I’m on the road in the other direction this weekend, but East River Democrats and Independents, if you need another reason to go to the Cities this weekend, go see Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speak in Minneapolis Sunday morning! The Vermont independent will make his case for picking him over Hillary Clinton at the Minneapolis American Indian Center (hmm, does that venue choice matter politically?) Sunday, with Sanders starting the town meeting at 10:00 a.m. Get there at 9:30 a.m. for coffee and bagels… or maybe earlier: 2,400 people have signed up online to attend. A Sanders event in Davenport, Iowa, last night drew 2.5 times as many people as expected, and the 73-year-old Sanders stayed past 10 p.m. to answer their questions.
So I wonder: would South Dakota Democrats like to invite Sanders to our county fairs to make some speeches like this:
Today, we stand here and say loudly and clearly that; “Enough is enough. This great nation and its government belong to all of the people, and not to a handful of billionaires, their Super-PACs and their lobbyists.”
Brothers and sisters: Now is not the time for thinking small. Now is not the time for the same old – same old establishment politics and stale inside-the-beltway ideas….
American democracy is not about billionaires being able to buy candidates and elections. It is not about the Koch brothers, Sheldon Adelson and other incredibly wealthy individuals spending billions of dollars to elect candidates who will make the rich richer and everyone else poorer. According to media reports the Koch brothers alone, one family, will spend more money in this election cycle than either the Democratic or Republican parties. This is not democracy. This is oligarchy. In Vermont and at our town meetings we know what American democracy is supposed to be about. It is one person, one vote – with every citizen having an equal say – and no voter suppression. And that’s the kind of American political system we have to fight for and will fight for in this campaign [Bernie Sanders, prepared remarks, 2015.05.26, reported in OB Rag, 2015.05.27].
Senator Sanders sounds an awful lot like former Senate candidate Rick Weiland, our own prairie populist who is fighting to take our country back from the plutocrats. Surely Senator Sanders could draw some crowds for the petition-signing parties Weiland will be hosting for his new organization’s ballot measures when they hit the streets.
Remember: South Dakota is Clinton Country… at least among Democrats. South Dakota was the only state in the north central U.S. to go for Clinton in the 2008 primaries. Insurgents for Bernie might get a stern look from the establishment Dems (we still have a few!). But the degradation of democracy by oligarchs that Bernie Sanders is talking about fits perfectly with the themes that Rick Weiland and we petitioners are developing here in South Dakota. We could benefit from a visit from the Vermont Independent to cheer us on… and he could benefit with a tactical strike against the Clinton campaign in South Dakota to tell us populists, “Hey! I’m your guy!”
Bernie, if you’re listening, let’s talk about bringing you to the Brown County Fair in August….
The Brown County Fair 2nd largest in the state staffed by volunteers would be an excellent venue for Bernie Sanders to speak at and meet South Dakotans while checking out the fair.
Go Bernie 2016!
Go Bernie!!!!!!! Are there any anti-establishment Democrats that are going to support an Independent?
Tara,
Last time I checked Bernie Sanders is running for the Democratic Presidential nomination and does not want to jeopardize whomever the Democratic nominee’s chances going into the general election. Plus it is much harder to run a 50 state & US territory campaign and fundraise being an independent candidate.
Independent Senator Bernie Sanders did give a great 2016 presidential candidate announcement speech from the city he was Mayor for many years this past week on CSPAN Road to the Whitehouse series. It should still be there to watch.
Get on the Bernie Bandwagon……this guy’s the real deal. Elizabeth Warren will make a great running-mate with Bernie. This crazy train drama queen is supporting BS…….Bernie Sanders.
And here I read recently that Tara washed her hands of politics, must have been another idle promise.
I recall many South Dakotan Democratic Party members divided. In 2008 I was an Obama supporter as I viewed Clinton as too much into Corporatism and wanted fresh ideas. I still hold that view, but if a race was held and she was the nominee, a vote for her would be a step above any of the GOP contenders and Supreme Court appointees are on the line.
I would LOVED to see Bernie Sanders and fully intend on volunteering and donating as he speaks the truth and really is the only candidate for the people. A Sanders / Warren ticket would be a dream come true, but both would have to be replaced by as genuine a people in Senate x 58 more.
I think enough people are waking up and I think he stands a great chance of being elected. There are Republicans disillusioned with how their party is becoming thst like Sanders as well.
I’m with you Jackilope. I’m for Bernie all the way! Here is his website:
https://berniesanders.com
As luck would have it, I am in the Twin Cities this weekend. So glad to learn that Bernie is here as well. I definitely will be there to hear Bernie. It makes the 8.5 hour drive from Rapid well worth the trip. Am I a lefty? Damn right! Or would that be left? Anyway, supporting Bernie will push Hillary to the left, so money sent to Bernie will not necessarily be wasted. GIVE GENEROUSLY.
Barry, What luck! I’ll be happy to commission you as special correspondent and publish any photos and observations you may bring home from the Sanders event tomorrow.
Another reason to back Bernie Sanders: he’ll show that guys named Bernie can get electoral traction and give Bernie Hunhoff a little encouragement to run for Senate against John Thune.
Senator Sanders at Mount Rushmore pledging to return the Black Hills to the Lakotah. Now there’s some national press and awareness raising. #BernieForAll PS… so glad to see the name of the “Harney” removed from the big hill. It would have been an interesting legal case if the panel hadn’t recommended the name change. In so much as, the land rightly belongs to the Lakotah then how does a panel of anyone but Lakotah have standing within the Black Hills at all?