If Democrats win control of the Senate, Bernie Sanders will hold one of the most powerful positions in Congress:
Sisters and Brothers,
I heard what Paul Ryan said about me: that if the Republicans lose the Senate, I will be the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee.
That sounds like a very good idea to me. It means that we can establish priorities for working people, and not just the billionaire class.
What would be equally exciting is if the Democrats took back the House, and Congressman Ryan was no longer Speaker. That would mean the clearest possible path to enact our agenda – the most progressive agenda of any party in American history.
In the last day, you have responded tremendously to our call to support four leaders who will help shift the balance of the Senate. More than 20,000 people have contributed more than $900,000 to ten candidates who are inspired by the political revolution.
During our campaign we pushed ourselves to reach goals that many thought impossible. That is why we set a very big, very audacious goal that we didn’t know if we could reach, but that we thought it was very important to try. But you’re about to smash that $1 million goal.
So, we’re going to need a bigger goal.
Let’s raise $2 million before tonight’s final FEC deadline of the campaign for candidates for the House and Senate. Can you start with a $3 contribution between Paul Clements, Catherine Cortez-Masto, Deborah Ross, Zephyr Teachout, Morgan Carroll, Nanette Barragan, and Rick Nolan?
Help us reach $2 million raised for House and Senate candidates
CONTRIBUTE
Consider for a moment the power that exists in the U.S. Senate. Right now, the Republican majority is using their power to block any meaningful action on addressing income inequality or climate change. In addition, without a Democratic majority the Senate is refusing to confirm federal judges and, incredibly, has left open a critical seat on the Supreme Court.
With a Democratic majority, we can change all of that. What Paul Ryan is specifically afraid of is the power of the budget committee. That committee defines the spending priorities of the entire government. The work of that committee says how much revenue the government should have, and where its money should go.
I have some thoughts on how the government should allocate its spending. I’m sure you do, too.
The first step to being able to enact our progressive agenda is taking back the Senate. And if we take back the House… well, the sky is the limit for what we can achieve.
Help us reach for our new, audacious goal of raising $2 million for candidates for the House and Senate by midnight tonight. Add a $3 contribution now split between Paul Clements, Catherine Cortez-Masto, Deborah Ross, Zephyr Teachout, Morgan Carroll, Nanette Barragan, and Rick Nolan.
Thank you for all you do.
In solidarity,
Bernie Sanders
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Go Bernie. His campaign may be just beginning. We ALL need to back what he is doing AND it could be happening. Talk about taking our country back.
The opportunity is before us.
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In Bernie’s own words.
Bernie Sanders responded to Paul Ryan’s nightmare scenario:
Bernie Sanders: “I heard what Paul Ryan said about me: that if the Republicans lose the Senate, I will be the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee. That sounds like a very good idea to me. It means that we can establish priorities for working people, and not just the billionaire class.
“What would be equally exciting is if the Democrats took back the House, and Congressman Ryan was no longer Speaker. That would mean the clearest possible path to enact our agenda — the most progressive agenda of any party in American history.”
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This can only happen if the requisite number of voters choose Hillary and other Democrats on the ticket. Voters are going to have to change the balance in the Senate, although unlikely in the House, if they want to see a more progressive America.
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Diane…I appreciate so much your posting Progressive election information. Thank you.
Bernie Sanders, who so many educators supported and still follow, is doing commercials for people’s issues and he is actually still leading the peaceful revolution for change.
In California, he (and Robert Reich, and Dr. Song) are the voices of truth urging a YES vote on the very mendacious Prop. 61. Big Pharma is spending enough money to kill this Prop. to run a small country, they have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to misinform the voters. Pfizer and Merck have deluded the voters with their lying ads for many months….so Bernie, who is making these Progressive ads nationwide, is still in this painful fray and telling the truth.
Your posts are so worthwhile to support the Progressive agenda so many of us here follow. YES on 61, fellow Californians. Don’t be fooled by Pharmas lies.
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There goes another 27 to Bernie and co.
