Can Bernie Spread The Revolution Downticket?

Jonathan Clarke, Long Island Berniecrat

Bernie's endorsement of Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Lucy Flores (D-NV) and Zephyr Teachout (D-NY) has raised about $400,000 for each of them in about a month. His endorsement over the weekend of Tim Canova brought Tim $250,000 in the first 24 hours! Yesterday he endorsed 8 candidates for state legislatures. "I'm proud to announce," he wrote to his followers, "that I am endorsing seven progressive candidates for state legislatures across this country. These seven candidates-- activists, civil rights attorneys, and the children of immigrants-- will help lead progressive policy in the states, and some will be a part of one of the most important political powers: re-drawing Congressional districts after the 2020 elections. For decades, Republicans have been very good at winning elections at the state level, meaning conservative control of state laws and of Congressional districts, as well as a deep bench of Republican legislators who eventually run for Congress, governor, or even president. Democrats haven't been as effective. We need that to change, starting with these seven progressives... What this moment also requires is people in the streets fighting for change and legislatures across the country willing to stand with them. That is the political revolution, and that’s why splitting your contribution to Bernie 2016 and these candidates' campaigns is so important."

• Justin Bamberg (D-SC)
• David Bowen (D-WI)
• Clara Hart (D-SD)
• Terry Alexander (D-SC)
• Carol Ammons (D-IL)
• Chris Pearson (D-VT)
• Jane Kim (D-CA)
• Joe Salazar (D-CO)

You can contribute to Justin Bamberg and Joe Salazar and to other dedicated progressives running for state legislative seats around the country by clicking on the thermometer on the right. Meanwhile, sources inside the Bernie camp have indicated he will also be endorsing candidates running for Congress. I don't know which ones. Maybe because I went to the same elementary and high schools in Brooklyn as he did-- albeit enough years apart so that we were never in the buildings at the same time-- several of the candidates endorsed by Blue America have asked me if I could help get Bernie to consider them. I can't. I've only spoken to him once and he has his own advisors telling him who to consider. I was pretty overjoyed he went for Canova, that's for sure.

This is an e-mail I got yesterday from Jonathan Clarke, the Berniecrat running for the Long Island North Shore seat Steve Israel was forced to relinquish, presumably by the FBI for his role in the scam that landed Ami Bera's father in prison.

Below is my official request I sent to Senator Sanders asking for his endorsement. I emailed it to him and Jeff Weaver.  I know he will be endorsing a little over 12 more candidates this week. I hope I am one of them.  Is there any way you can see that he gets this letter or if you can speak with him about his endorsement for me. This race is one of the most important congressional races in the country. Whoever wins the primary wins the general. I have only 5 weeks left on the campaign and I have worked so hard, but I worry since my opponents have the advantage of name recognition over me that anything could happen. I would really appreciate it.  Thank you in advance!  ~Jonathan


Dear Senator Sanders,

My name is Jonathan Clarke, and I am running for New York's Third Congressional seat. I am writing to you to ask for your endorsement.

I am a progressive and your historic run has inspired me to run for Congress. I believe in the vision you have for this country, and I want to help you make that happen with a progressive Congress.

New York’s Third Congressional race is a very interesting district and has been called by Newsday and community leaders as "Ground Zero" for corruption. It is also the only Congressional District in which a Sanders’ Democrat has a very real chance of victory.

I am one of five democratic candidates running in a primary to replace Steve Israel who recently stepped down. All four of my opponents are strong Clinton supporters, and I am the sole candidate who supports you. My four opponents are essentially the same candidate with the same corporatist agendas and deep ties to Long Island’s highly corrupt political system.

It is highly likely I could win this race since my opponents will divide the establishment vote four ways while I can garner the entire progressive vote. My only obstacle is name recognition. Your endorsement would catapult me to victory in this primary. Since the Third Congressional district leans democratic, the winner of the democratic primary has a distinct advantage in the general election. Therefore, your endorsement would be highly effective in getting a Sanders Democrat into Congress.

My strong support of you and your platform has earned me the support of many Sanders supporters here on Long Island. We all have worked very hard volunteering on your campaign when it was here on Long Island, and we would all love to have your endorsement for my congressional race.

