A Key Issue In Democratic Primary Battles-- Medicare-For-All Or Not?

Sunday evening in Leeds, Jared Golden wrapped up his announcement tour as a congressional candidate for the sprawling Maine district he seeks to represent. He spoke at his parents' house and told his supporters that he "plans to make this campaign about working class Mainers... Speaking of jobs," he continued, let’s talk about Bruce Poliquin’s health care vote. He’s the only member of Maine’s Congressional delegation that voted to take health care away from tens of thousands of Mainers. Even worse-- the MaineCare cuts that he voted for would have resulted in a loss of good health care jobs at rural hospitals and health care providers. So much for staying focused on protecting jobs... I won’t hide my progressive values and my military service has nothing to do with my politics. The Marines didn’t make me a moderate. I’m a strong progressive and a proud patriot who loves this country. If Congressman Poliquin wants to make this campaign about the meaning of my military service then I say bring it on. I’ll stack my service to this country up alongside his everyday of the week and twice on Sunday. I won’t hide my progressive values from the people of this district the way he’s hiding his Wall Street values from them. My campaign is going to relentlessly focus on economic issues that are impacting the working people of Maine: creating jobs by investing in infrastructure, faster internet, public works and renewable energy."

At the same time Jared was speaking in Leeds, Maine, another progressive veteran, Randy Bryce was releasing a letter he wrote in Caledonia, Wisconsin to Blue America. "Congress," he wrote, "should prioritize the interests of ordinary Americans, not the 1%. What I’m saying isn’t anything controversial. These are issues that concern the vast majority of Americans and the solutions-- like single payer healthcare, a $15 minimum wage, and real campaign finance reform, to name just a few-- aren’t controversial either."

So why then don’t we see change?

Throughout government-- yes, both parties-- millionaires and billionaires are in control. Donald Trump inherited a fortune worth hundreds of millions of dollars. My opponent, the Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, has a personal net worth of millions, and in 2014, for the first time, more than half of our elected officials in DC, members of both parties, were millionaires.

In Congress today, working people aren’t at the table, we’re on the menu.

When these out of touch elitists are asked to decide whether we should provide healthcare to every American or whether to give themselves a tax cut, they know their answer. When working people are asked to decide, we know ours. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. We look out for each other because we know what it feels like to be left out. We know what it feels like to make sure food is on our kid’s table. We know what it feels like to be a real, hard-working American.

...I can’t stress enough that the problems we are facing today aren’t Republican-caused problems alone. For too long the Democratic Party has used code words to trick us progressives into supporting them. That’s got to end because our lives are on the line.

When we say we are against corrupt trade deals, we must mean it. When we say we are for Medicare for All, we must mean it and pledge to sign on to Rep. John Conyers’s bill when elected. The days of third way triangulation need to be behind us because our lives-- and our childrens’ lives-- depend on it.

This fight, for single payer healthcare, to create an inclusive economy, and to protect the interests of working people, is going to be difficult. Powerful, wealthy interests will challenge our movement at every turn for fear they lose power in America, but together, we are going to win.

I’m grateful to be fighting by your side.

Not every Democrat is campaigning on a progressive vision of healthcare. Sure, even the lamest and most conservative DCCC recruits-- even their cadre of disgusting "ex"-Republicans multimillionaires-- claim to be against TrumpCare. But when Bryce talks about co-sponsoring John Conyers' H.R. 676 he's saying exactly what the DCCC forbids its recruits from saying. Although 117 congressional Democrats have already signed on-- that doesn't include the King's Landing party bosses like Pelosi, Hoyer, Wasserman Schultz nor, of course, the hacks like Ben Ray Lujan, Denny Heck, Jim Himes and Cheri Bustos who run the DCCC. They're recruiting and financing more anti-single payer candidates to bolster the dwindling conservative ranks in the House Democratic caucus.

Yesterday, Jeff Stein, writing for Vox explained what every Democratic Party primary voter needs to know about Conyers' legislation, a bill, he writes that "would fundamentally reshape American health care for every single person in the country... whose scope and speed would likely be unrivaled by any recent law in the Western world."

The most important change would be to virtually eliminate private medical insurance, forcing the 150 million people who get insurance through their employer to switch to a new plan and creating a universal system that would give every American free health care with no premiums or deductibles.

...Calling it “Medicare-for-all” actually undersells the ambitions of the Conyers bill. Medicare involves significant cost sharing, wherein the patient covers deductibles and premiums; Conyers’s bill would give everyone Medicare, but in doing so also transform Medicare into something much closer to Medicaid.

“Many people refer to single-payer as ‘Medicare-for-all,’ but it doesn’t actually operate like Medicare,” said Larry Levitt of the Kaiser Foundation. “Medicare is the part of our health care system that is single-payer-like, so it’s how people understand it.”

The bill would also likely result in the largest tax increase in modern American history, one that would almost certainly have to hit everyone. Under it, for-profit hospitals would have to become nonprofit entities or fold.

Beyond that, the bill would create new regulations and new federal bureaucracies in every state that would make Obamacare’s expansions of state power look Reaganesque.

The American health care system is made up of a hodgepodge of about five different insurance systems-- each with its own rules and costs and coverage benefits.

