April 4, 2016

Bernie Sanders Exposes More Inequality: Lower-Income Americans Lose Out On Social Security Benefits

Sanders Exposes More Inequality: Low-Income Americans Die Earlier and Lose Out on Social Security
A new GAO study commissioned by Bernie Sanders uncovers more insidious inequality.
By Marlena Fitzpatrick García
April 4, 2016

Low-income Americans are dying younger compared to their higher-income peers, hence losing out on earned Social Security benefits, according to a new study prepared for Sen. Bernie Sanders by the Government Accountability Office.

The life expectancy disparity between the rich and poor has eroded the progressive effect of Social Security, the report shows. American men earning about $20,000 a year expect to lose 11-14 percent of their lifetime Social Security benefits, while men earning about $80,000 a year expect to see their benefits increase as much as 16-18 percent due to their longer life expectancy, according to the report.

“Poverty should not be a death sentence,” Sanders, the ranking member of the Primary Health and Retirement Security Subcommittee, tweeted.

“Today, the wealthiest Americans contribute less to Social Security than at any other time in recent history," Sanders said. "We must reject calls to raise the retirement age and instead strengthen Social Security by ensuring millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share.”

The Vermont senator has made inequality and expanding Social Security centerpieces of his presidential campaign, noting that income gains over the past three decades have gone to those earning above the $118,500 earnings cap and have therefore been exempt from Social Security taxes, costing the Social Security Trust Fund over $1.1 trillion.

http://www.alternet.org/economy/wealthiest-americans-live-longer-collecting-more-social-security

April 4, 2016

Major Environmental Groups Call On Hillary Clinton To Stop Taking Money From Fossil Fuel Companies

Greenpeace, Sanders Hold Ground Against Clinton in Fossil Fuel Feud
Green group and rival campaign respond to Clinton's claims that anyone is "lying" about her donations
by Nadia Prupis, staff writer

Environmental group Greenpeace has responded to Hillary Clinton's frustrated interaction with a climate activist on Thursday, when the former secretary of state said she was "sick of" the Bernie Sanders campaign claiming she has taken fossil fuel money to fund her presidential campaign.

"I do not have—I have money from people who work for fossil fuel companies," Clinton said after being confronted by Greenpeace activist Eva Resnick-Day at a campaign rally in New York. "I am so sick—I am so sick of the Sanders campaign lying about me. I'm sick of it."

Resnick-Day followed up by publishing a blog post on the Greenpeace website explaining her actions, stating, "I care deeply about tackling climate change and I'm deeply concerned about the state of our democracy," before clarifying that she was not affiliated with Sanders' campaign.

"[T]he first step a candidate can take to stop fossil fuels is to stop taking fossil fuel money," Resnick-Day wrote. She continued:


That money matters when we hear great things about climate in Clinton’s speeches, but want to be sure she'll truly listen to the people when she is in office. For instance, she supports a Department of Justice investigation of ExxonMobil and yet she takes money from an Exxon lobbyist.

That level of coziness makes voters like me who care about climate change uncomfortable.

Another climate group, 350 Action, jumped into the fray Friday by calling on all candidates to reject donations from fossil fuel interests.

"Voters who care about the health of our climate, our communities and our democracy have repeatedly asked Clinton to refuse fossil fuel money—after the way she responded yesterday, she needs to finally take the pledge and refuse donations from those who profit from destruction," said 350 Action spokesperson Yong Jung Cho.



http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/04/01/greenpeace-sanders-hold-ground-against-clinton-fossil-fuel-feud

April 4, 2016

"Hillary Clinton is the only savior the Republican Party has left."

It sure looks like it.

Check this out:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511642104

April 4, 2016

Someone please post the Hillary and Bill Clinton tax returns for the past 20 years.

With the links.

I haven't seen them.

Thanks.

April 4, 2016

Bernie Sanders Accepts NBC News Invitation For A Sunday Night Prime Time Debate On April 10th!

Press Release

Sanders Looks forward to New York Debate
April 3, 2016

WAUSAU, Wis. – Bernie Sanders’ campaign spokesman Michael Briggs issued the following statement on Sunday on a debate in New York:

“Sen. Sanders has accepted an invitation from NBC News for a Sunday night prime-time debate on April 10. We hope the Clinton campaign also accepts. The April 10 debate date is one of four dates that the Sanders campaign had proposed for a debate with Secretary Clinton before the New York primary election. He is available on April 10, 11, 12 or 13. He looks forward to a debate on any of those days.

“The Clinton campaign disingenuously announced that it had agreed to a debate on another day when it knew very well that Sen. Sanders already had locked in a park permit for a major rally in New York City. Let’s get serious. Let’s get on with debating the candidates’ stands on serious issues affecting New York and the United States.”

https://berniesanders.com/press-release/sanders-looks-forward-new-york-debate/

April 4, 2016

Las Vegas Sun reporter Megan Messerly Says Bernie Has Won Nevada Caucus!

Bernie Sanders is Actual Winner in Nevada Caucus
By Marlee Kokotovic -
April 3, 2016


According to the Clark County Democratic Convention that occurred Saturday, Bernie Sanders has won Nevada even after losing in the February Nevada caucus. According to Las Vegas Sun reporter Megan Messerly, he is standing tall with more delegates.

The Clark County Democratic Convention, which was the next step after February’s presidential caucus in determining Nevada’s 43 delegates, had a lot of controversy associated with it from the beginning. There were even accusations of cheating from both sides. “We caught the Hillary campaign cheating, we caught the Nevada Democratic Party secretary cheating,” said Angie Sullivan, another member of the credentials committee for the Clark County Democratic Convention. “When it was apparent Bernie started winning, they really turned up the heat.”

Sanders supporters significantly outnumbered Clinton delegates by around 600 on Saturday meaning they’ll make up a larger percentage of Clark County’s delegates attending the state convention in May, even though Clinton won in February.

http://www.nationofchange.org/news/2016/04/03/bernie-sanders-wins-nevada-caucus-end/

April 3, 2016

Who cares if Bernie is a "Democrat" or not? Most liberal and progressive voters don't give a shit!

Especially when we have Democrat politicians acting as agents for their conservative Wall Street and corporate benefactors.

Does the name Hillary Clinton ring a bell?

Bernie's status as an Independent in Vermont sure hasn't bothered progressive and liberal voters in Vermont or in the primaries this year.

Most people don't want a Wall Street/Corporate establishment candidate elected President just because they label themselves a "Democrat".

April 3, 2016

Will Hillary be holding a campaign rally on Wall Street in New York City?

Just wondering.

April 3, 2016

Vel Phillips, first African-American Wisconsin Secretary of State endorses Bernie Sanders

Vel Phillips endorses Bernie Sanders
By Bill Glauber of the Journal Sentinel
April 3, 2016


Looking to bolster his support in the Milwaukee area, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont picked up the endorsement Thursday of Vel Phillips, the first African-American to serve as Wisconsin's Secretary of State.

“Bernie Sanders is the president we need in our fight to end racism and economic inequality in this country,” Phillips said in a statement. “For far too long people of color have struggled under establishment politics and a rigged economy that favors the very wealthy."

Phillips added that Sanders "is the one candidate whose life has been dedicated to ending the inequalities that plagued African Americans in Milwaukee and our nation, and the only candidate I trust to uplift all Americans, regardless of race, sex, color or creed."

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/374201791.html


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Here's an impressive history of her long career and accomplishments in fighting racism and sexism:

Vel Phillips' March

Vel Phillips, civil rights and community pioneer, demonstrated by example that justice could be achieved through gracious persistence and personal integrity. Establishing firsts in her long political career gave others hope for a brighter future. Her Foundation will embody her spirit and continue her devotion to improving the community and the world in which she lived.

Vel attended North Division High School in Milwaukee and won a national oratory scholarship sponsored by the Black Elks before attending Howard University in Washington, D.C. She was the first African-American woman to graduate from the University of Wisconsin Madison law school in 1951, and moved to Milwaukee with her husband and fellow attorney W. Dale Phillips. Together they became the first husband-wife team of any race admitted to the federal bar in Milwaukee.

Vel began her march for justice in 1956 when she was elected the first woman ever to sit on Milwaukee’s Common Council. During her tenure on the Common Council, Vel made strides - large and small - for women and minorities. In 1962, she introduced the city’s first open-housing ordinance. In 1967, Vel joined Father James Groppi and the NAACP Youth Council in leading marches for fair housing, enduring the city’s race riots, hostility and violence. She finally saw Milwaukee’s open housing bill passed two weeks after Martin Luther King’s assassination in 1968.

A supporter and friend of Dr. King, Vel also distinguished herself on a national level in the civil rights era. She was the first African American in the United States elected to the National Committee of either of the two major political parties, and knew three presidents on a first-name basis: John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, and Jimmy Carter.

In the 1970s she became the first woman judge in Milwaukee County and the first African American to serve in Wisconsin’s judiciary. And in 1978 she was the first woman and African American elected to a statewide constitutional office as Secretary of State. Throughout her career she devoted her free time to helping people and causes that supported the greatest needs in the community.

Today, though long retired from her law practice, Vel fills her life with advocacy and charitable work. She is active with America’s Black Holocaust Museum and the NAACP, and is working on the committee assigned to the Joshua Glover statue in Jackson Square. She is active on the boards of the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, Community Shares, and the Haggerty Museum. She also is an active and vocal participant in the grass-roots leadership work of the Community Brainstorming Conference.

A recent unexpected pleasure for Vel is the creation of the Vel Phillips Foundation, which will carry on the march for justice and equality by embracing the values and aspirations that Vel demonstrated throughout her life. Her legacy will live on.

http://www.velphillipsfoundation.com/vel.htm

April 3, 2016

Hillary Clinton's Close Ties to the Oil, Coal and Gas Industry: Sanders Campaign Statement

Press Release

Clinton’s Close Ties to the Oil, Coal and Gas Industry
April 1, 2016

NEW YORK – The Clinton campaign on Friday held a conference call with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to discuss Secretary Hillary Clinton’s record on clean energy and climate change.

Unfortunately, the Clinton campaign left out some important facts.

In 2001, Clinton voted to kill a measure backed by most Democrats and spearheaded by Sen. Bill Nelson that would have restricted drilling off the coast of Florida. Sanders voted for the restrictions.

During the 2006 election, Clinton accepted $74,000 from oil and gas interests while running for re-election that year. According to a scorecard of Senate votes compiled by the League of Conservation Voters, Clinton cast two votes in support of 2006 legislation to vastly expand drilling in the Gulf. Those votes put her on the opposite side of then-Sen. Barack Obama. That same year, Sen. Bernie Sanders voted against a measure in the House of Representatives to expand offshore drilling.

During the 2008 election cycle, she was the 6th largest recipient of oil and gas money in the Senate.

A year later, as secretary of state, she approved the Alberta Clipper, a tar sands pipeline that Sen. Sanders opposes. The Clinton-led department said the pipeline would “advance a number of strategic interests.” Environmental groups such as Earthjustice told Reuters: “It means large amounts of more air pollution, large amounts of water pollution and extra [greenhouse gases] because more energy is required to convert this [heavy oil] into a refined, usable petroleum product.”

In 2010, Secretary Clinton remarked that she was ultimately “inclined to approve” Keystone XL, a pipeline that would transport tar sands oil from Canada. During the campaign, after strong opposition from environmental organizations, Secretary Clinton eventually came out in opposition to the Keystone Pipeline, not because of her concerns about climate change, but because she viewed it as a “distraction.”

During her time leading the State Department, the agency also signed the “U.S.-Mexico Transboundary Hydrocarbons Agreement,” a deal it said would help energy companies expand offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. The State Department said the pact would help energy corporations expand offshore drilling and “unlock areas for exploration and exploitation” in locations between the two countries. The agency said the deal will make “nearly 1.5 million acres of the Outer Continental Shelf more attractive” to energy companies.

In her 2016 bid, Clinton has relied on a slew of current and former advocates for the oil and gas industry for fundraising support, including Tony Podesta, the brother of Clinton’s campaign chair John Podesta. As recently as this year, Tony Podesta has lobbied for BP, the company responsible for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history. He has also lobbied for a company partly-owned by ExxonMobil. Podesta has raised over $130,000 for Clinton’s campaign, according to federal election records. According to public filings, approximately one in 15 dollars given to Priorities USA Action, a Super PAC coordinating directly with Secretary Clinton’s campaign, came from oil, gas and coal interests.

Oil and gas companies have contributed more than $700,000 to Clinton’s campaigns throughout her political career, according to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics.

“Bernie believes it is critical that the next president acts to curb the worst effects of climate change by acting boldly to move our energy system away from fossil fuels,” said Jeff Weaver, Sanders’ campaign manager. “He also believes you cannot take on an industry if you take their money. If the Clinton campaign wants to argue that industry lobbyists giving thousands of dollars to her campaign won’t affect her decisions if she’s elected, that’s fine. But to call us liars for pointing out basic facts about the secretary’s fundraising is deeply cynical and very disappointing. Secretary Clinton owes Sen. Sanders an apology.”

https://berniesanders.com/press-release/clintons-close-ties-to-the-oil-coal-and-gas-industry/