I do want to say, whether you endorse me or not, I and the hundred or so volunteers on my campaign stand with you. We have seen the way your message has had an enormous impact here on Long Island. You have already inspired many people on Long Island to take back the Nassau, Suffolk and Queens Democratic parties. Hundreds of us are committed to becoming committee people in the local party so that we can fundamentally change the political system from the ground up. Similarly, there are many of us who are priming ourselves for local elections. Your race has truly been an inspiration, and you have started a groundswell that will fundamentally alter the political system of Long Island.

Thank you for reading my letter.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Clarke
Candidate for Congress
New York District 3

Bernie didn't do that well in NY-03. The people who have sent Steve Israel to Congress over and over, seemed to be more comfortable with the establishment candidate. Bernie's Suffolk County total was 45.3% but in Nassu County he only scored 37.4% of the vote. And, alas, nationally, the Bernie voters by and large haven't been been especially supportive of congressional Berniecrats at the polls, a big disappointment for those of us who have been hoping the revolution would catch on for real. But, whether Bernie endorses him or not, you can contribute to Jonathan's campaign-- and to any of the other Berniecrats we've vetted at Blue America-- by tapping on the BernieCongress thermometer, which is, of course, different from the legislature thermometer up above:

New York State of Mind

-by Tracy B Ann

Some people have no sense of place, nowhere that they feel strong ties to, nowhere they can call home. I have a couple. Michigan is where I was born and grew up and it will always be home to me. I live in Tennessee and it’s all right. There are a lot of things that I like about it here. It’s a lot warmer than Michigan, there are nice hills, and, um, it’s warmer than Michigan.

I think I’ve been to most states in the country, except Texas. Sorry, but Texas just freaks me out. I was on a tour bus close to getting there once when I had to stop, get off and fly home. This was before Austin was cool, but really, the place scares the shit out of me. No disrespect intended.

One very special place where I felt at home immediately is New York. Five minutes after I got there the first time, I felt like I had lived there all my life. I might live there too, except it’s very expensive to do so, and, um, it's just as cold as Michigan.

Unlike here in Tennessee though, New Yorkers have choices of Democrats to vote for in their elections. What a luxury. We don’t have that here in Tennessee. Though we do have warm weather, I am often reminded of what my dad used to say about cold, frigid weather, he said "it stimulates brain activity." A quick trip to a mall here will lead anyone to conclude there must be some truth to that.

Democrats to choose from in New York, yep, I like that. In New York’s 24th Congressional District there are a few Dem’s to choose from. There is Colleen Deacon; she spent 6 years working for the Mayor and the city of Syracuse, then moved on to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's office for the next 6 years, working as the Regional Director for Central New York.

After Colleen graduated from college she waited tables for less than minimum wage, with no insurance and of course no benefits. She became pregnant, worked up until 2 days before she gave birth and, as a single mom, used Medicaid and the WIC program to survive. As a congresswoman she would certainly know about the programs she was voting on.

Some of the issues she’s wants to focus on are jobs and manufacturing. The district has lost a lot of jobs and there is a threat of the nuclear plant closing. 60% of school funding comes from the nuclear plant. Infrastructure is also big on her agenda. Colleen believes improving infrastructure creates jobs in both the short term and long term by bringing in new business. A modern, well maintained infrastructure is a good selling point for any area.

This district has over 300 bridges that are damaged and need repair. (I’ve always been baffled by why Republicans don’t want to invest in infrastructure. They drive over bridges too don’t they?)

Colleen has experience working with diverse groups of people and believes in getting “more people at the table”, in “bringing all stakeholders together”. She helped connect community colleges with apprenticeship programs this way. Having worked in government she feels she would be effective the moment she walks into the office, she knows the ins and outs of the system and "how to get things done that don't involve floor votes." Colleen has the endorsement of many establishment Democrats.

As a woman, Colleen Deacon is part of the Off the Sidelines Initiative. While women make up over 50% of the population in the US, they make up only 19% of the US Congress. Hmm…

Eric Kingson is another Dem to choose from in the 24th Congressional district. Eric is a Professor of Social Work at Syracuse University, teaching courses in community organization and public policy & advocacy, among other courses.