Currently, 153 million Americans-- or about 47 percent of the country-- receive insurance from their employers. There are also government programs, most importantly, Medicaid and Medicare, that combine to insure close to another 38 percent of Americans. Then there are the last two buckets-- the 5 percent of Americans who receive coverage on the Obamacare exchanges and the approximately 9 percent of Americans with no insurance at all.

Conyers’s bill would condense that patchwork into one single system, in which every American is on the exact same insurance plan-- a decision that would achieve generous universal coverage, while also steepening the bill’s political hurdles.

Conyers’s bill would allow every American citizen to receive a two-page application in the mail to qualify for a “Medicare-for-all” card. Once everyone is enrolled, the government would pay for virtually all of their care; under HR 676, the new government insurer would pick up the full tab for a basically all key coverage areas, including primary care, inpatient care, prescription drugs, long-term care, mental health, emergency care, outpatient care, vision care, and even chiropractic care.

...Under the bill as written, very few Americans could avoid joining this plan. The bill makes it illegal for insurers to sell coverage deemed “duplicative” with Conyers’s program; since the bill provides unlimited free coverage for virtually every possible ailment, basically every existing health insurance program would become illegal overnight... Only insurance covering “cosmetic surgery or other services and items that are not medically necessary” would be allowed to be sold privately, the legislation says.

This policy route would likely make it easier to hold down the costs of overall health spending in the US by getting everyone onto the same plan and, as a result, giving the government more bargaining power, according to Levitt. Forcing every person onto one government insurer would lower the cost of employment for many American businesses, which are often expected to pay for their employees’ insurance; it would also make it easier for employees to switch jobs without fear of losing their insurance.

We reached out to several congressional candidates who are running on a platform that includes signing on as an H.R. 676 co-sponsor. First, of course was Maine's Jared Golden. This morning he told me on the phone that he plans to sign on to John Conyers' Medicare-For-All bill (H.R. 676) and that he's open to working across the aisle, the way he does in the Maine legislature, to make progress towards universal health care. Remember, the Maine legislature passed bipartisan Medicaid expansions SIX times, just to see all six bills vetoed by Paul LePage. "In Congress I'll fight to expand Medicare coverage for everyone," he said. "In Maine we continue to have far too many people without health coverage which leads to expensive hospital visits that ultimately get passed off to those with coverage in the form of higher health care costs and premiums. I'll continue to advocate for this policy while also working with anyone, Democrat, Independent or Republican who has a plan that can expand coverage and lower premiums. It's always important to fight for your values, in this case access to health care for everyone, while also accepting compromise where it's possible in order to achieve some progress over none at all."

As Dr. David Gill has explained over and over again at this blog, pledging to co-sponsor Medicare-for-All is "an easy one. Given that I have been a member of Physicians for a National Health Program for 25 years, and that PNHP helped Rep. Conyers write H.R. 676," he is eager to co-sponsor the bill. Another doctor, Kathie Allen in Utah, told us that she's sign on as a co-sponsor "unless Bernie has a better proposal, or someone else does by that time. Conyers' bill is only about 15 pages long and I have my doubts that it is comprehensive enough to ease the transition from a profit-driven system to non-profit, universal coverage. It has a 10 year plan to partially 'buy-out' insurance companies, and advocates retraining insurance employees, but there is a lack of detail on how to do some of these things. I support the goal, however." And as Peter Jacob, the progressive running for the nomination to oppose Leonard Lance (NJ-07), told us succinctly, he's eager to co-sponsor because "We don't need health insurance in America, we need healthcare."

Flipping A Central New Jersey Suburban District From Red To Blue-- Meet Peter Jacob

Last cycle Peter Jacob was another official candidate of the Democratic Party who the DCCC adamantly ignored. The Democratic Party establishment in Kings Landing sure didn't like anyone getting behind Bernie, the way Peter did! But he didn't let them get him down and, with a completely grassroots campaign he took on rubber-stamp backbencher Leonard Lance in his north central New Jersey district that stretches from the border with Pennsylvania (Hunterdon and Warren counties), clear across the state through Somerset and Morris counties and all the way into Essex and Union and the Elizabeth suburbs. This is a moderate, swingy area filled with independent voters repulsed by Trump. Although McCain and Romney had both won the district, last year Hillary beat Trump 48.6% to 47.5%. Distaste for Trump is much stronger now, and voters were paying attention when Lance, in the most craven way, flip-flopped on healthcare, first voting for TrumpCare in committee and then, when he became fearful for his own career, switching and voting against the bill on the floor.

As Peter pointed out at the time, "Lance endorsed Donald Trump within 24-hours of becoming the GOP’s presumptive presidential nominee. Many in New Jersey boast that Congressman Lance is a moderate, but this endorsement proves that Congressman Lance will do anything to get re-elected. While serving in the New Jersey state Legislature, Congressman Lance was seen as someone who was pro-environment, pro-choice, and reached over the aisle to get things done. Congressman Lance was initially equivocal about the construction of a natural gas pipeline in our District, and now takes credit for it’s delay as strong local opposition rises and election season is here-- all the while supporting legislation that makes it easier to construct such pipelines in the first place. It is little wonder why the League of Conservation scored his lifetime voting percentage at just 23% on pro-environment legislation. In 2014, his pro-environment score was a mere 6%! Consistently providing contributions to Congressman Lance’s campaign has paid off for the dirty energy industry to have him support their agenda.  Congressman Lance voted to cut off all funding for Planned Parenthood, including clinics that provide health care with no abortion services. Time and time again, Congressman Lance has proved that he isn’t a leader for our District and our nation. Like Trump, he will say anything at any time out of convenience. Congressman Lance toes the party line as Washington becomes more divisive, partisan, and extreme... In my opinion, Congressman Lance’s immediate endorsement of Trump is a result of a ‘tea-party’ candidate, David Larsen, who has challenged him in every primary since 2010. Larsen came within single-digit points of defeating Congressman Lance in the 2014 primary. Congressman Lance’s endorsement of Trump is a political move to help secure the Republican nomination and putting an end to this perennial candidate."

