Devaney (July 20, 2015). Sanders to push $15 minimum wage bill. The Hill. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
- ^ Samantha Lachman (July 22, 2015). Bernie Sanders Introduces $15 Minimum Wage Bill As Federal Contract Workers Strike. The Huffington Post. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
- ^ a b Desjardins, Lisa (April 30, 2015). "What does Bernie Sanders believe? Where the candidate stands on 10 issues". PBS. Retrieved May 22, 2015. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "PBS_News_Hour" defined multiple times with different content (see the help page). - ^ Benen, Steve (May 28, 2015). "The tax rates that don't cause Bernie Sanders to 'flinch'". MSNBC. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
- ^ Covert, Brice. "Bernie Sanders Would Tax The Income Of The Wealthiest Americans At 90 Percent". Think Progress. Center For American Progress Action Fund. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ^ Ebeling, Ashlea. "Bernie Sanders Calls For 65% Top Estate Tax Rate". Forbes. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ^ Sanders, Bernie (May 7, 2015). "Break Up Big Banks". The Huffington Post. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
- ^ Resnikoff, Ned (May 6, 2015). "Bernie Sanders proposes breaking up 'too big to fail' banks". Al Jazeera America. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ Everett, Burgess. "Bernie Sanders backs big bank breakups, in contrast with Hillary Clinton". Politico. Politico. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
- ^ Sanders, Bernie (May 21, 2015). "The TPP Must Be Defeated". The Huffington Post. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
- ^ "Sanders Proposes Roads and Jobs Bill". January 3, 2015. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
- ^ "Current Legislation". congress.gov. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
- ^ a b Bernie Sanders (December 1, 2014). An Economic Agenda for America: 12 Steps Forward. The Huffington Post. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
- ^ "Bernie 2016 - Issues - Creating Decent Paying Jobs". berniesanders.com. berniesanders.com. Retrieved 8-7-2015. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ^ Sanders, Bernie (June 2, 2014). Worker-Owned Businesses, Bernie Sanders.com. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
- ^ Richard D. Wolff (June 27, 2015). Socialism Means Abolishing the Distinction Between Bosses and Employees. Truthout. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
- ^ Ben Schreckinger and Jonathan topaz (July 6, 2015). The socialist surge. Politico. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
- ^ Totten, Shay (January 15, 2007). "Sanders to push global warming legislation in Senate". Vermont Guardian. Retrieved August 4, 2009.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT, said Monday he was making good on at least one of a handful of campaign promises — introducing a bill designed to cut U.S. contributions to global greenhouse gas emissions in the next decade. ... Sanders added that construction of new power plants is "extraordinarily expensive" and he would prefer to see federal funding support used to expand the development of sustainable energy, as well as biofuels.
- ^ Climate Change Bills of the 110th Congress, Environmental Defense, May 29, 2007.
- ^ Gerken, James (July 31, 2012). "Senator Bernie Sanders: Climate Change Is Real, Senator Inhofe Is 'Dead Wrong'". The Huffington Post. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
- ^ Sheppard, Kate (April 29, 2015). "Prospective Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders Scores High In New 'Climate Hawk' Ranking". The Huffington Post (New York, New York: AOL). Retrieved April 30, 2015.
- ^ a b Ferguson, Amber (January 14, 2015). "Bernie Sanders: Passing Keystone XL Means A 'Significantly Less Habitable' Planet". Huffington Post. Retrieved July 7, 2015. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "Huff_Post" defined multiple times with different content (see the help page). - ^ a b "US Sen. Sanders: Slow down on nuclear relicensing". BusinessWeek. March 21, 2011.
- ^ a b Sanders, Bernie; Alexander, Ryan (13 April 2012). "Stop the nuclear industry welfare programme". theguardian.com.
- ^ "Nuclear Power". sanders.senate.gov (Press release). March 15, 2012.
- ^ "Legislation – Campaign Finance: Bernie Sanders – U.S. Senator for Vermont". Sanders.senate.gov. Retrieved February 17, 2013.
- ^ Sanders, Bernie (March 22, 2015). "If We Don't Overturn Citizens United, The Congress Will Become Paid Employees of the Billionaire Class". Huffington Post. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
- ^ Collins, Eliza (May 10, 2015). "Bernie Sanders takes dead aim on Citizens United ruling". Politico.