He is driven by core values that developed from his work in the civil rights movement in his college days, spending summers in the South registering voters. He is a founding co-director of Social Security Works, and co-chairs the Strengthen Social Security Campaign, a coalition of over 300 national and state organizations. His work is credited with stopping SS cuts and keeping the retirement age from being raised.

Working with these organizations and others has given him lots of experience in public policy. He could make an impact in Congress just by continuing the work he’s already doing. He’s made and continues to make a positive impact.

He is an unambiguous progressive who wants to invest heavily in infrastructure and has a financial plan to do it. A financial transaction tax. Mr. Kingson believes that "giving away the highest tax cuts to those with the highest income has undermined our infrastructure and our society," that "money has been used to capture seats in the Senate and House."

Eric is focused on protecting social security for all, providing college students relief from predatory loans and getting them involved, in fact he sends time in high schools to show students their role in Democracy. He has vowed not to ever take corporate money as he believes campaign finance is undermining democracy, that the golden age of the American dream has been lost due to income inequality.

Eric Kingson is highly respected as an expert and academic of 30 years and as an activist working with Congress. The author of many books and the recipient of awards including the 2010 Martin Luther King, Jr. Unsung Hero Award.

In New York’s 3rd Congressional district, where Steve Israel is retiring, Jonathan Clarke is running. He became an attorney to help people and realized that as a progressive politician he could help even more people. There are several other candidates in this primary but one thing that separates Jonathan is that when he goes to the Grand Jury he sits outside in the hall because he's there representing a client.

He heads the pro bono division of the law firm Clarke & Fellows where he is a managing partner. He represents clients whose homes are being foreclosed on and is an animal advocate, providing free legal work for local animal rights groups.

His major focus is on campaign finance reform, not, as he says "that there aren't more pressing issues; like over reaching drug laws, income inequality and our whole prison system." It's just that Jonathan believes that campaign reform needs to be addressed first in order to fix the other problems.

I love that part. It fits in so well with my "first things first" philosophy, which is why I believe that the way to elect more and better Democrats is to register more voters. That is the thing all 3 of these candidates have in common, they all support 90for90, a voter registration advocacy movement.

As does the New York State Democratic Party Chairwoman Sheila Comar. Her passion is registering voters and she is dismayed by the lack of early voting, weekend voting or a national holiday for voting. She is saddened that we "don't value Election Day."

90for90 is working hard to raise the value of Election Day and honor those who fought so hard to gain the right to vote for all. There are many ways to join this voter registration movement, one is by going to their Facebook page and "liking" them. Show support for voter registration and the NY Democratic who prioritize voting for all.

[Kingson and Clarke have both endorsed Bernie and are on Blue America's Bernie Congress page. You can contribute to their campaigns here.]

Steve Israel Is Retiring. Will Long Islanders Replace Him With A Genuine Democrat? Meet Jonathan Clarke

If you define Long Island as Nassau and Suffolk County, as most New Yorkers do, you're looking at 4 congressional districts, all won by Obama both times he ran. All 4 current congressmembers are more conservative than their constituents. Failed PR executive and former Blue Dog Steve Israel has represented NY-03 for 16 years since winning the open seat by defeating an African-American woman, Joan Johnson. About a third of the district is in Suffolk County (from Kings Park and Commack west to Huntington), another 10% is in eastern Queens (Glen Oaks, Little Neck, Bay Terrace, Beechhurst, and Whitestone) and the bulk of it is northern Nassau County (from Plainview, Hicksville, Old Westbury and Syosset to Oyster Bay, Glen Cove, Port Washington, Great Neck and Manhasset). In the 2012 congressional election about 110,000 votes were cast in the Nassau part of the district, 91,000 votes in the Suffolk part and 34,000 in the Queens section.

It hasn't come out yet which pending corruption case involving Steve Israel drove him into announcing his early retirement. Let's not look a gift horse in the mouth. Fact is, Long Island primary voters will pick their party nominees June 28. It appears the GOP has coalesced around state Sen. Jack Martins, who might make a more formidable candidate if he weren't so tied to Dean Skelos and the biggest corruption case to have rocked Long Island politics in decades.