He added that Lance's backing for the Lord of Bedminster-- which is in the district-- was "ironic considering Congressman Lance is the kind of bought-and-sold politician that Trump himself has spoken out against, at least during his primary race; one entirely beholden to special interests rather than the interests of the people... We don’t need any more career politicians in Washington who solely serve special interests. We deserve public servants who will place people over politics and put the public back in public service." We caught up with Peter this week and asked him to bring us up-to-date since the 2016 campaign. Below is his guest post.

Fight Forward with the People's Platform
-by Peter Jacob,
Candidate for U.S. Congress
7th District of NJ
www.Jacob2018.com

We are, each and every one of us, witnessing in real time some very, very real transformations to our society, our government, and our planet. It so often feels like any given day is a completely different world from the one preceding it. Inequality is skyrocketing. Real opportunity for millions of us is drying up along with vast quantities of precious resources. The drums of war are being beaten again by an even larger and richer military industrial complex than the one that sent us into Iraq. Every single day we are given yet another example of how those are supposed to be serving the public are only serving themselves. What will tomorrow bring?

We have the ability right now to decide the direction we take, together. Recent history has shown us exactly what happens when societies become this unjust. When so much of the wealth of society becomes controlled by so few people, we can guarantee the extremes of humanity are soon to follow. People inevitably start to feel desperate. They then often have to decide between one of two paths; one littered with false idols and false prophets with false promises, or uniting together to create true and lasting equality, justice, and peace.

We know that every four generations, the following story plays out: crisis levels of greed and corruption cause the hording of wealth, the hording of wealth creates massive inequality and instability, recession and depression occur because of lack of wealth in the middle and lower classes, followed by a massive conflict. The last time this happened was the Global Great Depression followed by World War II. We can trace this cycle all the way back to the dawn of the market economy and we know what phase we are in now. We are most assuredly heading for a reset; likely a very big one.

This is not meant to convey fear, but to inspire action. We are the fourth generation in the cycle. We can choose the path towards equality, justice, and peace. We know the last ‘fourth generation’ today as the Greatest Generation. Not because they won a war, but because they defeated tyranny! They saw what happens when greed takes over policy and passed just laws to make sure economic criminals could no longer rob us of our homes, retirements, and votes. They created wonderful programs that infused wealth back into the working class and created prosperity that we still enjoy today. We need to be the next Greatest Generation.

That is why I’m vying a second time for United States Congress. Our 2016 campaign saw us come closer to defeating our big pharma, big telecom, and big oil-funded incumbent opponent than any challenger in the history of our district. That was due in largest part to the drive and energy of our 1,400 campaign volunteers, and the support of thousands of small dollar donations that averaged $17 apiece. In just the first month of our 2018 campaign, our average donation has skyrocketed to $140, with over 200 new volunteers joining our cause.

People across the entire political spectrum are uniting with our message, and realizing that the status quo is no longer working. Libertarians, Tea Partiers, moderates, independents, and democratic socialists were all represented at our campaign events because of two simple questions that we posed to voters: Is government working for you? Who is it working for?

This campaign, we are focusing on what our policy ideas are going to do for the lives of people right here on the local level. We are going to break the belief that responsible government of, by, and for the people is some far off pipe dream, and show what can happen when the powerful tool of democracy is set free from the cancer of special interest cash that has enslaved it.

That is why we are running squarely on ‘The People’s Platform’ as created and promoted by Our Revolution. So far, the Platform includes Medicare for All, fully funded public colleges and universities, $15 minimum wage, strict protections for women’s reproductive rights with the EACH Act, the Automatic Voter Registration Act, and bold, drastic measures to combat the exponential climate crisis.

Of course, this is all coupled with the firm assertion that we will be able to solve these major problems only after we are able to once again utilize the power of democracy for the good of the people. Simply put, if we want to solve anything, we must also solve money in politics. The only way government begins to work for the people is when the people’s voices aren’t drowned under a tsunami of donor and lobbying cash. We must pass a Constitutional Amendment that clearly states that the spending of money is not a protected form of speech, and that corporations do not have the same rights as people. We must go further in crafting a fully publicly funded and transparent electoral system, banning the use of partisan gerrymandering and the ability for politicians to pick their voters.

Our 2016 campaign was the first and only one in New Jersey endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders’ “Our Revolution,” and has recently sparked the interests of Democracy For America, the Progressive Campaign Change Committee, the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Our support is growing. Our energy is multiplying. Our message is resonating. The distrust and anxiety caused by our current state of affairs is making 2018 is a golden opportunity for concerned, passionate, caring Americans to have a major impact on the next steps we take as a people. We will be spending every single second of every single day showing them that they do have a voice. All they have to do is use it. What will tomorrow bring?

