May 17, 2005
Dear Friends:
As you may know, Vermont Senator Jim Jeffords recently announced that he will not be seeking re-election. Although an official announcement is many months in the future, I have made it clear to Vermonters that I will be running to succeed Senator Jeffords to become the first elected Independent Senator in modern American history. I would be most appreciative for your help now as we gear up for this historic race.
The 2006 Vermont Senate race will be one of the most important and closely watched campaigns in the country. The Republicans, still furious that Senator Jeffords chose to leave their extreme right-wing party in 2001, are prepared to spend "as much as it takes" to defeat me and win that seat back. There are estimates that they will put up to $10 million in this race, five times more than has ever been spent in an election in Vermont. We must not let them buy this seat.
As you know, I have spent the last 15 years as Vermont's only Representative in the U.S. House, and I am now the longest serving Independent member of Congress in American history. During that time I have fought vigorously for the needs of America's middle class and working families, for safeguarding the environment and for a world of peace and social justice. In the process, I have taken on some of the most powerful and wealthy corporate special interests in the world. Trust me. Not only will we have the Republican National Committee spending millions on this campaign but we're also going to see huge contributions to my opponent from the pharmaceutical industry, insurance companies, banks, credit card companies and all those elements of corporate America who are ripping off workers and consumers.
While the Republican Party and corporate America have an endless supply of money at their disposal, we have something far more important. We will have the grass-roots support of thousands of working Vermonters, and a strong network of friends throughout the country. Frankly, I was blown away and deeply gratified by the response in Vermont to a survey by MoveOn.org only days after Senator Jeffords' announcement which indicated that 2,500 Vermonters on the MoveOn lists were already prepared to get involved in the campaign. That's extraordinary, and will help lay the groundwork for one of the most exciting grass-roots campaigns in modern American history.
I am very proud of the record that I've established in the House, but together we can do even more in the Senate. We will continue the fight for working families there but, equally important, we can begin to change the very nature of the debate, and force the Senate to address the real issues facing our country-- the issues that they would prefer to avoid.
Instead of talking about cuts in Medicaid and Medicare, we can demand that the United States join the rest of the world and adopt a national health care program that guarantees health care for all.
Instead of debating Bush's desire to privatize Social Security and lower benefits, we can fight to strengthen Social Security, increase benefits and substantially lower the cost of prescription drugs.
Instead of giving tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires and cutting back on the needs of low and moderate income people, we can demand that the wealthy pay their fair share of taxes and that we create the affordable housing and educational opportunities that working families need.
Instead of providing more corporate welfare to the oil companies, we can break our dependency on fossil fuel and move this country toward safe and sustainable energy.
Instead of allowing corporate America to throw American workers out on the street as corporations outsource and export our jobs overseas, we can develop a trade policy which is based on fair trade, rather than unfettered free trade.
Instead of tolerating a situation where millions of Americans are discouraged from voting, we can guarantee the sanctity of the ballot, open up the electoral process to all Americans and pass strong campaign finance reform.
Instead of undermining constitutional rights through the USA Patriot Act and other actions, we can strengthen civil liberties and the right of dissent.
Instead of undertaking a unilateral foreign policy, we can work with the international community to not only fight terrorism, but get at the roots of terrorism.
Instead of eliminating a woman’s right to choose, we can push for wage parity for women in the workplace.
And when President Bush sends up reactionary candidates to become federal judges, we can tell him "No Way."
I know that I do not have to tell you how dangerous these times are. In Washington today, under the leadership of George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Tom DeLay and Bill Frist we have the most reactionary government in the modern history of America - leaders who are subservient to corporate interests and right-wing extremists. For the sake of our children and grandchildren we must fight back vigorously - and that is exactly what I intend to do as a United States Senator.
In closing, let me thank those of you who have supported me in the past. Without that support, we would not be poised to launch this historic campaign for the U.S. Senate. Your help is all the more important because, as always, I will not accept corporate PAC money.
Please contribute, if you can, by clicking here, or send a check today to Sanders for Senate PO Box 391 Burlington, VT 05402. To volunteer on the campaign click here. Also, I encourage you to visit our campaign website regularly-- www.bernie.org -- for news and information about the campaign. Let’s make history together!
Sincerely,
Congressman Bernie Sanders
http://www.bernie.org/
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