Channel Your Leftover Berning Energy
Besides taking his advice and voting for Hillary (see how here), there are further ways to Feel the Bern, even from abroad.
If you were receiving the many emails from the Bernie Sanders campaign, you may have noticed the sudden subject switch from “Bernie Sanders 2016” to “Our Revolution.” What exactly does that mean? Our Revolution is Sanders’s newest movement, aiming to maintain the momentum he gained towards social change through his presidential campaign.
“Campaigns end. Revolutions endure” are the first few words seen on its website. “Hilary has the votes...and that’s just the reality. We can sit and sulk about it, that’s fine, but we have to get over it. What is equally important, maybe even more important, is to build that movement,” said Sanders. The movement covers a wide variety of progressive issues, much of which were alluded to during Bernie’s run for president, such as income inequality, college tuition, the minimum wage, climate change, LGBTQ and racial equality, and health care.
However, the movement identifies three main themes, intended to represent all of the Movement's key issues:
1. “Revitalizing American democracy”
2. “Empowering progressive leaders”
3. “Elevating political consciousness”
Image Credit: Flickr//DonkeyHotey
The organization is a non profit, specifically a “social welfare” 501(c)(4), meaning it is able to accept unlimited donations without having to disclose the identities of its donors. This appears to contradict one of Bernie’s main points during his presidential campaign: money doesn’t belong in politics. Therefore, this concept is upsetting many of his original supporters.
Staff are also upset that Jeff Weaver, Sanders’s campaign manager, was appointed the president of Our Revolution. In fact, when his title was announced, about half of the staff of the grassroots movement quit. In an interview with Democracy Now, Claire Sandberg, the former digital organizing director for Bernie Sanders’s campaign, said, “Jeff has [admitted] that he wanted to form the organization as a 501(c)(4) for the express purpose of accepting billionaire money, which of course flies in the face of what all of our supporters were so excited about, that we were taking a country back from the billionaire class without the use of billionaire money, $27 at a time.”
Aside from the internal issues the movement is currently facing, Our Revolution is still forging ahead. If Bernie’s campaign impassioned you like many others, here is what you can do to help support his ongoing ideologies:
Sign up for emails. Activism starts with being informed about specific issues and what your organizations of choice do to fight them. On the Our Revolution website, there is section to fill out your information including email, address, and telephone number.
Volunteer. This may be difficult for students currently studying abroad, but this campaign, unlike presidential elections, reaches further to hit all issues, all the time. Volunteer opportunities may include operating a phone bank, working at an event, or even hosting your own event.
Vote locally. This campaign and Bernie himself have stressed the importance of practicing your right to vote, and it all starts at the local environment.
Donate. As a young adult, it may be difficult to give money to anything but your student debt, but the average donation amount for Bernie’s campaign was just $27.
Image Credit: Gage Skidmore