Better Deal?

I spend half my day talking to candidates and congressional incumbents. I haven't heard a single one mention the new Papa John's Pizza slogan Pelosi and Schumer are pushing on Democrats. A crew of top Politico reporters found the same thing. One congressmember told me, on the condition of anonymity, that Pelosi "is a leader with no following. They've all died, retired... or largely evaporated." Politico talked with rotgut California Blue Dog, Jim Costa, who doesn't like any national messaging since he has little in common with normal Democrats and nothing at all with anything that is motivating and energizing all the excitement among Democratic activists. "Just as there isn’t one kind of Democrat, there [is] not just one kind of message that works. One size doesn’t fit all. We have an economically diverse country." Costa, whose voting record is rated an "F" by ProgressivePunch has a 43.64 lifetime crucial vote score, one of the worst of any Democrat in the House. He votes with the Republicans and against the Democrats an awful lot. Any inspiring messaging about the kinds of issues that motivates the grassroots would be an attack on him and his career.

When the party's congressional leaders gathered in suburban Virginia to roll out the new affirmative economic message they'd long been promising, it was designed to give Democrats a way to talk about what exactly they stand for-- other than simply standing as the party of opposition to the White House.

Despite the disaster Democrats bought themselves in 2016 by countering on Trump-hatred to help them win seats, the DCCC is operating on the assumption that "mere antipathy toward the party in power, rather than a memorable message, can be effective" to win seats. That leads to being willing-- even eager-- to recruit worthless garbage candidates, Blue Dogs, self-funders, ex-Republicans, New Dems and all sorts of uninspiring candidates from the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

Watch this video of you haven't already seen it from Politicon last weekend by a spokesperson from the DNC, which makes it sound like the DNC and the DCCC are living on different planets. The DNC appears to be in touch with actual voters. The DCCC is in touch strictly with each other and the moron consultants they spend immense sums of money on who tell them-- as this one did according to Politico: "If you’re not in the majority, there shouldn’t be a coordinated message. The message should be: 'The other guy sucks,' or 'The Iraq War sucks,' depending on the decade." [When you contribute to the DCCC that's where your money goes... and to Blue Dogs and anti-Choice nuts.]



An even worse Blue Dog than Costa is Texas DINO Henry Cuellar who said the Blue Dogs and normal Democrats "agree on the broader goal of creating economic prosperity for the American people. What we want to do is create economic opportunities, not guarantee results." Can you name any Republican that wouldn't be just as comfortable mouthing that message?

That tap dance isn’t by accident. Moderates want to be seen as team players, which is why some attended the Better Deal rollout news conference. They support the overall goals of the messaging initiative but don’t intend to run on a message that they worry can be interpreted as anti-business back home in their districts.

Still, several centrist lawmakers and aides told Politico they are encouraged that their leaders are shifting the spotlight away from social issues that threaten to divide the party and toward economic issues, on which there is more agreement.

Blue Dogs, in particular, say they are encouraged by the attention they have received from Democratic leaders after years of feeling that they were stuck on the margins. They’ve worked closely with House Democrats’ campaign arm on recruitment in recent months and are relieved pro-jobs policies finally seem to be the party’s focus.

Kia Hamadanchy is running for an Orange County seat held by Trump rubber-stamp Mimi Walters who lives in a mansion on the beach in another district. Walters is another mass produced anti-Choice fanatic. Hamadanchy is progressive and values-driven. "It's as important that we as Democrats support and elect candidates who can unify behind a common vision and purpose," he told us today. "Otherwise when we end up in power we end up like the Republican Party who has control of all levers of government but who actually can't get anything accomplished. I don't want that to happen to the Democratic Party. Moreover the reason we didn't get the public option or other progressive things done in the early days of the Obama Administration is because we weren't unified behind that common vision. We are the pro-choice party and those are the policies that we support and would try and enact if we took power. Our caucus should reflect that."

Peter Jacob is a progressive Democrat in New Jersey. He ran an impressive race against Leonard Lance in 20016 but was studiously ignored by the DCCC which has no interest in his progressive policy platform. Now that Hillary won the district against Trump, the DCCC has decided to recruit their own conservative-leaning candidate and are again ignoring Jacob. He doesn't seem very fond of their approach: "The DCCC's campaign to appeal to what they think right wing voters want to hear has been proven a failure over, and over, and over. This strategy has been used over the last 10 years throughout the country, and has resulted in the loss of over 1,000 state and federal government seats. Simply put, when given the choice between a Republican, and a Democrat who talks like a Republican, people will choose the Republican nearly every single time. If the Democratic Party ever wishes to see itself return to leadership, it must return to unwavering progressive values that are shared by most Americans. The vast majority of the people are not anti-choice. The vast majority of people are not in favor of tax cuts for the rich while gutting programs that Americans support. We must return to our Progressive roots, and fight to raise worker pay across the board, protect and guarantee women's rights, ensure healthcare as a right and enact Medicare for All and paid family and medical leave, and heal our broken democracy by removing private money from politics, abolishing gerrymandering and slimy Republican voter suppression tactics, and create a publicly funded electoral system beholden only to the American voters."

