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We face a critical end-of-quarter fundraising deadline on September 30 at midnight. Every contribution made before then is being matched dollar for dollar.
Many would be surprised to learn that in 2016, I was a Bernie supporter.
One of the main reasons was that you always knew where he stood. I didn’t agree with everything in his platform, but I respected his consistency.
Since his college days, Bernie’s proposals and policies have remained largely unchanged.
He stood up for what he believed, regardless of polls or political pressure. I thought he genuinely cared about improving people’s lives—and he was willing to work across the aisle for the common good.
By contrast, Hillary Clinton in 2016 embodied the opposite. I had been a massive fan of the 1990s Hillary, when, as First Lady, she pushed for healthcare reform and spoke of abortion as something that should be rare. But by 2016, she shifted like the wind, likely convinced that certain positions would help her win the presidency.
The Democratic National Committee made its own calculation. Party leaders believed Bernie was too weak a candidate to beat Donald Trump and moved decisively to nominate Hillary, even as Sanders led in the polls.
We all know how that ended.
Bernie didn’t walk away. Ever loyal, he continued to campaign for Democrats — even those who didn’t align perfectly with his views. In 2017, he stumped for Heath Mello, a pro-life Democrat running for mayor of Omaha. Sanders understood that a Democratic win was still a win, regardless of one’s position on abortion.
But NARAL’s president erupted, forcing DNC Chair Tom Perez to demand Mello renounce his pro-life views.
Mello, once ahead in the polls, lost.
Fast-forward to today: Bernie 2.0 is done playing nice with the Democratic elite.
Alongside his allies in the Democratic Socialists of America, he’s calling out the party establishment.
His “Fighting the Oligarchy” tour centers on a blunt truth: “A handful of incredibly wealthy people, multi-billionaires, have enormous power and control over our economy, over our media, and over our political system.”
While many assume he means Republicans, Bernie makes clear that Democrats are part of the problem, too.
And the message is landing. At a rally in Chicago, Sanders declared, “If we do not all stand together, we will all go down together.” The crowd erupted.
During her campaign for president, Bernie Sanders offered Kamala Harris some sage advice: “Please focus on the working class, not just on abortion.”
I wish she had listened.
Meanwhile, the DNC struggles with fundraising, while Sanders, AOC, and their allies are building real war chests.
Many already speculate that AOC could be the Democratic nominee in 2028. Bernie is passing the mantle, determined that the next generation won’t repeat his mistakes. Don’t trust the Democratic elite. Build independent strength.
For decades, the establishment ignored him.
Now, his movement is proving it can thrive without them. The Democratic Party may never be able to put this genie back in the bottle.
For those of us who dream of a Democratic Party big enough to welcome pro-lifers in its ranks, that is good news.
The Whole Life Democrat Substack is a project of Democrats for Life. To receive new posts and support our organization’s work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
You can also make a direct donation to support our mission at democratsforlife.org/donate
We face a critical end-of-quarter fundraising deadline on September 30 at midnight. Every contribution made before then is being matched dollar for dollar.
I wish Kamala had listened to what Bernie said too- believe it or not though, in the VT 2024 races, Kamala running for President actually did a tiny bit BETTER than Bernie running for his incumbent Senate seat, so politics is very complicated, to say the least. Anyway, I really wish she had more time to run a better campaign so she would be president instead of the corrupt, cruel, destructive conman.
Is AOC also willing to accept proLifers in the Democratic party?