Sen. Bernie Sanders as kicked-off his presidential campaign at an event in Burlington, Vermont in 2015. (Photo: AP)
Apr 21, 2018
Though nobody with a platform as sizeable as his has been more critical of the so-called "establishment" of the Democratic Party, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Friday that the agenda of the Trump administration will be effectively toast if congressional Republicans are toppled in the upcoming midterm elections.
"If Democrats control either the House or the Senate, Trump's agenda is dead," Sanders told the New York Times in an interview.
Appearing to offer fresh criticism of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), in charge of coordinating and allocating resources to campaigning party members, Sanders told the Times there's still "a tendency to believe that more conservative candidates are better positioned to win," even as large planks contained in his progressive agenda--like Medicare for All, fighting for a much higher minimum wage, defending labor unions and works, and fighting for far-reaching action on the climate crisis--have shown to be resonating much more with voters across the country.
Though Sanders himself proved to be a small-donation juggernaut, and showed how Democrats who stand on principle can raise huge sums of cash from inspired voters, he said it appears that the DCCC and the party are still looking for candidates wealthy or connected enough to "self-fund" their campaigns.
While Sanders said he does plan to endorse candidates in some Democratic primaries, the Times reports he is "still deciding where he can be most effective."
During public remarks earlier this month, Sanders drew condemnation from some party members for pointing out that "the business model" of the Democratic Party over the last decade and a half--given that it has lost about 1,000 seats in state legislatures during that time--"has been a failure."
But even the audience who heard those remarks "erupted in applause" when Sanders admitted the fact openly. As journalist Briahna Joy Gray asked about the incident, "Who could defend as successful the 'almost unprecedented' loss of legislative seats over the last ten years, or Hillary Clinton's defeat to game-show host Donald Trump?"
With an outpouring of energy geared toward dismantling the Trump administration and his GOP enablers in Congress, the question remains: Have Democrats learned enough lessons from their steady habit of defeat to not just win big, but govern boldly?
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Though nobody with a platform as sizeable as his has been more critical of the so-called "establishment" of the Democratic Party, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Friday that the agenda of the Trump administration will be effectively toast if congressional Republicans are toppled in the upcoming midterm elections.
"If Democrats control either the House or the Senate, Trump's agenda is dead," Sanders told the New York Times in an interview.
Appearing to offer fresh criticism of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), in charge of coordinating and allocating resources to campaigning party members, Sanders told the Times there's still "a tendency to believe that more conservative candidates are better positioned to win," even as large planks contained in his progressive agenda--like Medicare for All, fighting for a much higher minimum wage, defending labor unions and works, and fighting for far-reaching action on the climate crisis--have shown to be resonating much more with voters across the country.
Though Sanders himself proved to be a small-donation juggernaut, and showed how Democrats who stand on principle can raise huge sums of cash from inspired voters, he said it appears that the DCCC and the party are still looking for candidates wealthy or connected enough to "self-fund" their campaigns.
While Sanders said he does plan to endorse candidates in some Democratic primaries, the Times reports he is "still deciding where he can be most effective."
During public remarks earlier this month, Sanders drew condemnation from some party members for pointing out that "the business model" of the Democratic Party over the last decade and a half--given that it has lost about 1,000 seats in state legislatures during that time--"has been a failure."
But even the audience who heard those remarks "erupted in applause" when Sanders admitted the fact openly. As journalist Briahna Joy Gray asked about the incident, "Who could defend as successful the 'almost unprecedented' loss of legislative seats over the last ten years, or Hillary Clinton's defeat to game-show host Donald Trump?"
With an outpouring of energy geared toward dismantling the Trump administration and his GOP enablers in Congress, the question remains: Have Democrats learned enough lessons from their steady habit of defeat to not just win big, but govern boldly?
Though nobody with a platform as sizeable as his has been more critical of the so-called "establishment" of the Democratic Party, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Friday that the agenda of the Trump administration will be effectively toast if congressional Republicans are toppled in the upcoming midterm elections.
"If Democrats control either the House or the Senate, Trump's agenda is dead," Sanders told the New York Times in an interview.
Appearing to offer fresh criticism of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), in charge of coordinating and allocating resources to campaigning party members, Sanders told the Times there's still "a tendency to believe that more conservative candidates are better positioned to win," even as large planks contained in his progressive agenda--like Medicare for All, fighting for a much higher minimum wage, defending labor unions and works, and fighting for far-reaching action on the climate crisis--have shown to be resonating much more with voters across the country.
Though Sanders himself proved to be a small-donation juggernaut, and showed how Democrats who stand on principle can raise huge sums of cash from inspired voters, he said it appears that the DCCC and the party are still looking for candidates wealthy or connected enough to "self-fund" their campaigns.
While Sanders said he does plan to endorse candidates in some Democratic primaries, the Times reports he is "still deciding where he can be most effective."
During public remarks earlier this month, Sanders drew condemnation from some party members for pointing out that "the business model" of the Democratic Party over the last decade and a half--given that it has lost about 1,000 seats in state legislatures during that time--"has been a failure."
But even the audience who heard those remarks "erupted in applause" when Sanders admitted the fact openly. As journalist Briahna Joy Gray asked about the incident, "Who could defend as successful the 'almost unprecedented' loss of legislative seats over the last ten years, or Hillary Clinton's defeat to game-show host Donald Trump?"
With an outpouring of energy geared toward dismantling the Trump administration and his GOP enablers in Congress, the question remains: Have Democrats learned enough lessons from their steady habit of defeat to not just win big, but govern boldly?
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.