Sanders Supporters Pledge to “#DemExit” and “#GreenEnter” to Make a Home in a Party That Shares Their Core Values
Online contributions to the Green Party tripled after Sanders’ capitulated to Biden, and ten times as many people signed up to volunteer.
“It’s time for people to see that backing progressive candidates in the ‘Democratic’ Party is a dead end.”
The Green Party of the United States reported an explosion of interest in their party following Senator Bernie Sanders’ announcement on Wednesday that he was officially suspending his campaign.
“We knew we had to act fast to meet this moment,” said Green Party National Co-Chair Justin Beth, who served as a Sanders delegate during the 2016 Democratic National Convention before joining the Green Party. “Last time, Sanders campaigned through the final primary date. I think his ending things now took most of his supporters by surprise, and us too.”
The party responded by posting a “Green Party Message to Sanders Campaign Supporters” on social media, offering Sanders supporters a “home” that is fully-aligned with their core issues, such as bold action to avert a climate catastrophe, implementing Improved and Expanded Medicare-For-All, and abolishing student debt. The statement also expressed sympathy for Sanders supporters who had been “abused and marginalized” by the corporate-leaning Democratic National Committee leadership and their surrogates among the pundit class.
“Sanders ending things now took most of his supporters by surprise.”
The statement went on to assert their shared policy goals are impossible “so long as the Democrats and Republicans can operate as an anti-democratic cartel at the behest of this country's elite” and offered Proportional Representation, Ranked Choice Voting and fully-public campaign financing as tools to make “political revolution” a reality.
Within hours of Sanders’ announcement and the Green Party’s response, “Green Party” was trending on Twitter and their tweeted statement has now garnered over 5000 “likes” and almost 2000 retweets.
But Sanders supporters are contributing more than just social media hits. “Online contributions tripled our usual single-day average, and we had ten times the usual number of people signing up to volunteer,” said national co-chair Gloria Mattera.
“We are working overtime to connect with these passionate activists,” continued Mattera. “They are asking how they can help and we want to know their interests, we want them to know this is a party that belongs to all of its members, not the 1%. They could be the seeds of the next generation of Green Party leaders and breakout candidates.”
“Policy goals are impossible “so long as the Democrats and Republicans can operate as an anti-democratic cartel.”
The Greens will focus on orienting new supporters toward connecting with state and local Green Party organizations and candidates, along with national mobilizing for the presidential general election. "We are calling on former Sanders supporters to not only Vote Green in 2020, but Register Green and prepare to run as Greens in the future. The revolution is here," said national co-chair Trahern Crews.
"It’s time for people to see that backing progressive candidates in the ‘Democratic’ Party is a dead end, whereas building the Green Party would allow candidates we believe in to have a shot at winning general elections, running as Greens,” said Beth. “These progressive candidates can’t win their race if they’re not even allowed to get to the starting line.”
The Green Party will decide on its nominee for president at a national convention scheduled for July 11. The party has not yet officially decided on a “virtual” format for their convention but that appears inevitable amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The officially-recognized candidates for the Green Party’s presidential nomination are Dario Hunter, David Rolde and Howie Hawkins.
This article previously appeared in Independent Political Report.
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