I recently posted about why I’ve joined the “Bernie or Bust” movement – why I will not compromise regarding my vote for U.S. President. A lot of people say it’s important for Democrats and people who lean Democrat to unite behind the nominee – regardless of who it is – in order to avoid a Trump presidency. The concern about what could happen if Trump were to become president is valid, but I don’t want to be dictated by fear, or to vote for the “lesser of two evils.” And frankly, a lot of polls have been consistently showing that Bernie is the Democratic candidate who has the best chances of winning the general election (Bernie has +13.4 chance vs Hillary’s +6.5).
chart from RealClearPolitics.com showing Bernie’s considerable lead over Trump in polls since January 1, 2016
chart from RealClearPolitics.com showing Hillary’s less impressive lead over Trump in polls since January 1, 2016
I’ve been saying for a while now that those of us who support not only Bernie but the political revolution, who want our government to be truly for and by the people, need to unite and vote for him in November – regardless of whether he is the Democratic nominee. In my post (link above) I asked readers to email an individual who is building a campaign for Bernie to run as an Independent, should the need arise. (Our first goal, of course, is for him to win the Democratic primary.)
a screenshot of the 4Berni.com website
Well, it took less than 2 weeks for the movement to gain over 2000 supporters! We now have our own website – 4Berni.com – which features a petition for him to run as an Independent if necessary. Our goal is to reach 2 million signatures in time to deliver the petition at the Democratic Convention in June.
If you’re a Bernie supporter, if you need access to healthcare, if you are not a multi-millionaire, if you are a member of a group that is regularly discriminated against, if you have student debt, if you want our planet to remain hospitable to human and other life, if you want people’s well-being to be prioritized over profits, etc. Please get involved in Bernie’s (official) campaign (for the Democratic nomination). Please commit to voting for him – in your state’s caucus or primary if you haven’t already, and in the general election on November 8th. (Visit CanIvote.org for information about your voter status, how to register, and how to vote.)
Please also sign the petition for Bernie Sanders to run as an Independent if he is not chosen as the Democratic nominee.
an image of the petition form on 4Berni.com
The form to sign the petition includes a space where you can describe the level of involvement you want to have in building a campaign for Bernie to WIN the presidency as an Independent candidate. It automatically registers petition signers to receive updates via email, but you can opt out by un-checking the box. This is an independent petition not linked to any of the popular online petition sites.
I think, if it’s ever been likely for a 3rd-party candidate to win an election, this is it. Bernie is the only candidate with a positive favorability rating. He’s “YUGE”-ly popular with non-affiliated and young voters. He’s been drawing massive crowds at rallies, inspiring marches, people have even made murals of him. He’s the person who has really made this campaign about the issues that are important to everyday Americans from day one. He is running a successful grassroots campaign that is entirely dependent on individual donations, and he has inspired record voter turnout.
He is also the only candidate who has outright stated that mental healthcare should be easily accessible for everyone.
So, yeah. Bernie or Bust! Are you in?
a day with depression 