Who is Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders?
Now, nearly three years after losing the Democratic nomination for president, the unconventional revolutionary has done it again.
His ideas on "Medicare for All,"
"We were told that all these concepts were ideas that the American people would never accept," Sanders said in his opening campaign video. "Well, three years have come and gone and as a result of millions of Americans standing up and fighting back, all of these policies and more are now supported by a majority of Americans."
Sanders' idea of revolution starts with his signature healthcare plan, Medicare for All, that would ban nearly all private health insurance and replace it with a system of universal healthcare for everyone, requiring no co-pays, premiums or deductibles. It includes gun reforms -- the expansion of background checks for firearm purchases and an end to the gun show loophole. And it reaches deeply into the workplace -- providing pay equity for women and a guarantee all workers get paid family and medical leave.
Sanders' proposals would tie America's foreign policy to economic justice, international cooperation and anti-authoritarianism. He has criticized the government of
And he calls for an "end to the demonization of undocumented immigration in this country and move toward comprehensive immigration reform." He supports giving legal status to young people eligible for DACA and wants a new policy for people who seek asylum at the border.
Sanders grew up in a working-class neighborhood in
He moved to
In 1981, Sanders decided to run for mayor of
He served eight years as mayor before winning a congressional seat in 1990. He was elected to the first of three terms to the
When Sanders announced his candidacy for president in February, he was the frontrunner. He held that status for months until former Vice President
The often rumpled-looking activist, with a shock of gray hair and a
Sanders calls himself a "democratic socialist," a description that has varied and broad interpretations for many on the political spectrum. He describes it as carrying on
"The only way we will win this election and create a government and an economy that works for all is with a grass roots movement the likes of which has never been seen in American history," he said during his campaign launch. "They may have the money and the power. We have the people."
One of his defining crusades has been against corporate money in politics. He has railed against
Until recently, Sanders rejected in-person fundraisers, relying only on an online-only approach that demonstrated the depth of his grassroots support early. Just over a month after entering the race, he reported raising
By early June, opensecrets.org showed him with
After Sanders' 2016 campaign ended, reports surfaced of sexism and pay disparity within the campaign. In
Among his rivals this time is
Sanders routinely ranks among the
-- Current or most recent position:
-- Other elected offices:
-- Occupation: carpenter, filmmaker, writer
-- Education:
-- Age: 77
-- Residence:
-- Family:
-- Campaign website: https://berniesanders.com/
-- Small donors:
-- Big donors or their affiliates:
-- Fun fact:
-- On the issues: General summaries: https://berniesanders.com/issues/. Plans with details: Medicare for All: https://www.sanders.senate.gov/download/options-to-finance-medicare-for-all?inline=file;
Sources of biographical information:
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bernie-Sanders
https://www.biography.com/political-figure/bernie-sanders
https://www.opensecrets.org/2020-presidential-race/candidate?id=N00000528
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