Another "Safe Republican" House Seat Is In Play in New Jersey-- Guest Post By Peter Jacobs

Six people were murdered in a 72-hour period in Newark in late August. In the same time frame, in Bridgeport, Conn., 13 people were shot at a house party. And one man shot another man to death in a Minnesota park in some kind of dispute. And on and on and on. No surprises here. We’re all becoming-- or have become-- numb to news of shootings in the United States.

After all, roughly 87 people are killed from gun violence in the U.S. every single day, according to Americans for Responsible Solutions, the organization headed by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and astronaut Mark Kelly.

How many of these shooters have mental-health issues? No one could know the answer to that, but considering that many of these shootings are the result of gang violence, or innocent toddlers getting ahold of guns, or crimes of passion, the percentage of those suffering with mental illness is likely small.

Even if 100 percent of shooters had mental-health problems, it would be impossible to identify a significant percentage of them-- especially among populations with limited or non-existent access to physical-health professionals, let alone mental-health professionals.

Preventing those with mental-health issues from acquiring guns is an important part of solving gun violence. But it’s clear that it’s just that: a part, and a small one at that.

And yet, certain members of our federal legislative branch-- let’s call them Republicans-- want us to think that if we could just keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill, everything would be great.

One of these is Leonard Lance, the Congressman for New Jersey’s 7th District. Despite the fact that Lance represents a district in which 92 percent of voters support universal background checks, he follows the deep-pocketed National Rifle Association’s playbook, instead. He has worked hard to earn his 93-percent rating from the NRA.

Lance was questioned in a 2014 town-hall meeting on his vote in favor of the National Right-To-Carry Reciprocity Act. The act would have authorized concealed-carry permit owners to travel with their guns through all states – even those with laws against concealed-carry, including his own state of New Jersey. In answering, he said that the best way to tackle gun violence nationally is to address mental health issues.

More recently, in January, after President Obama issued executive orders on gun control, Lance said in an official statement that “we must focus on keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill by enforcing the laws currently on the books and better addressing the root cause of many gun-related tragedies: mental health illness.”

Ironically, Lance’s statement lacked a reference to the part of Obama’s announcement proposing $500 million for expanded access to mental health services and the addition of mental health information on background checks for gun purchases.

The omission probably shouldn’t surprise anyone. It’s easier to continue blaming shootings on mental illness, rather than facing the reality of a marketplace with more gun shops than Starbucks outlets. It’s easier to preach to the NRA’s national choir than to do the bidding of one’s own constituents.

Of course, as a longtime politician, Lance is smart enough to give his derriere some cover with home-district voters, who prefer to go to parks and restaurants and movie theaters where people aren’t packing. He actually signed on as a co-sponsor to H.R. 4237, the Protect America Act of 2015, AKA the no-fly no-buy bill. The trouble is, he only joined it on June 16, four days after the Orlando nightclub shooting. And he did so likely knowing that Govtrack.us gives the bill a 6% chance of getting out of committee and a 1% chance of being enacted.

Co-sponsoring bills that have little chance of becoming law, but which can be held up as evidence of support for citizens’ safety and common sense and bipartisanship, seems to be a trend with Lance: He also co-sponsored H.R. 1076, the Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2015. But when it came time to send the bill send the bill out of committee to the House for consideration, Lance passed. And the bill stalled in committee.

This kind of two-faced opportunism, the desire to sustain one’s own political career first and foremost and at all costs, has led to an environment in which the likes of both Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump can gain wide support among voters.

And it’s what compelled me to take on Lance as the Democratic candidate for New Jersey’s 7th District.

Typical for New Jersey and many other states, the district has a gerrymandered amoeba shape encompassing everything from densely populated urban areas to gated communities of the rich-- with enough Republicans to overcome pockets of Democrats.

I’ve been knocking on doors since I entered the race last November. Many of the homeowners greeted me like this:

“What party you running for? Republican or Democrat? Democrat? No thanks, bud, keep walking.”

In elections past, that might have been enough to send me on my way. But, having seen enough bumper stickers and lawn signs with “NONE OF THE ABOVE 2016” sentiments, I felt emboldened to press my luck.

“But, let me just ask you one thing. Do you feel like our government is corrupt and not working for the vast majority of Americans?”

“Yeah. That’s why we need to vote them all out.”

“How would you feel about a candidate for Congress who has pledged not only to never accept Super PAC money, but to sponsor strict laws to get big money out of our elections and criminalize corruption at all levels of government?”

“Go ahead, I’m listening.”

“My name is Peter Jacob, and I want to work for YOU.”

I have had this same conversation with hundreds of people throughout the district since I began my campaign.

If there is one thing that the insurgent campaigns of Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump have shown us, it’s that the American people are fed up with the status quo in Washington. Whether a Tea Party organizer at a Somerset County Fair or a Sanders Revolutionary at a rally at Rutgers University, one issue has been a uniting force that not a single person I’ve spoken with has been able to deny: The influence of our elected officials is bought and sold long before we step into voting booths on Election Day.

Getting big money out of our politics, criminalizing corruption, and returning the power over government to the people of this nation isn’t just an issue, it’s the issue. It is the issue to literally end all other issues. There is not a single major problem that we face today that can be solved so long as the wealthiest and entrenched industries, corporations, and individuals of our world are able to purchase power over government.

