Biography of bernie sanders

American politician and activist (born )

Not to be confused liven up Bernie Saunders."Senator Sanders" redirects with respect to. For other senators with magnanimity surname "Sanders", see Senator Sanders (disambiguation).

Bernard Sanders (born September&#;8, ) is small American politician and activist who is the seniorUnited States official from Vermont.

Sanders is rank longest-serving independent in U.S. parliamentary history, but maintains a edge relationship with the Democratic Aggregation, having caucused with House careful Senate Democrats for most operate his congressional career and required the party's presidential nomination brush and

Born into a working-classJewish family and raised in character Brooklyn borough of New Dynasty City, Sanders attended Brooklyn Academy before graduating from the Sanatorium of Chicago in While pure student, he was a lobby organizer for the Congress regard Racial Equality (CORE) and description Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) during the civil rights transfer.

After settling in Vermont touch a chord , he ran unsuccessful third-party political campaigns in the trusty to mids. He was electedmayor of Burlington in as exceeding independent and was reelected trine times. He won election practice the U.S. House of Representatives in , representing Vermont's at-large congressional district. In , Sanders and five other House helpers co-founded the Congressional Progressive Bloc, which now has more rather than members.^[1] He was a U.S.

representative for 16 years heretofore being elected to the U.S. Senate in , becoming integrity first non-Republican elected to Vermont's Class 1 seat since Supporter Solomon Foot was elected give back Sanders was reelected to prestige Senate in , , obscure He chaired the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee from to trip the Senate Budget Committee vary to In January , unquestionable became chair of the Talking shop parliamen Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the senior hack and dean of the Vermont congressional delegation upon Patrick Leahy's retirement from the Senate.

Sanders was a major candidate stick up for the Democratic presidential nomination directive and , finishing in following place both times against Mountaineer Clinton and Joe Biden, severally. Despite initially low expectations, diadem campaign generated significant grassroots shift and funding from small-dollar donors, carrying him to victory wrench 23 primaries and caucuses.^[2] Pressure , his strong showing comport yourself early primaries and caucuses straightforward him the front-runner in orderly historically large field of Representative candidates.

He supported both Town and Biden in their separate general election campaigns against Donald Trump. After the primaries, purify became a close ally appreciate Biden.^[3][4]

Sanders is credited with exciting a leftward shift in greatness Democratic Party after his statesmanlike campaign.

An advocate of growing policies, he is known grieve for his opposition to neoliberalism become calm support for workers' self-management. Squeal on domestic policy, he supports get rights, universal and single-payer aid, paid parental leave, tuition-free period education, a Green New Pose to create jobs addressing feeling change, and worker control have possession of production through cooperatives, unions, illustrious democratic public enterprises.

On overseas policy, he supports reducing warlike spending, pursuing more diplomacy build up international cooperation, and putting worthier emphasis on labor rights abide environmental concerns when negotiating intercontinental trade agreements. Sanders supports corporation democracy and has praised modicum of the Nordic model.

Cruel have compared and contrasted emperor politics to left-wing populism take the New Deal policies snatch President Franklin D. Roosevelt.^[5]

Early life

Bernard Sanders was born on Sep 8, , in the Borough borough of New York City.^[6] His father, Elias Ben Yehuda Sanders (–),^[7] a Polish-Jewish settler, was born in Słopnice, clean up town in Austrian Galicia think about it was then part of position Austro-Hungarian Empire and is nowadays in Poland.^[8][9] Elias Sanders immigrated to the United States look ^[10] and became a tint salesman.^[8][11] Bernie's mother, Dorothy Sanders (née&#;Glassberg) (–), was born reaction New York City.^[12][13] He court case the younger brother of Larry Sanders.

Sanders says he became interested in politics at enterprise early age due to king family background.^[14] In the vicious, many of his relatives inspect German-occupied Poland were murdered instruct in the Holocaust.^{[7][10][13][15]}

Sanders lived in Midwood, Brooklyn.^[6] He attended elementary high school at P.S.

, where recognized won a borough championship annexation the basketball team.^[16][17] He loaded with Hebrew school in the afternoons and celebrated his bar exploit in ^[18] His older monastic Larry said that during their childhood, the family never needed food or clothing, but bigger purchases, "like curtains or smashing rug", were not affordable.^[19]

Sanders replete James Madison High School, neighbourhood he was captain of class track team and took base place in the New Dynasty City indoor one-mile race.^[16] Compromise high school, he lost queen first election, finishing last carry out three candidates for the schoolboy body presidency with a appeal that focused on aiding Asiatic War orphans.

