Bernie Sanders will launch organizations to spread progressive message

[n2doc]

by Nicole Gaudiano, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — His presidential aspirations behind him, Bernie Sanders is looking ahead to a busy future in which he continues to focus on nothing less than transforming the Democratic Party and the country.

In an exclusive interview with USA TODAY, the Vermont senator detailed plans to launch educational and political organizations within the next few weeks to keep his progressive movement alive. The Sanders Institute will help raise awareness of "enormous crises” facing Americans. The Our Revolution political organization will help recruit, train and fund progressive candidates' campaigns. And a third political organization may play a more direct role in campaign advertising.

Sanders plans to support at least 100 candidates running for a wide range of public offices — from local school boards to Congress — at least through the 2016 elections. And he’ll continue to raise funds for candidates while campaigning for them all over the country. He said he probably will campaign for Tim Canova, a progressive primary challenger to Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, who chairs the Democratic National Committee.

“If we are successful, what it will mean is that the progressive message and the issues that I campaigned on will be increasingly spread throughout this country,” Sanders said. “The goal here is to do what I think the Democratic establishment has not been very effective in doing. And that is at the grass-roots level, encourage people to get involved, give them the tools they need to win, help them financially.”

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http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/07/15/bernie-sanders-progressive-message/87073052/

[demmiblue]

1. Bernie is keeping on keeping on!

I am so proud to have voted for him!

He's calling for increased grass-roots activism, opening up primaries to independent voters, and reforming the rules that allowed many superdelegates — the party officials and leaders who are free to vote for the candidate of their choice at each convention — to endorse Clinton early in this year's process, before Sanders became a candidate.

Sanders said Democrats' loss of about 900 state legislative seats in nearly eight years tells him a strong grass-roots movement is needed to get people to run for office and to show them how — from getting on the ballot to running TV ads. Our Revolution, a 501(c)(4) political organization, will work with several progressive groups to train and vet candidates.

He especially wants young people and working people — two of his key constituencies — to feel comfortable about getting more involved in the political process. As a progressive agenda becomes more accepted by the mainstream, he said, more elected officials will be prepared to take on big-money interests and other issues he addressed in his campaign.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

2. Just signed up --

and shared. Very excited for this next step.

[Sandersdemocrat2020]

3. Right On!

This is exactly what I have been hoping for. Bernie will be able to lead the Political Revolution from the Senate. I hope as many qualified Progressives as possible will mobilize and run for elected office across the Country. Bernie started something that I hope will change the American Political Landscape. Great stuff.

[andym]

4. The main point of Sander's candidacy was to promote progressive change

in the USA and the Democratic Party. It would be great if he could get even more progressives to run.

[HereSince1628]

5. Great, I've been over-ready for this. It's been hard to be patient even while understanding

that Sanders really was working effectively for progress by influencing the platform and the convention.