Even though the district is gerrymandered to Lance’s advantage, we have solid reason to be optimistic: More than 45,000 people voted for me in the primary-- nearly 14,000 more votes than Lance received, and about 12,000 more votes than ANY candidate has ever received in a primary in the district. If the threat of a Donald Trump presidency turns out enough Democrats, we have a real shot at a great upset.

Unfortunately, it’s going to take fire to fight fire. Our campaign is not accepting money from Super PACs, and we are being badly out-raised by an incumbent, career politician funded almost entirely by the pharmaceutical, telecom, and fossil fuel industries.

We are in this fight to win it, though. Our allegiance is to no one but the American people. Every dollar donated to this campaign is a dollar invested in the war to make sure no private dollars ever again have to be spent on electoral campaigns. Every contribution is a salvo to ensure that representatives in government are actually representing the people rather than the check books of wealthy campaign contributors.

We’re looking for people who will stand with us today. We have shown that we can turn heads and hearts when we connect with just this one, all-encompassing issue. We just need the proper funds to be able to get this message out to enough people in our district, and land a resounding blow in the fight to reclaim our government, our society, and our planet from those who seek to control it for themselves, and themselves alone. Let’s put the “public” back in “public service” so that we can ensure a government that is truly of, by, and for the people.

I'm Guessing Every Berniecrat Seeking Office Will Follow Bernie Into The Hillary Camp Now

I'm guessing few Bernie supporters will dance to the siren calls of the orange-faced racist, xenophobic, misogynystic sociopath no matter how many times he waves an anti-TPP banner at them. Some may vote for Jill Stein-- or even Gary Johnson-- but I suspect Hillary's going to get upwards of 80% of their votes, perhaps 90%, especially if Bernie really does campaign vigorously for her and if she doesn't go out of her way to remind everyone what a corporatist shill she is at heart, although I suppose picking an egregiously bad running mate could drive more people away from her.

Now, what about the candidates who are running on Bernie's platform? So far I'm seeing 100% of them following him into her camp-- albeit some with more enthusiasm than others. The primary runoff in Oklahoma's 5th district pits dedicated Berniecrat Tom Guild against some establishment hack. Last night Tom told us he will encourage his own supporters to vote for Hillary. "I’m disappointed that Bernie will not be the Democratic nominee," he said. "He is the candidate closest to my views. Bernie ran the race of a lifetime and fell just short of victory. Bernie has endorsed Secretary Clinton. He feels that progress has been made in the Democratic Platform on many of the issues crucial to Working People and the American Middle Class. I respect and trust Bernie and his proven leadership. Based on his recommendation I will support Secretary Clinton for president in the November general election." Bao Nguyen's election, in Orange County, CA, will be determined in November and his posture was very similar to Tom's. "I couldn't be more proud to have endorsed Bernie Sanders for president," the Garden Grove mayor told us. "Bernie has awakened great possibilities in our country with a political movement driven by the American people. It's not about any one of us, but all of us, together. I'm committed to the movement and I join Bernie in endorsing Hillary."

The congressional primary in Washington is August 2, just a bit over 2 weeks away. The first candidate Bernie endorsed for Congress this cycle was state Sen. Pramila Jayapal, for years a crusading a fiery reformer. I'd like to share a statement she made, endorsing Hillary on the heals of Bernie's own statement this week.

Last August, after I met with Sen. Bernie Sanders for the first time, I wrote an op-ed that concluded with something that still seems deeply relevant today: “ [Our work] is bigger than any one presidential candidate. It’s as big as all of us. Regardless of who is elected president in 2016, we all… have to hold the collective space for movement-building together. It’s the only way we move forward.”

I cannot be prouder of my early endorsement for Senator Bernie Sanders. I supported Bernie for President because I was inspired by his consistent, vocal platform for decades on economic inequality, corporate influence into our democracy, and election reform. In our conversation, I found him to be deeply thoughtful about the intersection of economic, racial, and social justice. He inspired millions of people to participate in our democracy. Issues like Medicare for All, college affordability, expanding Social Security and Medicare, and ending the prison industrial complex, have become a part of the national discourse. Bernie has helped people from all walks of life name the unfairness that hits too many Americans in their pocketbooks, daily lives, and hearts. He has pushed for policies that benefit working people across America and not the wealthiest few. Equally important, he helped people see the power we each have when we engage with our democracy and work together to change what is unjust. I give heartfelt thanks to Bernie Sanders for his incredible vision, energy, and truth-telling, and for now again helping to unify the Democratic party around a common vision.

Out of this Democratic primary process, we have done what democracy is supposed to do: engage our country in a real discussion about the most important issues facing working families across America. Together, we achieved real wins on what is now the most progressive Democratic Party platform in decades. For the first time, we have a public commitment for a $15 minimum wage, tuition-free college, breaking up of big banks, criminal justice reform, Native American rights, and a public option in healthcare. These are huge wins that simply would not have been possible without our movement. But our work will not be done until we turn those principles into law, which means winning the White House and continuing to take back our Congress.

We now have a chance to write the next chapter of the progressive movement. When I endorsed Sen. Sanders back in September, I also said that if Hillary Clinton was the Democratic nominee, I would throw my support behind her and work for her to become President.

That is why today, I am proud to announce that I am endorsing Hillary Clinton for President.

Hillary Clinton shares many of the same values that I do-- that all progressives do. She has been a longtime champion of issues that are near and dear to my heart: a woman’s right to have control over her own body, gun reform, and health care for all. She has tremendous experience in a number of roles, including as U.S. Senator and Secretary of State, and she has shattered glass ceilings again and again against a gender-biased media and society. As a proud feminist and someone who has fought my whole life for equality and justice on every level, I will proudly join forces with President Hillary Clinton to continue these battles every day on behalf of women, men, and working families here and around the world. On the issues where we differ, I will continue my track record of taking principled stands and seek to find common ground even when it appears impossible.

The threats to our country of a Donald Trump presidency cannot be understated. As an immigrant woman of color, this is personal and universal. I am horrified by the racism, xenophobia, homophobia and fear that Republican nominee Donald Trump has been drumming up. Donald Trump represents none of those values that we as progressives hold dear. Trump is a bully, pure and simple, and comes from a place of greed and selfishness. Trump ridicules women for sport and wears his bigotry as a badge of honor. Frankly, a Trump presidency scares the hell out of me. We simply cannot let Donald Trump become President or even get close to that office. We cannot let him appoint our next Supreme Court nominee, because it is clear he will have no compunction in appointing a Justice that subscribes to his hateful vision for our country-- and will undermine every core principle of Democratic values. Our defeat of Trump’s candidacy must be overwhelming-- or we continue to provide encouragement to the forces of hate that he has unleashed.

As a movement, I believe we must unite behind a bold, progressive agenda for the long-term. After decades of work on the outside as an activist taking on the Bush Administration for civil liberties abuses when few others were doing so, helping to establish a $15 minimum wage in Seattle, standing up for labor unions and against unfair trade agreements, I am running for Congress now because I believe people like you and me can and must work from the outside and inside to move that agenda forward.

I am deeply committed to the work ahead of us within the Democratic party, and I intend to continue the movement we have started all the way to Congress. If we can win, you can be sure that I will continue to do what I have done for the past 25 years. I will fight for justice for working families and for a democracy that responds to the voices of all of us.

In a country that has so much hopelessness and fear today, a country wracked by violence and grief, I call up the faces and the voices of those who may seem to have the least power but bring the most courage to the table, women and men that I have worked with for decades on the struggle for justice.

We owe it to ourselves and to this country-- built on flawed structures but an awe-inspiring vision-- to continue our work to achieve a society that offers true opportunity for every single person, regardless of class, race, gender, sexual orientation or any other factor.

I know that each person will have to decide exactly what course to take moving forward. I hope my thinking may be helpful to other Bernie supporters as you make your choice this November. Let’s join together in moving forward our values thoughtfully, with a particular commitment to a principled unity that builds for the short and the longer term.

We’re all counting on each other-- this is OUR movement. Let’s keep building it together.

Peter Jacob is the official Democratic Party candidate for New Jersey's 7th congressional district, a seat currently help by unpopular Republican Leonard Lance. In a statement to his supporters endorsing Hillary, he made it clear that his political stands are based on a package of values and principles rather than on personalities. "Today," he wrote, "Senator Bernie Sanders pledged his support of Secretary Hillary Clinton for President of the United States of America, and our campaign joins in this endorsement. We are ready and enthusiastic to ensure this nation elects its first woman President, while preventing Donald Trump from stepping foot in the White House. Our campaign will continue to be about much more than electing one person to one office, though. While we are elated with the adoption of strict climate change and gender equality language into the Democratic Party’s national platform, we recognize several key differences between our own platform, and that of the DNC, and Secretary Clinton. We will continue to push both the party and Secretary Clinton in a people’s progressive direction on issues such as America-first trade and stemming the tide of globalization, perpetual warfare and inadequate care of our returning veterans, expansion of worker’s unions, immigration, and sweeping criminal justice, financial system, and student debt reform. We will keep fighting to overturn some Supreme Court decisions like Citizens United, place strict regulations on lobbying and political contributions, move towards a publicly-financed electoral system, end the corruptive practice of gerrymandering, and return the power over government to the people of this nation. Healing our democracy will once again enable the United States to be the global leader in solving our most dire problems, and ensure that the safety, security, and freedom of the American Dream will live on for generations to come."

Keith Mundy and Tom Wakely already won their primaries and both are pretty hard core Berni supporters who are now expressing support for Hillary. Mundy who is running for the Ohio seat occupied by Jim Renacci, told us he "will vote for Hillary because it's about the Supreme Court, period. We can't let Trump win the White House. We have worked hard to get to where we are with our Progressive Movement. It's time that we all come together so we can get Democrats elected up and down the ticket. None of us know what Bernie has had to do to make this work for all of us." Similarly, Wakely, the Democrat opposing Texas wing nut Lamar Smith, told us he's "sure many were disheartened when the torchbearer for our movement conceded the race to Secretary Clinton, but our mission is far from complete. Bernie Sanders won 23 contests and received over 13 million votes in this primary. While I understand that a loss is a loss, it's important to understand that this movement far exceeded popular expectations. Knowing how far we've come has personally given me so much hope as I look to unseat Lamar Smith this November. Democrats, non-partisan progressives, and, quite frankly, all the people of this nation share a massive common enemy this fall: Regression. I was fortunate enough to win all 10 counties in my primary and send a clear message that Central Texas is ready to fight for progress in Washington. The vast majority of my constituents would lend a better voice to our people than Lamar Smith, including my primary opponent. He feels the same way, as he's lent resources and ideas to our campaign as we push into the general. I'm thankful that I have the opportunity to lead that fight and I'm thankful for the support that I've received from progressives all the way to Republicans who are looking for true representation. I will always put country before party, the same cannot be said for any Republican willing to stand side by side with Trump. To me this is a call to common sense. This is an acknowledgement that our nation won't go anywhere with Donald Trump, nor will it progress to any reasonable stature under the thumb of Republicans who support their presumptive nominee. I will remain forever thankful to the candidate I endorsed, stay ever vigilant to fight for progress in Texas, and look to grow our movement into a win this November that shatters D.C.'s 'conventional wisdom.'"