The Democratic race is more interesting. The best-known establishment figures are basically run-of-the-mill hacks: serial loser Tom Suozzi, termed-out Suffolk County Legislator and Steve Israel protégée Steve Stern, Iranian-American multimillionaire Anna Kaplan and Jon Kaiman, who has been bouncing from political appointment to political appointment. These are a sad lot of the kinds of generic Democrats who have tarnished the party brand on Long Island and left voters scrambling to figure out the lesser-of-two evils in election after election. Fortunately, this one has a difference: Jonathan Clarke, an attorney/activist, is the sole progressive running in the NY-03 primary and he represents a unique opportunity to elect someone who aspires to serve the public, rather than self-serve. He endorsed Bernie Sanders and is running on a platform that, in large part, mirrors a Bernie's far-reaching reform vision. The focus of Clarke’s campaign is geared towards fixing a corrupt campaign finance system and he has asked the other candidates in the primary to enter into a binding agreement to limit the amount of spending the primary to $300,000. All four have refused and have instead vowed to spend millions of dollars.

In 2015, New York was ranked the most corrupt state in the Union with over 30 indicted politicians, and New York’s Third Congressional District is in no way immune to political corruption. The owns of Oyster Bay and North Hempstead, which are in the heart of the district have recently been rocked with scandals. On Long Island both parties are eerily centrist and share a passion for political corruption. The district includes some of the wealthiest individuals in America who live in elite communities along Long Island’s Gold Coast just above a mostly blue-collar majority in the middle of Long Island, which was the former home of Grumman... and now disappeared good union jobs.

Not without reason, disgusted Long Island Democratic voters have been turning to the GOP, sickened by the corruption and ineffectiveness by the party that's supposed to be effective and not be corrupt. A recent poll indicated a generic Republican would defeat a generic Democrat in the congressional race to replace Israel. This underscores the need for a nongeneric Democrat this year.

And, Jonathan Clarke is the epitome of a nongeneric Democrat.  An activist/attorney and managing partner in his law firm, Clarke & Fellows P.C., he uses the profits from its personal injury cases to fund a pro bono program that provides legal support to individuals involved in animal rescue. He may have a short political resume but he feels his lack of political experience is a strength in this race where people are tired of career politicians and fed up with the establishment.



When we spoke with Jonathan this morning, he emphasized that "We can't afford to lose this opportunity to elect Bernie Sanders. There simply is too much at risk. You do not have to look far to see the effect of a corrupt campaign finance system in our district. Steve Israel, who I will be replacing, said that the effect of Citizens United made it impossible for him to effectively legislate since he spent a large part of his day 'dialing for dollars' and since he was tired of the perpetual fundraising, he would be stepping down. Bernie Sanders will prioritize overturning Citizens United, and this will have an effect that will reach far beyond freeing up legislators to actually legislate. Overturning Citizens United will fight systemic corruption and go a long way to improving our economy.

"This is because this corrupt campaign finance system bolsters a rigged economy in which Wall Street is deregulated to the point where risky trading is the norm. The effects of deregulation were made evident in 2008, and this connection between deregulation and campaign contributions is undeniable. What is more, the money in politics has allowed the wealthy to become super wealthy. It has allowed the wealth to concentrate and ossify in an elite few who are not sharing their prosperity.

"Here in the 3rd district, this rigged economic system caused a mass exodus of people under thirty five. This is essentially because nobody can afford to live here. It is hard to get a mortgage after the 2008 meltdown in general, but it is especially hard when most young people already have a mortgage’s worth of debt in the form of student loans. The economic distress the young are feeling is only made worse by the fact that we are loosing good jobs due to horrible trade policies that will only be made worse if the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is allowed to pass. The result of no jobs and high student debt will result in a generation that will be stuck in limbo for decades who will struggle to get by on sub $15 an hour living wages."

If you'd like to help Bernie and Jonathan, this Bernie ActBlue page is for contributions to his campaign and to the campaigns of congressional candidates, like Clarke, who are running on the same policies and with a similar vision. He's not going to be financed by corporate special interests or even the kind of institutional Democratic money Israel is directing towards his crony, Steve Stern. Just click the thermometer: