Continued ...
Presidential Ambitions
In April 2015, Sanders announced that he was seeking the presidential nomination for the Democratic Party. This longtime independent made the party switch largely out of political necessity. "It would require an enormous amount of time, energy and money just to get on the ballot in 50 states" as an independent, he said to USA Today. "It made a lot more sense for me to work within the Democratic primary system where it's much easier to get on the ballot and have a chance to debate the other candidates."
Experts think it is unlikely that Sanders will be able to wrestle the Democratic nomination away from frontrunner Hillary Clinton. But, according to an Associated Press report, Sanders isn't worried about being an underdog in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. "People should not underestimate me." As a veteran independent, he has "run outside of the two-party system, defeating Democrats and Republicans, taking on big-money candidates."
In fact, Sanders has made impressive strides in challenging Clinton during the presidential primaries and gaining favor in the polls. The most recent Quinnipiac University poll (released in February 2016) shows that he was favored above all the top running candidates and would even beat out Republican frontrunner Donald Trump — 49 to 39 percent, respectively — in a general election. (Sanders's numbers surpassed Clinton's 46 to 41 percent matchup with Trump.)
Sanders's platform focuses on issues of inequality in the United States. Economically, he favors tax reform that increases rates for the wealthy, greater governmental oversight of Wall Street and balancing the disparity between wages for men and women. He also believes in a state-administered health care system, more-affordable higher education — which includes tuition-free public college and universities — and an expansion of the Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid systems. A social liberal, he also supports same-sex marriage and is pro-choice.
Trademarks of His Campaign
One of the trademarks that defines Sanders's campaign is his call for a "political revolution," which asks for everyday citizens to become active in the political process and be the change they want to see on any given issue.
The other trademark is his fight to take corporate money out of politics, specifically, overturning the Citizens United ruling, which allows corporations and the wealthy elite to pour unlimited amounts of money into campaigns. Such money, Sanders vehemently argues, undermines democracy by skewing policies that favor the extremely rich.
Of the ruling, he has said: "As a result of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, American democracy is being undermined by the ability of the Koch brothers and other billionaire families. These wealthy contributors can literally buy politicians and elections by spending hundreds of millions of dollars in support of the candidates of their choice. We need to overturn Citizens United and move toward public funding of elections so that all candidates can run for office without being beholden to the wealthy and powerful."
Record-Breaking Online Grassroots Fundraising
Staying true to his principles, Sanders relies almost solely on small individual donations rather than Super PACs to run his presidential primary race. To the surprise of many and admittedly, to Sanders himself, he has made an unprecedented mark on campaign fundraising in American politics. In December 2015 Time magazine wrote "Bernie Sanders has broken the fundraising record for most contributions at this point in a presidential campaign," even surpassing President Obama's fundraising record for his 2011 re-election bid.
In February of 2016, it was reported that Sanders had "received 3.7 million contributions from some 1.3 million individual contributors," averaging $27 a person. In March, Sanders's campaign reportedly raised over $96 million dollars in total contributions.
Historical Michigan Primary Victory
Sanders's Michigan primary victory is considered to be one of the greatest upsets in modern political history. He won 50 to 48, despite the latest polls showing he was trailing Clinton at least 20 percentage points.
The only time such an egregious polling error was recorded was during the 1984 Democratic primary when polls showed Walter Mondale leading Gary Hart by 17 percentage points. Hart actually won Michigan by more than nine points.
Sanders's shocking win was a testament that his liberal populist message could resonate within a diverse state such as Michigan and beyond. It was also a huge psychological blow to Clinton's campaign which had hoped to seal her nomination with ease.
Democratic Primary Abroad Win, AIPAC Absence
In March 2016 Sanders won the Democrats Abroad international primary by 69 percent. Over 34,000 American citizens cast their votes in 38 countries, with 13 delegates for the taking.
Sanders also made more headlines news in March as the first presidential candidate — and the only Jewish one — in the 2016 race to abstain from attending the AIPAC conference, an annual pro-Israel lobbying event. Although Sanders cited his busy campaign schedule for preventing him from participating, some considered his absence controversial. Pro-Palestinian groups, to their satisfaction, viewed his move as a defiant political statement.
Despite the different interpretations, Sanders gave a foreign policy speech remotely as a way of expressing what he would have said if he had attended AIPAC. In the speech he stressed the need for mutual respect and a push for eventual direct talks between Israel and Palestine.
Visit to the Vatican
Sanders made history as the only presidential candidate to ever be invited to the Vatican to speak on moral, environmental and economic issues.
Amid a contentious New York primary, Sanders flew out for a brief visit to a conference on social sciences in Rome in April 2016. Sanders and Pope Francis have often been cited as carrying similar moral anthems in regard to the economy and the environment.
Sanders had the opportunity to meet the Pope briefly, but the latter stressed the meet-and-greet was purely out of courtesy so as to not politicize the event.
Personal Life
In 1964 Sanders married his college sweetheart Deborah Shiling, but the couple divorced two years later. In 1968 he met Susan Mott and the two had a son, Levi, in 1969.
Sanders met his second wife Jane O'Meara right before becoming mayor of Burlington, Vermont in 1981. A long-time educator, O'Meara would eventually become president of Burlington College. The two married in 1988. O'Meara has three children from a previous marriage. Between them, the couple has four children and seven grandchildren.
Sanders's older brother, Larry, is a British academic and politician, who is currently the Health Spokesperson for the leftist Green Party of England and Wales.
(
source)