Adam Sackrin's Miami-Dade primary is August 30 and if he wins it he'll be taking on Wasserman Schultz's top GOP crony, Ilene Ros-Lehtinen, in the general. He's very dedicated to Bernie and his political revolution:

Similar to what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was able to accomplish for racial justice, Bernie Sanders will forever be the catalyst of #OurRevolution, leader of the progressive movement, and champion of socio-economic-environmental justice for all. His speech yesterday in New Hampshire, where he tactfully congratulated Hillary Clinton for winning "the Democratic nomination process" and gave his endorsement, conjured a lot of emotions. Sadness in defeat, confusion and a feeling of hopelessness, definitely. But also comfort, clarity, and peace of mind. Peace of mind in knowing that the Party of Trump will lose a third consecutive Presidential race in a few months, and won't be nominating any potentially-disastrous Supreme Court Justices anytime soon. Clarity by avoiding a contentious convention and galvanizing support for down-ticket races. And comfort in hearing Bernie tell us himself that he isn't going anywhere, he's going everywhere, and helping the Democratic Party campaign-- and win-- on the most progressive platform in history, and supporting progressive candidates and groups nationwide to keep the fire Bern-ing through 2018, 2020, 2022 and beyond.

The issues facing America, and the bold progressive initiatives we need to take to resolve them, are simply too important to consider staying home or casting a ballot for someone else in defiance. The prosperity of our planet is at stake. Basic human rights and opportunities are at stake. Our very democracy is at stake. Despite her numerous and obvious indiscretions, and our differences, Hillary Clinton is beyond qualified to be our President, and she will likely be very good at the job. Though we wanted Bernie Sanders, and we deserve President Sanders, I am confident that OurRevolution will continue. He will not let it die for nothing, and he will not let them silence us. As long as he's with her, I'm with them. Join us.

The very first congressional Democrat to endorse Bernie was CPC Chairman Raúl Grijalva but he didn't wait for Bernie to endorse Hillary. Last month he did a Facebook post how he saw a a genuine desire for a better, more responsive way of electing our leaders and making policy [based on] a heartfelt conviction that America is ready to live up to its very highest ideals and explaining" and why he would vote for Hillary.

Those ideals are the heart and soul of Bernie’s campaign, and voters have responded to them in a way that goes deeper than mere support for a candidate. The American people, across the board, support sweeping campaign finance reform, universal health care, affordable college access, and a fairer economy that rewards work instead of just wealth. Bernie made this election about those issues and the values behind them. The country is already much stronger for it.

Those issues and those values transcend any one person. This was more than a campaign for the presidency. It is a movement.

With voting completed in the final Democratic Primary, it is now time for the Democratic Party to unify. For all of us who supported Bernie from the beginning, whether we considered ourselves progressives or independents or just Americans tired of being on the outside looking in, the most important thing now is to beat Donald Trump in November. To use a word that’s been thrown around a lot lately, now is the time to unify.

Unity will not be realized if the millions of voters who supported Bernie Sanders feel taken for granted. Our country needs a president who understands why the American people are hungry for something better and more substantial than political trench warfare. That president must be able to channel our hunger into action and our action into results. Tinkering at the margins is no longer an acceptable presidential platform. Hillary Clinton has the capacity and the instincts needed to carry forward what has been started. I support her and will do what I can to help ensure her victory. I firmly believe that her victory will only come when she and the Democratic Party articulate the themes this movement has so powerfully expressed.

Bernie has pointed the way toward a more humane economy, a more peaceful foreign policy and a stronger support network for Americans of all ages. Those will be the centerpieces of Democratic governance for the foreseeable future, and we will owe Bernie a debt of gratitude for it.

It won’t be enough to just accept the merit of his ideas. This is in no small part Bernie Sanders’ party also. His team, his supporters and his movement must-- and will-- be integrated into the future of the Democratic Party at every level. In many ways this is a new entity. The Democrats who won elections twenty years ago by running against marriage equality, avoiding questions about gun violence, blaming poverty on laziness and waffling on the environment are nearly a thing of the past. From now on, Democrats will celebrate Sandersism and channel its energy not just to electoral victory, but to better decisions for the American people.

At some point, every presidential election is called “the most important in a generation.” This one actually merits the description. Winning in November will require standing arm in arm. I’m ready.

All these Bernie Congress candidates can use some help. If you can, please consider contributing to any of them you'd like to see in Congress, by clicking on the thgermometer. This revolution has a long, long way to go: