User:Rebrana/sandbox/Draft Bernie for a People's Party

'''  Draft Bernie for a People’s Party '''

Draft Bernie for a People’s Party is an American progressive political grassroots movement started by former campaign staffers, delegates and volunteers of the Bernie Sanders 2016 Democratic Party primary as a response to a growing demand for third parties and independent political choices outside the two major parties. The group, which launched its website and social media presence on February 9, 2017, argues that instead of trying to reform the Democratic Party, progressives should start a new “people’s party” which represents the interests of the majority of Americans. Draft Bernie for a People’s Party, also known as “Draft Bernie,” quickly grew in popularity to be a predominant voice of the #DemExit movement, as an alternative to the #DemEnter movement, both of these representing alternative strategies vis-a-vis the Democratic Party that grew out of the 2016 Presidential Election, and both with the stated goal to reduce the influence of money in politics and empower individuals over large corporate and special interests. Draft Bernie for a People’s Party is very active in social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Reddit. The Draft Bernie for a People's Party Facebook page has thousands of views on a regular basis and has become a source for progressives seeking commentary and context on current political events from a progressive perspective. Bernie Sanders himself is not a member of the Democratic Party and exited the party to be an independent again as shortly after the Democratic National Convention.

Endorsements
Draft Bernie has been endorsed by prominent Sanders surrogates. One of the first such surrogate who endorsed the movement is Josh Fox, who participated in one of the first weekly Draft Bernie National Organizing Calls and expressed his support for the concept of Bernie Sanders being the founder of a new party to the hundreds of people all other the country who were on the line. Other prominent Bernie surrogates followed. Dr. Cornel West, a staunch supporter of Bernie Sanders in the Democratic party primary, and an advocate for more people oriented government, endorsed Draft Bernie in an appearance with founder Nick Brana in a [https://www.democracynow.org/2017/4/25/cornel_west_former_sanders_staffer_on DemocracyNow! Interview in April 25, 2017]. Dr. West’s endorsement was very significant given his stature as an uncompromising champion of progressive values and his close ties to “brother Bernie,” as Dr. West often refers to the senator. Dr. West went on to extend his support by participating in a Draft Bernie Town Hall Meeting at the People’s Convergence Conference held at the American University in Washington DC in September 9, 2017, and saying “there is no other place I would rather be than here,” in advocating for a new party and Bernie’s participation in launching it.

Other significant support from progressives came from RoseAnn DeMoro, the Executive Director of the 185,000 strong National Nurses United union, who endorsed Bernie Sanders for the primary and who at the People’s Summit, in front of a crowd of 4,000 in attendance to listen to Senator Bernie Sanders speak, and tens of thousands who watched the Bernie Sanders Live From The People’s Summit speech broadcast, said to the Draft Bernie supporters, “I am with you, nurses are we with them?” to the cheers of the crowd. RoseAnn DeMoro repeated her support for Draft Bernie in that same gathering by saying “leaders are cornered,” referring to Bernie Sanders being called by his followers to start a new party. Ms. DeMoro has also tweeted Draft Bernie’s petition calling on Bernie to found a new people’s party.

Additional support came in various statements by Nina Turner, president of Our Revolution, who has been critical of the Democratic Party and endorsed Bernie Sanders in the 2016 primaries. Nina Turner interviewed Nick Brana on the topic of a political revolution and the goals of Draft Bernie. She also showed her support on the Jimmy Dore show, “I want Bernie to do this,” in reference to Draft Bernie’s supporters calls for a people’s party.

The independent media has given wide coverage and support to the Draft Bernie movement, including various media appearances in programs such as the Jimmy Dore Show, Lee Camp, Tim Black, Real Progressives, The Young Turks, Ed Schultz Show, and others.

Draft Bernie for a People’s Party volunteers collected over 50,000 signatures on a petition to Bernie Sanders to found the new party. The Draft Bernie for a People’s Party petitions to Bernie Sanders was delivered to Sander’s congressional offices on September 8, 2017. The movement has also raised over $160,000 in Crowdpac pledges from small donors. The pledges would be used as seed money for the launching of the new party. With or without Bernie, Draft Bernie for a People’s Party volunteers have pledged to continue to work on third party alternatives and coalition building.

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Background
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Draft Bernie for a People’s Party originated as a movement when in November 20, 2016 Nick Brana, published an opinion article in the Huffington Post titled Bernie Can Be The Lincoln of Our Times. Following the publication of the article, Nick Brana started to be contacted by many progressives and activists that wanted to organize to make the concept of a new party for the people founded by Bernie Sanders a reality. Many of the supporters of the idea had been involved in the 2016 Democratic Party primary campaign supporting Bernie Sanders and were convinced that the Democratic Party establishment did not welcome progressives and was too deeply entrenched to ever support progressive candidates.

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Strategy
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Draft Bernie’s strategy is informed by a rapidly growing desire for a new major party in America. In the Summer of 2016, polls found that 57 percent of Americans want a major third party candidate on the general election ballot, up from 46 percent in 2012, including 91 percent of voters under 29 years old. In September of 2017, a Gallup Poll found that the desire for a major new party had has continue to grow and has reached a record high of 60 percent of Americans. Draft Bernie, as others, argue that both major parties no longer represent the interests of most Americans, who prefer to be independent or not participate in the political process altogether. Independent voters make up the majority of the US electorate. Draft Bernie, as well as other #DemExit advocates believe that independent voters could be attracted to a new party in large numbers, and that them, along with the large numbers in the coalition that Bernie Sanders put together for this run in the Democratic Party primary in 2016, a new party could become viable in a short time. Polls find that most Democrats are open to voting for a third party. This large group of Democrats, along with Green Party, Socialist Alternative, Justice Party, libertarians who supported Bernie, and other independent parties, along with disaffected Republican who supported Bernie Sanders, would rapidly grow to become a major political coalition that would set direction for politics in the US, and which organized into a political party could overtake both the Republican and Democratic parties.

Draft Bernie’s strategy has historic weight behind it. Change in the US political landscape, including the FDR’s New Deal, has typically come from grass root movements, third parties coalitions and labor unions. Draft Bernie cites political analysis which conclude that Third parties aren’t “spoilers,”, and that they are at the cutting edge of democracy, pressuring established parties to move in the direction of the people demanding more access to participation in the political process and policies that strengthen the social safety net and reduce inequality.