REALLY stupid question here.

Almost afraid to ask it but. . . my understanding is that Bernie is still an Independent but he's running for the Democratic Party nomination with the party's blessing. Is that right? There seems to be some disagreement as to whether Bernie is an I or a D. Anyone?

ETA: Do we list him as Bernie Sanders (I-VT) or Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT)?

Can someone answer a Bernie question that was emailed to me?

I couldn't find anything on the website and I thought someone here might know. This is the question:

I wished to ask him his opinion on the Israel-Palestine conflict, and his thoughts on Benjamin Netanyahu. I also wanted to know whether or not he would place sanctions on Israel for their actions if he we're to become president.

Anyone know how to answer this?

Thanks,
LTH

Sanders Wins South Carolina Labor Backing

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa – Speaking at a union hall here, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders on Saturday welcomed news that the South Carolina AFL-CIO executive board passed a resolution supporting his candidacy for the Democratic Party presidential nomination and recommending his endorsement by the state and national labor organization.

“We call on the AFL-CIO, union members and working people everywhere to unite behind Bernie Sanders and elect the president America’s workers desperately need,” the resolution said. The resolution “strongly urges” the national AFL-CIO to endorse Sanders.
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https://berniesanders.com/press-release/sanders-wins-south-carolina-labor-backing/

Bernie Sanders becomes the first candidate to speak out on Sandra Bland: “We need real police reform

Source: Salon

Bernie Sanders released a forceful statement blasting the conduct of Sandra Bland’s arresting officer as “police abuse” and calling for “real police reform.” So far, Sanders is the only presidential candidate to speak publicly about the death of Bland while in police custody.



The arrest and subsequent death of the 28-year-old African American woman in a small Texas town set-off a national outcry last week after local officials ruled her death in a jell cell a suicide. Witness cell phone footage later released revealed Bland yelling during the arrest that the officer had slammed her head on the ground. Authorities said she hung herself with a plastic bag in a jail cell three days later on July 13.

Following Sanders’ tense confrontation with #BlackLivesMatters activists at the progressive Netroots Nation conference in Phoenix on Saturday, the independent Vermont senator added a passage to his stump speech in Houston on Sunday referencing Bland’s death, a reference the Texas Tribune said drew the longest and loudest applause from the crowd. “It is unacceptable that police officers beat up people or kill people,” Sanders told the audience in Houston. “If they do that, they have got to be held accountable.”

After dashcam video of Bland’s arrest was released last night showing the officer, who had pulled Bland over for what he described as failing to signal a turn, open Bland’s driver side door and threaten to “light her up” with his taser if she didn’t stop smoking a cigarette and exit the vehicle, Sanders was quick to release a statement Tuesday condemning the arrest:

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(Thank you, WillieT for the link.)

Read more: http://www.salon.com/2015/07/22/bernie_sanders_becomes_the_first_candidate_to_speak_out_on_sandra_bland_we_need_real_police_reform/

Bernie Sanders does not like the DNC's debate schedule and line-up

Senator Bernie Sanders, (I), is very unhappy with the debate schedule of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) and is planning to contact Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, (D,Fla.), to request additions to the slate of debates that has been approved by the DNC to date. Sanders even has suggested that he may break tradition and go outside the process to acquire more debates in different places, including red states in which Democrats usually do not fare well. Sanders even has expressed a desire to participate in debates that include about a dozen Democrats and Republicans, according to ABC News on Thursday.

When asked his views on Hillary Clinton, Sanders expressed his objections to her unwillingness to state her position on the controversial Free Trade Agreement (Trans-Pacific Partnership) initiated by President Barack Obama. Sanders cited both environmental groups and labor unions as having serious objections to the Free Trade Agreement. According to Sanders, a majority of Democrats in Congress object to the Free Trade Agreement. Sanders suggested that Hillary Clinton is in a position to influence the Congressional debate on this matter.

Although Sanders is an Independent, he is running and competing in Democratic primary elections in the various primaries and caucuses nationwide. If he does win the Democratic Nomination, he will be the first candidate ever to win the nomination as a presidential candidate in a major political party as an Independent. Sanders always has been a trailblazer and this time he is on the hot path to debates on the campaign trail. If he does well in the Iowa Caucus and the early primaries, he will gain momentum that could sustain him throughout the campaign, including the red states.



http://www.examiner.com/article/bernie-sanders-does-not-like-the-dnc-s-debate-schedule-and-line-up

20 Examples of Bernie Sanders' Powerful Record on Civil and Human Rights Since the 1950s

Over the past few months, one lingering blemish on Bernie Sanders' candidacy for the Democratic nomination is his indifference to racial justice and civil rights issues.

But the truth is, Sanders has a 50-year history of standing up for civil and minority rights, as he told the attendants of Netroots Nation after he was interrupted by Black Lives Matter protesters. Of course, it's understandable that they want to bring attention to the movement. Killings of people from Ferguson to New York City to Los Angeles to Atlanta have finally brought important issues like police brutality, systemic racism, mass incarceration and militarization of the police into the center of national dialogue.

It is up to all candidates for the presidency, including every Democrat, every Republican and independent candidates, to address these issues in a forthright manner and to do outreach and communicate with communities that are besieged by these problems. Although his events in Phoenix, Houston and Dallas, where he loudly condemned police brutality and racism were a start, Sanders owes it to pay attention to these activists and listen to the concerns of marginalized groups whose civil rights have historically been suppressed. Sanders does have a record of fighting on these issues, and it should be only natural for him to be able to comfortably address them before a diverse audience.

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http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/20-examples-bernie-sanders-powerful-record-civil-and-human-rights-1950s

One Chart Shows Just How Impressive Bernie Sanders' Massive Crowds Really Are

Woo Hoo!! Gully Washer here in Central California.

Southern California got one earlier. It looks like it's our turn. Thunder, lightening and SHEETS of rain. MAN do we need this!

We were driving home from the Central Coast yesterday

when all of a sudden this guy drives up to us in the next lane, honks at us and begins gesticulating wildly and giving us the thumbs-up sign. At first I couldn't understand what he was "saying" when my husband says, "It's your Bernie bumper sticker." It made me smile.

Alright, you guys,

I FINALLY did it. AGAINST MY BETTER JUDGMENT I signed up on Facebook but ONLY because I wanted to hook up with other Bernie supporters. Problem is, I have NO idea how to do this.

Help!!!!

Thank you in advance.