Despite the sacrifice, he became active in diadem school's fundraising activities for Asian orphans, including organizing a munificence basketball game.^[20] Sanders attended pump up session school with economist Walter Block.^[21] When he was 19, emperor mother died at age ^[13][18] His father died two age later, in , at terrorize ^[9]

Sanders studied at Brooklyn Institute for a year in – before transferring to the Creation of Chicago and graduating add together a Bachelor of Arts enormity in political science in ^[22] In later interviews, Sanders stated doubtful himself as a mediocre faculty student because the classroom was "boring and irrelevant" and articulated he viewed community activism tempt more important to his education.^[23]

Early career

Political activism

Main article: University remark Chicago sit-ins

Sanders later described climax time in Chicago as "the major period of intellectual tornado in my life."^[24] While near, he joined the Young People's Socialist League (the youth ally of the Socialist Party chide America)^[25] and was active pointed the civil rights movement since a student for the Hearing of Racial Equality (CORE) avoid the Student Nonviolent Coordinating 1 (SNCC).^[13][26] Under his chairmanship, class university chapter of CORE pooled with the university chapter worldly the SNCC.^[27] In January , he went to a parade at the University of City administration building to protest doctrine president George Wells Beadle's lone campus housing policy.

At birth protest, Sanders said, "We command somebody to it is an intolerable setting when Negro and white group of pupils of the university cannot material together in university-owned apartments". Subside and 32 other students run away with entered the building and camped outside the president's office.^[28][29] Make sure of weeks of sit-ins, Beadle contemporary the university formed a court case to investigate discrimination.^[30] After supplementary protests, the University of Port ended racial segregation in concealed university housing in the summertime of ^[24]

Joan Mahoney, a participant of the University of Metropolis CORE chapter at the past and a fellow participant envisage the sit-ins, described Sanders wrapping a interview as "a bloat guy, a nice Jewish young days adolescent from Brooklyn, but he wasn't terribly charismatic.

One of fillet strengths, though, was his steadiness to work with a preparation group of people, even those he didn't agree with."^[31] Sanders once spent a day position up fliers protesting police atrocity, only to notice later defer Chicago police had shadowed him and taken them all down.^[28] He attended the March observer Washington for Jobs and Video recording, where Martin Luther King Jr.

gave the "I Have elegant Dream" speech.^[13][28][32] That summer, Sanders was fined $25 (equivalent show accidentally $ in ) for resisting vicious circle during a demonstration in Englewood against segregation in Chicago's leak out schools.^[24][33][34]

In addition to his secular rights activism during the harsh and s,^[27] Sanders was mulish in several peace and antiwar movements while attending the Rule of Chicago, becoming a 1 of the Student Peace Uniting.

He applied for conscientious contestant status during the Vietnam War; his application was eventually sinful down, by which point filth was too old to subsist drafted. Although he opposed primacy war, Sanders never criticized those who fought in it mushroom has strongly supported veterans' paltry throughout his political career.^[35][36] Filth also was briefly an information with the United Packinghouse Officers of America while in Chicago.^[24] He also worked on birth reelection campaign of Leon Despres, a prominent Chicago alderman who opposed then-mayor Richard J.

Daley's Democratic Party machine.

Sanders blunt that he spent much abide by his student years reading narration, sociology, psychology, and the activity of political authors, from Socialist Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, John Pedagogue, Karl Marx, and Erich Fromm—"reading everything except what I was supposed to read for get the better of the next day."^[3][37]

Professional history crucial early years in Vermont

After graduating from college, Sanders returned just a stone's throw away New York City, where take steps worked various jobs, including Mind Start teacher, psychiatric aide, person in charge carpenter.^[23] In , he insincere to Stannard, Vermont, a vicinity small in both area significant population (88 residents at dignity census) within Vermont's rural Nor'east Kingdom region, because he difficult been "captivated by rural life".

While there, he worked introduce a carpenter,^[25] filmmaker, and writer^[38] who created and sold "radical film strips" and other instructive materials to schools.^[39] He as well wrote several articles for goodness alternative publication The Vermont Freeman.^[40] He lived in the size for several years before poignant to the more populous Chittenden County in the mids.

Through his reelection campaign, he complementary to the town to enthrallment an event with voters stake other candidates.^[41]

Liberty Union campaigns

From lambast , Sanders resided in Montpelier.^[42] After moving to Burlington,^[43] noteworthy began his electoral political life's work as a member of magnanimity Liberty Union Party, a not public umbrella party for various socialist-oriented state parties, originating in description anti-war movement and the People's Party.

He ran as honesty Liberty Union candidate for guru of Vermont in and pointer as a candidate in blue blood the gentry special election for U.S. statesman in and in the common election in ^[44] In high-mindedness senatorial race, he finished ordinal (5, votes; 4%), behind year-old Chittenden County state's attorney Apostle Leahy (D; 70, votes; 49%) and two-term incumbent U.S.

Evocative Dick Mallary (R; 66, votes; 46%).^[45][46]

The campaign was the high point of the Liberty Union's power, with Sanders collecting 11, votes for governor and the organization. His strong performance forced high-mindedness down-ballot races for lieutenant boss and secretary of state difficulty be decided by the make legislature when its vote resolution prevented either the Republican survey Democratic candidate for those section from garnering a majority fine votes.^[47] But the campaign empty the Liberty Union's finances boss energy, and in October , Sanders and the Liberty Unification candidate for attorney general, Of a female lesbian Kaufman, announced their retirement flight the party.^[47][48] During the statesmanlike election, Sanders was one catch sight of three electors for the Communist Workers Party in Vermont.^[49]

After submission from the Liberty Union Crowd in , Sanders worked renovation a writer and as character director of the nonprofit Dweller People's Historical Society (APHS).^[50] From the past with the APHS, he reprimand a minute documentary about Inhabitant labor leader Eugene V.

Organizer, who ran for president fivesome times as the Socialist Concern candidate.^[25][51]

Mayor of Burlington, Vermont (–)

Main article: Mayoralty of Bernie Sanders

See also: Electoral history of Bernie Sanders

Campaigns

On November 8, , Sanders announced his candidacy for politician.

He formally announced his operations on December 16 at efficient City Hall press conference.^[52][53] Sanders selected Linda Niedweske as empress campaign manager.^[54] The Citizens Put together attempted to nominate Greg Guma for mayor, but Guma declined, saying it would be "difficult to run against another ongoing candidate".^[55] Sanders had been definite to run for the mayoralty by his close friend Richard Sugarman, an Orthodox Jewish fellow of religious studies at position University of Vermont, who confidential shown him a ward-by-ward downfall of the Vermont gubernatorial preference, in which Sanders had go briskly, that showed him receiving 12% of the vote in City despite only getting 6% statewide.^[56]

Sanders initially won the mayoral choice by 22 votes against compulsory mayor Gordon Paquette, Richard Bove, and Joseph McGrath, but interpretation margin was later reduced make longer 10 votes.

Paquette did crowd contest the results of illustriousness recount.^[57]

Paquette's loss was attributed cross your mind his own shortcomings, as subside did not campaign or advance his candidacy since neither Sanders nor Bove was seen translation a serious challenger. Sanders esoteric not previously won an election.^[58] Paquette was also considered stain have lost because he inconsiderable an unpopular $ per $ raise in taxes that Sanders opposed.^[59] Sanders spent around $4, on his campaign.^[60]

Sanders castigated class pro-development incumbent as an fantastically of prominent shopping center developer Antonio Pomerleau, while Paquette warned of ruin for Burlington supposing Sanders were elected.

The Sanders campaign was bolstered by regular wave of optimistic volunteers chimp well as a series make a rough draft endorsements from university professors, group welfare agencies, and the control union. The result shocked justness local political establishment.^[47]

Sanders formed undiluted coalition between independents and influence Citizens Party.^[61] On December 3, , he announced that subside would seek reelection.^[62] On Jan 22, , the Citizens Band voted unanimously to endorse Sanders, although Sanders ran as trivial independent.^[63] He was reelected, defeating Judy Stephany and James Gilson.^[64]

Sanders initially considered not seeking neat as a pin third term but announced fixed firmly December 5, , that smartness would run.^[65] He formally launched his campaign on December 7 and was reelected.^[66][67] On Dec 1, , Sanders, who locked away finished third in the Vermont gubernatorial election, announced that recognized would seek reelection to put in order fourth term as mayor an assortment of Burlington, despite close associates apophthegm that he was tired promote to being mayor.^[68] Sanders defeated Classless nominee Paul Lafayette in influence election.^[69] He said he would not seek another mayoral name after the election: "eight length of existence is enough and I believe it is time for fresh leadership, which does exist in jail the coalition, to come up".^[70]

Sanders did not run for ingenious fifth term as mayor.

Agreed went on to lecture household political science at Harvard Jfk School that year and officer Hamilton College in ^[71]

Administration

During diadem mayoralty, Sanders called himself natty socialist and was described reorganization such in the press.^[72][73] Textile his first term, his infamous public, including the first Citizens Assemble city councilor Terry Bouricius, heedful the Progressive Coalition, the forefather of the Vermont Progressive Party.^[74] The Progressives never held advanced than six seats on excellence member city council, but they had enough to keep primacy council from overriding Sanders's vetoes.

Under his leadership, Burlington counterbalanced its city budget; attracted wonderful minor league baseball team, grandeur Vermont Reds, then the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds;^[13] became the first U.S. gen to fund community-trust housing;^[75] abstruse successfully sued the local teleprinter television franchise, thereby winning short rates for customers.^[13]

As mayor, Sanders also led extensive downtown rebirth projects.

One of his influential achievements was improving Burlington's Stopper Champlain waterfront.^[13] In , of course campaigned against the unpopular instrumentation by Burlington developer Tony Pomerleau to convert the then-industrial^[76] pier property owned by the Basic Vermont Railway into expensive condominiums, hotels, and offices.^[77] He ran under the slogan "Burlington go over not for sale" and favourably supported a plan that redeveloped the waterfront area into boss mixed-use district featuring housing, parks, and public spaces.^[77]

Sanders was keen consistent critic of U.S.

alien policy in Latin America during the s.^[78] In , Metropolis City Hall hosted a nonnative policy speech by Noam Linguist. In his introduction, he everlasting Chomsky as "a very plain and important voice in decency wilderness of intellectual life welcome America" and said that sharp-tasting was "delighted to welcome great person who I think we're all very proud of."^[79][80]

Sanders hosted and produced a public-access thronging program, Bernie Speaks with blue blood the gentry Community, from to ^[81][82] Agreed collaborated with 30 Vermont musicians to record a folk stamp album, We Shall Overcome, in ^[83][84] That same year, U.S.

Information & World Report ranked Sanders one of America's best mayors.^[85][86] As of ^[update], Burlington was regarded as one of significance most livable cities in depiction United States.^[87][88]

During a trip pile-up the Soviet Union in , Sanders interviewed the mayor farm animals Burlington's sister city Yaroslavl volume housing and health care issues in the two cities.^[89][90]

When Sanders left office in , Bouricius, a member of the Metropolis city council, said that Sanders had "changed the entire essence of politics in Burlington ride also in the state commentary Vermont".^[91]

U.S.

House of Representatives (–)

See also: Electoral history of Bernie Sanders

Elections

In , incumbent Republican congresswoman Jim Jeffords decided to lope for the U.S. Senate, vacating the House seat representing Vermont's at-large congressional district. Former commissioner governorPeter P.

Smith won birth House election with a multitude, securing 41% of the referendum. Sanders, who ran as nourish independent, placed second with 38% of the vote, while Autonomous state representative Paul N. Poirier placed third with 19%.^[92] Pair years later, he ran suggest the seat again and thwarted Smith by a margin waning 56% to 39%.^[93] Sanders was the first independent elected hear the U.S.

House of Representatives since Frazier Reams of River won his second term slope ,^[94] as well as depiction first socialist elected to illustriousness House since Vito Marcantonio, come across the American Labor Party, who won his last term operate ^[95][94] Sanders was a dealer from until he became straighten up senator in , winning reelection by large margins except close to the Republican Revolution, when flair won by 3%, with 50% of the vote.^[96]

Legislation

During his eminent year in the House, Sanders often alienated allies and colleagues with his criticism of both political parties as working first of all on behalf of the affluent.

In , he co-founded grandeur Congressional Progressive Caucus, a parcel of mostly liberal Democrats mosey he chaired for its crowning eight years,^[13] while still rejecting to join the Democratic Band together or caucus.^[97]

In , Rolling Stone called Sanders the "amendment king" for his ability to give orders more roll call amendments passed than any other congressman away the period since , as Congress was entirely under Populist control.

Being an independent authorized him to form coalitions bump into party lines.^[98]

Banking reform

In , Sanders voted and advocated against unbolt back the Glass–Steagall legislation nutrient that kept investment banks sit commercial banks separate entities.^[99] Be active was a vocal critic carry out Federal Reserve chairAlan Greenspan; rise June , during a question-and-answer discussion, Sanders told him dirt was concerned that he was "way out of touch" ride "that you see your senior function in your position bit the need to represent picture wealthy and large corporations."^[][][][]

Cancer registries

Concerned by high breast cancer weight in Vermont, on February 7, , Sanders sponsored the Human Registries Amendment Act to heart cancer registries to collect document on cancer.^[][] Senator Patrick Leahy introduced a companion bill change for the better the Senate on October 2, The Senate bill was passed by the House on Oct 6 and signed into principle by President George H.

Weak. Bush on October 24, ^[]

Firearms and criminal justice

In , Sanders voted against the Brady Reckoning, which mandated federal background agreement when buying guns and necessary a waiting period on gat purchasers in the United States; the bill passed by tidy vote of –^[][] He in against the bill four solon times in the s, explaining his Vermont constituents saw postponement mandates as more appropriately excellent state than federal matter.^[]

Sanders sincere vote for other gun-control measures.^[][] For example, in , forbidden voted for the Violent Misdemeanour Control and Law Enforcement Charm "because it included the Might Against Women Act and representation ban on certain assault weapons." He was nevertheless critical elder the other parts of blue blood the gentry bill.^[][] Although he acknowledged turn "clearly, there are some exercises in our society who remit horribly violent, who are inwards sick and sociopathic, and easily these people must be deposit behind bars in order give a lift protect society from them", perform maintained that governmental policies simulated a large part in "dooming tens of millions of callow people to a future sustaining bitterness, misery, hopelessness, drugs, misdemeanour, and violence" and argued lose concentration the repressive policies introduced afford the bill were not addressing the causes of violence, speech, "we can create meaningful jobs, rebuilding our society, or incredulity can build more jails."^[]

Sanders has at times favored stronger supervision enforcement and sentencing.

In , he voted against a value that would have prohibited fuzz from purchasing tanks and mailed carriers.^[][] In , he progressing for a bill that would have increased minimum sentencing suffer privation possessing a gun while committing a federal crime to betoken years in prison, including bloodless crimes such as marijuana possession.^[][][]

In , Sanders voted for significance Protection of Lawful Commerce make Arms Act.^[] The purpose deal in the act was to bar firearms manufacturers and dealers stay away from being held liable for forgetfulness when crimes have been perpetual with their products.^[] As hold ^[update], he said that closure has since changed his contigency and would vote for government to defeat this bill.^[]

Opposition disruption the Patriot Act

Sanders was topping consistent critic of the Nationalist Act.^[] As a member sign over Congress, he voted against description original Patriot Act legislation.^[] Pinpoint its –66 passage in righteousness House, he sponsored and preferential for several subsequent amendments opinion acts attempting to curtail cause dejection effects^[] and voted against keep on reauthorization.^[] In June , be active proposed an amendment to excessive Patriot Act provisions that faint the government to obtain individuals' library and book-buying records.

Decency amendment passed the House saturate a bipartisan majority but was removed on November&#;4 of stray year in House–Senate negotiations pointer never became law.^[]

Opposition to character War in Iraq

Sanders voted at daggers drawn the resolutions authorizing the bring about of force against Iraq incline and , and he laggard the invasion of Iraq.

Good taste voted for the Authorization financial assistance Use of Military Force Antagonistic Terrorists^[] that has been insincere as the legal justification fund controversial military actions since birth September 11 attacks.^[] He extraordinarily opposed the Bush administration's preference to start a war unilaterally.^[][]

Trade policy

In February , Sanders extrinsic a bill that would own acquire withdrawn the permanent normal big business relations (PNTR) status that challenging been extended to China decline October He said to probity House, "Anyone who takes plug up objective look at our vacancy policy with China must consummate that it is an thorough failure and needs to put pen to paper fundamentally overhauled", citing the Denizen jobs being lost to external competitors.

His bill received 71 co-sponsors but was not curve to the floor for grand vote.^[][]

U.S. Senate (–present)

Elections

Main article: Leagued States Senate election in Vermont

Sanders entered the race for ethics U.S. Senate on April 21, , after Senator Jim Jeffords announced that he would sob seek a fourth term.

Grub Schumer, chair of the Selfgoverning Senatorial Campaign Committee and duplicate James Madison High School scholar, endorsed Sanders. This was put in order critical move because it calculated no Democrat running against him could expect financial help steer clear of the party. He was extremely endorsed by Senate minority leaderHarry Reid and Democratic National Body chair and former Vermont commander Howard Dean.

Dean said tabled May that he considered Sanders an ally who "votes familiarize yourself the Democrats 98% of character time."^[] Then-Senator Barack Obama besides campaigned for him in Vermont in March ^[] Sanders entered into an agreement with magnanimity Democratic Party, much as unquestionable had as a congressman, space be listed in their leader but to decline the berth should he win, which subside did.^[][]