- ^ Easley, Jason. "Bernie Sanders Files a New Constitutional Amendment to Overturn Citizens United". PoliticsUSA.
- ^ Zaru, Deena (May 6, 2015). "Election 2016: Who are the richest candidates?". CNN.
- ^ . FairVote http://archive.fairvote.org/?page=1998. Retrieved July 22, 2015. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ^ . FairVote http://www.fairvote.org/articles/douglas-vetoes-campaign-finance-instant-runoff-voting-bills/. Retrieved July 22, 2015. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ^ Nichols, John; McEhsney, Robert W. (July 7, 2003). "The Battle Over Media Ownership is Far From Over". Common Dreams NewsCenter. Archived from the original on June 28, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2009.
Members of Congress are finding they cannot avoid talking about media issues because people really are upset with what the FCC did and with the broader issue of who controls the media," says U.S. Rep. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, a leading critic of the FCC rule changes [removing limits on the ability of individual companies to dominate more than 35 percent of television communications and to prevent "cross-ownership" schemes that allow corporations to buy up primary newspapers, radio and television stations and cable and Internet services in a city.] and a champion of media reform in the public interest.
- ^ "Bernie Sanders author page at OpEdNews". OpEdNews. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
- ^ "Vt. congressman interviewed for film". USA Today. Associated Press. July 26, 2004. Retrieved August 4, 2009.
Rep. Bernie Sanders has a burgeoning second job: movie star. Vermont's lone congressman is one of many legislators, journalists and media watchdogs interviewed for 'Orwell Rolls in His Grave,' by director Robert Pappas, and Robert Greenwald's latest film, 'Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism.'
- ^ a b War and Peace, Bernie Sanders, Senate website
- ^ "News July 24". Sen. Bernie Sanders. Retrieved 2015-09-10.
- ^ Swanberg, Conor (March 3, 2015). "Here Is a List of 56 Democrats Who Are Not Attending Netanyahu's Speech". IJ Review. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
- ^ a b "Senator Sanders Statement on Prime Minister Netanyahu's Speech to Congress". Senator Sanders Press Release. March 3, 2015.
- ^ Bernie Sanders: 'I'm not a great fan' of Benjamin Netanyahu ZAID JILANI, ALTERNET June 16, 2015 AT 07:22 ET, Raw Story
- ^ Flashback: Rep. Bernie Sanders Opposes Iraq War Official Senate Site
- ^ "Bernie Sanders Speaks With Katie Couric - Full Interview". YouTube. June 2, 2015. 24:00. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
- ^ ‘Bringing People Together,’ is Campaign’s Core, Sanders Tells Another Record Rally.BernieSanders.com, August 9, 2015.
- ^ Sanders Senate Speech on Surveillance.
- ^ Rand Paul, Bernie Sanders Revel in NSA Ruling. The Guardian, April 29, 2015.
- ^ "Norman Solomon: Clinton's Debate Comments on Snowden "Give Hypocrisy a Bad Name"". Democracy Now!. 15 October 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
- ^ "Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) announces 2014 award recipients". Military Officers Association of America. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
- ^ "S. 893 – Summary". United States Congress. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
- ^ Kasperowicz, Pete (November 7, 2013). "House to boost disability pay for veterans". The Hill. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
- ^ Matishak, Martin; Wong, Kristina (June 11, 2014). "Overnight Defense: Senate passes bipartisan VA fix". The Hill. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
- ^ a b "Sanders statement on Cuba". Bernie Sanders United States Senator for Vermont. 14 April 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "Bernie_Sanders_United_States_Senator_for_Vermont" defined multiple times with different content (see the help page). - ^ a b c Sanders, Bernie. "Family Values Agenda". YouTube. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
- ^ a b c "FAMILY VALUES AGENDA: PAID FAMILY LEAVE, PAID SICK LEAVE, PAID VACATION" (PDF). Retrieved June 13, 2015.
- ^ Sanders, Bernie. "Release: Sanders Proposes Early Child Care Program". Sanders.senate.gov. Bernie Sanders Senate Office. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
- ^ Dash, Stephen (April 22, 2015). "What Is Bernie Sanders' Endgame for College Affordability and Student Loans?". The Huffington Post. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
- ^ Wysocki, Aaron (May 21, 2015). "Bernie Sanders: Free College For All". The Young Turks. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ Knowles, David (May 18, 2015). "Bernie Sanders Wants to Tax Stock Trades to Pay for Free College". Bloomberg. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
- ^ Bixby, Scott (May 19, 2015). "Bernie Sanders' Bold, New Plan May Have Just Locked Down the Millennial Vote". Mic. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
- ^ Resnikoff, Ned (May 19, 2015). "Bernie Sanders unveils plan for tuition-free public colleges". Al Jazeera America. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
- ^ Schramm, Michael; Sioelzer, Ethan. "Bernie Sanders issues a bill to make 4 year colleges tuition-free". USA Today / College. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
- ^ Jaffe, Sarah (July 14, 2009). "Sanders Schools McCain on Public Healthcare". The Nation. Retrieved October 16, 2013.
Senator Bernie Sanders is one of the Senate's fiercest advocates for real healthcare reform that puts Americans, not private insurance companies, first. Recently, Sanders told The Nation's Katrina vanden Heuvel, '[I]f you are serious about real healthcare reform, the only way to go is single-payer.'
- ^ Carter, Zach (May 19, 2012). "Bernie Sanders Offers Plan To Cut Prescription Drug Prices". The Huffington Post. Retrieved August 16, 2014.
- ^ "Older Americans Act". May 23, 2015. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
- ^ "Bernie Sanders on Abortion". On the Issues. December 29, 2014. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
- ^ a b Bradner, Eric (July 5, 2015). "Bernie Sanders wants to 'bring us to the middle' on guns". CNN. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
- ^ "S.397 (109th): Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act". GovTrack. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
- ^ Doanvo, Anhvinh (August 24, 2015). "Bernie Sanders' Gun Control Affair: It's Complicated". Huffington Post. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
- ^ james321. "Bernie Sanders speaks out forcefully against mass incarceration and abusive policing in America". Daily Kos. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
- ^ Remarks by Senator Sanders to the National Urban League. BernieSanders.com. July 31, 2015.
- ^ Justice Is Not For Sale Act. Sanders.senate.gov
- ^ Bernie Sanders declares war on the prison-industrial complex with major new bill. Salon. September 17, 2015.
- ^ Bernie Sanders (September 22, 2015). We Must End For-Profit Prisons. The Huffington Post. Retrieved September 23, 2015.
- ^ Zaid Jilani (July 20, 2015). 20 Examples of Bernie Sanders' Powerful Record on Civil and Human Rights Since the 1950s. Alternet. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
- ^ "Bernie Sanders Was for Full Gay Equality 40 Years Ago". Alternet.
- ^ "32 Years Before Marriage Equality, Bernie Sanders Fought For Gay Rights". Queerty.
- ^ "Final Vote Result for Roll Call 316". Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved May 1, 2011.
- ^ Lyons, Kim (April 2015). "Bernie Sanders' Views on Gay Marriage Show He's Been a Supporter for a Long Time".
- ^ Aronsen, Gavin (June 27, 2013). "Here Are the 14 Republicans Who Voted for Immigration Reform". Mother Jones. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
- ^ Jamieson, Dave (June 19, 2013). "Senator Sounds Alarm On Teen Unemployment". The Huffington Post. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
- ^ Thibodeau, Patrick (May 1, 2015). "Meet Bernie Sanders, H-1B skeptic". Computerworld. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
- ^ David Weigel (July 30, 2015). Bernie Sanders criticizes ‘open borders’ at Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The Washington Post. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
- ^ Bernie Sanders (1988) 1988 Bernie Sanders Speech on Race Progress and the Democratic Party. YouTube Retrieved August 11, 2015.
- ^ Bernie 2016. "Racial Justice". Bernie 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
- ^ Marina Fang (August 9, 2015). Bernie Sanders Unveils Sweeping Policy Platform To Combat Racial Inequality. The Huffington Post Retrieved August 11, 2015.
- ^ "Bernie Sanders on Principles & Values". OnTheIssues.org. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "The Voter's Self Defense System". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved 2015-08-11.
- ^ National Taxpayers Union - Bernard Sanders, National Taxpayers Union, retrieved September 7, 2015
External links[edit]
- BernieSanders.com - campaign official political positions
- OnTheIssues.org – detailed positions with specific votes
- VoteSmart.org - issue organizations' ratings and endorsements
- FeelTheBern.org - detailed position descriptions compiled by volunteers
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