Friends -
We hear a lot lately about "bipartisanship." What does that really mean?
I don't want to overstate the situation, but the truth is that on many of the major issues facing our country there is widespread "bipartisan" support among ordinary people. The problem is that in Washington, an increasingly right-wing Republican Party is way out of touch with their constituents, and the needs of the working families of our country. Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has made it clear. No matter what the American people want, Republicans will do anything and everything to defeat legislation that is desperately needed and is popular.
According to recent polls:
89% of Democrats and 79% of Republicans support expanding Medicare to include dental, hearing and vision care.
86% of Democrats and 70% of Republicans support providing seniors with improved and expanded home health care.
But would legislation to provide those services get the 10 Republican votes in the Senate we need to over a filibuster?
No. No it would not.
78% of Democrats and 62% of Republicans think marijuana should be made legal. Just this past year voters in Arizona, New Jersey, Montana and South Dakota all voted to legalize marijuana.
Could a bill to legalize marijuana get 10 Republican votes in the Senate to overcome a filibuster?
No. No it would not.
98% of Democrats and 84% of Republicans support requiring expanded background checks for all gun purchases.
92% of Democrats and 58% of Republicans say climate change is either a critical or important threat to our planet.
A majority of Americans, including Republicans, support ideas like raising the minimum wage, lowering prescription drug prices and forgiving some amount of student debt.
Would any of these ideas get 10 Republican votes in the Senate to overcome a filibuster?
No. No they would not.
So Democrats have a choice right now.
Yes. Everybody would like to see bipartisanship in the Senate. But what is most important is that at a time when this country is facing unprecedented health crises, economic crises, educational crises, mental health crises, racial justice crises and immigration crises we need to move NOW. At a time when climate crises are threatening the very well-being of the planet we need to move NOW.
So, the choice we face is not complicated. Either we go forward and address the needs of the American people and attempt to save the planet, or we continue to talk for months and years about "bipartisanship" – and do nothing. To me the answer is obvious. We do it.
No senior is going to refuse their hearing aid or glasses because our legislation didn’t pass with Republican support.
No working family is going to decline a raise in their minimum wage pay because it didn’t pass with Republican support.
No student whose loans were forgiven is going to delay starting their own business because their debt was forgiven without Republican support.
No parent is going to demand to pay six times more for their child’s insulin than in other countries because legislation that lowered prescription drug prices didn’t pass with bipartisan support.
The issue isn’t whether or not we can get a few Republicans to vote on legislation that an overwhelming majority of their constituents support. The issue is whether Democrats are prepared to go forward without them.
Because the bottom line is the American people want results. And I believe that if Democrats deliver they will not only be addressing some of the long-neglected crises facing our country, but they will expand their majorities in the midterm elections. If Democrats do not act aggressively on behalf of the American people, there is an excellent chance they will lose control over the House and the Senate.
In other words, what we do now is not only good policy but is good politics.
Right now, Democrats need to stand up and address the needs of the working families of this country, even if it happens without Republican support.
Let them know you’ll stand with them if they do:
At a time when half of our people are living paycheck to paycheck and real, inflation-accounted-for wages have not gone up for workers in 48 years, the task at hand is not to please talk show pundits or to create a phony "bipartisanship" which accomplishes nothing.
The time is NOW to address the needs of the American people, millions of whom are working two or three jobs just to put food on the table and a roof over their head.
The bad news is our agenda does not appear to have much support among Republicans in Congress.
The good news is that our agenda has significant support among the working people of our country – Republicans and Democrats.
Let us go forward and get it done. Let's pass the most consequential legislation in the modern history of our country. Let's have the courage to stand up to the powerful corporate interests. Let's represent the working families of this country.
In solidarity,
Bernie Sanders
Paid for by Friends of Bernie Sanders
PO BOX 391, Burlington, VT 05402
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