Thanks for the reminder. DFA also has a contribution page for progressive Democratic candidates.
https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/take-back-congress?refcode=em161018-el-s
https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/warrensenate?akid=8497.2330848.Cml4-C&rd=1&refcode=g-EWSenateFR1020.d-20161022.m-8497.s-25593
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Muah…we have been working for Barragan in my district…she is great and similar to Teachout. The candidates on Bernie’s list are all proven progressives (mainly young well-educated women, some are teachers) and it would change Congress for the better, by far, if they win. Thanks Joel…as usual…agree with your views.
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Act Blue permits DFER to raise money at its site. That matters to me, and I think, less of Act Blue because of it.
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Linda,
I am very disappointed in Act Blue. You should contact them and let them know that DFER is hedge fund managers.
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I had my own problems with Act Blue and have heard that others had the same problem. I sent a contribution to a fave candidate for Senate in another state, and he lost in the primary. I had checked a one time contribution, but Act Blue changed that designation to “monthly” ….and three months after my guy lost, they were still charging my credit card. It took weeks to turn it around, with MUCH aggravation, and finally threats of legal action. I now only contribute to candidates by mailing them a personal check. A word to the wise…..
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dianeravitch
Just don’t leave the tip.
And yes my one time contribution to Grayson some how turned into a monthly. He was cut off after.
It is still an effective means of funneling small contributions to progressive candidates.Especially when you are going to pick and choose.
The DCCC will not get a contribution from me yet progressives running on the party line have benefited greatly from act blue from Bernie and Warren my monthlies to Teachout …
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I have contacted Act Blue multiple times, including by snail mail. IMO, they are no different than Podesto.
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Although I am against Charter Schools of any kind doesn’t mean that I am for a progressive, aggressive, destructive entitlement agenda—better known as thievery! Our schools, the ridiculous ‘micro-aggression’ movement, ruinous entitlement programs such as Public Housing, etc. have ravaged our country in every arena. We are NOT a socialist country and we should expect folks to pull their own weight, not to pick their neighbor’s pockets. We need some regulation but there is a tipping point which means the death of economic growth and innovation.
My children didn’t amass college debt. Because I knew that it was going to be a crippling burden for them and they could get a quality degree without doing so. Caveat emptor!!! Bernie is the epitome of an insider, he has never had a job outside of elected office and he backed Hillary. He is a Republicrat through and through and I will fight him and his country destroying progressive agenda every chance I get.
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FH33: From your comments I’m assuming you are against Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and any social programs that help the vast majority of Americans. You sound more like a libertarian. I like the progressive agenda and will continue to support it.
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I’d just like to see my hard work pay off and rewards not going to the wealthy because of laws favoring income redistribution upwards. If that’s socialism, sign me up.
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FH33
I notice you mention Public Housing some how I doubt you have any experience with the thing you loath. However you probably have are or have been a recipient of the largest public housing program. You are probably not paying your fair share as the Government allows you to deduct mortgage interest and real estate taxes. Why should renters have to pay for free loaders like you or I.
You boast about the fact that you assured that your children graduated college debt free. Well either you picked up the tab or they were on the public dole. The only question that remains is to what degree they were on the Public dole, that to a great degree depends on what states and localities those Public Universities and Community Colleges were located in. Even if they received a full ride at a Private University someone else is picking up the tab and probably getting a tax deduction for doing it. Free college or means tested free college is not a socialist idea. The free City University of NY predates the widespread circulation of Marxian philosophy. One can trace elements of free higher education , based on academic capability all the way back to that great socialist, Thomas Jefferson
“yet experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms, those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny; and it is believed that the most effectual means of preventing this would be, to illuminate, as far as practicable, the minds of the people at large, ….whence it becomes expedient for promoting the publick happiness that those persons, whom nature hath endowed with genius and virtue, should be rendered by liberal education worthy to receive, and able to guard the sacred deposit of the rights and liberties of their fellow citizens, and that they should be called to that charge without regard to wealth, birth or accidental condition of circumstance.”
On to socialized medicine for a moment ,currently Obamacare provides subsidies to individuals and families working families who did not have the benefit of ESI and therefore were uninsured. However most Americans who had ESI were subsidized to the socialist tune of 250 billion a year before Obamacare. That means that roughly 40% of Employer Sponsored Insurance was paid for by the Federal Government. A far larger amount of Federal tax revenue than is contributed to Obamacare.
Like the phony Ayn Rand I suspect you have benefited from progressive policy in the past and will probably vastly benefit from it in the future as you receive your Medicare card.
At 65 your annual insurance would be 24000 dollars 2000 a month without Medicare by seventy five, off the charts.
There are not now, nor have there ever been free markets. It is just a matter of who bennifits from the rigged markets . Usually it is the 1 % (figurative) who benefit ,not those who benefit from the
” progressive, aggressive, destructive entitlement agenda—better known as thievery!”
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Mr. Sanders has a slate of national candidates he is endorsing, and if you contribute to the slate, it will take your donation and spread it out evenly among the candidates. It’s a good way to fund progressives and infuse the Congress with people who will be far better than the individuals there now.
I hope this helps.
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Sorry Bernie! You can count me out. I am disillusioned with the entire electoral process. I voted for you in the primary. I am disappointed with Obama’s destructive Middle East policies largely engineered by Clinton. The community where I work has been devastated by the new Jim Crow elegantly delineated by Alexander. I cannot bear to hear another word about high quality non-profit public charter schools. In my real public school district, all we know is budget cuts. We have lead in the water of many of our schools. Any discretionary funds I have are not heading to the DNC. I made a couple of small donations to the former DNC chairwoman’s opponent because as far as I am concerned she is a snake. I take seriously that some Democratic primaries may have been rigged. I am done with the charade of progressivism played by my party’s candidate.
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I respect your sincerity , however let us look at one critical piece of legislation and its long term effect .
Taft Hartley 1947 effectively gutted organized labor. Not even the Right to Work feature which allowed manufacturing to move to the right to work South over thirty years . It took away the most effective weapon labor had, the secondary boycott . the loyalty pledge took the labor movement sharply right after WW2 .
Where would we be today had that one piece of legislation not overcome a veto. A piece of legislation that in almost 70 years has not been able to be reversed. I dislike Clinton immensely she is everything that is wrong with the Democratic party . I will vote for her.
The question till the left is able to win political power, is not who will do good ? But who will do less harm ?
As for the primaries being rigged, they weren’t. Clinton’s victory was due to something far more nefarious than cheating in a few percents here and there. Hopefully it is a generational issue that will resolve itself. It was an issue that Alexander or West could have addressed.
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Bernie has his work cut out for him. On Oct. 18, David Sirota wrote, at Political x Capital, about a Wall Street scheme, to undermine Social Security, that is being hawked by a Hillary Clinton ally. The scheme is described as “enriching Wall Street, at the expense of everyone else.” The plot, similar to charter schools, runs parallel to the public entity, until it bleeds the government/common good, option dry. The new scheme is called mandatory retirement accounts. Yes, Donald Trump’s presidency would be worse.
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This was first pushed by Baby Bush…and he tried very hard, with the help of Hank Paulson, to get all Social Security accounts privatized, with Wall Street sharks managing the “mandatory retirement accounts”.
They are still playing this shell game. Watch out for whomever is Prez. Mary Jo White of the SEC (Obama’s pick) who is a Wall Street lawyer, and Professor Yellen (also his pick) from the FED, have both spoken of it as a good idea. And Alan Greenspan loves it. So Reps and Dems both are out to steal our savings accounts. Beware and thanks for the heads up, Linda.
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This is a horrible idea. Social Security would be eaten up by fees to financial services. Wall St. is trying to get their hands on public pensions as well. Bernie and his supporters would have to work against this.
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Commenters at political sites write that the Social Security privatization plot started under Bill Clinton but, was sidetracked after the Lewinsky incident. It would not be surprising, given the Aspen Institute’s chronicle of resurgence of interest in education, which the organization describes as beginning during the Clinton administration.
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I may be wrong but the privatization of social security was proposed during George W Bush administration
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For what it is worth
http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/clinton-wanted-social-security-privatized
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