We first became friends when the Senator was a very early and enthusiastic supporter of the Employee Free Choice Act to give workers a real right to organize and bargain collectively. The Senator and I worked closely with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to get better wages and working conditions for South Florida farm workers. I was honored to be with the Senator in his office when he brought McDonald's Corp. and the Coalition together to sign an historic agreement.
We also worked together when I was Chief of Staff of the Utility Workers to try to pass President Obama's climate change bill. I know of no other political leader who is more authentic than Senator Bernie Sanders, more loyal to everyday Americans, more committed to a more just nation and world.
Please take a hard look at this letter he is sharing with you today!
Friend --
I am the son of a Polish immigrant who came to this country at the age of 17 without a nickel in his pocket. My father was a paint salesman who worked every day of his life. He never made a lot of money, and we were never able to get out of our small rented apartment, but he and my mom were able to see my brother and me get college degrees. A pretty big deal for our family.
Ever since I was a kid I never liked to see people without money or connections get put down or pushed around. When I came to Congress I tried to be a voice for people who did not have a voice - the elderly, the children, the sick and the poor. And that is what I will be doing as a candidate for president. I will raise the issues and fight the fights that most candidates will try to avoid.
My father loved this country because of the opportunities it gave him, the same opportunities that millions of other working class families have enjoyed. My parents and your parents worked hard so that their kids could do better. That is what the American Dream is all about. I am determined to do all that I can to make certain that that dream, that vision, does not disappear.
Together we can accomplish great things: we can create jobs for millions of Americans by rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure; we can make healthcare available for all through a Medicare for All Single Payer system; we can protect our planet from the ravages of climate change; we can save our democracy and government from the disastrous Citizens United Supreme Court decision and pernicious impact of billionaire money; we can end the grotesque level of income and wealth inequality; and we can use the great strength and power of this nation to achieve peace and real security.
Click here to join our campaign for president.
I believe that together we can change America, and breathe new life into the soul of our nation. That is what this campaign is all about.
Thank you for your support,
Senator Bernie Sanders