Here's a quick FAQ, since apparently this announcement has people confused:
1. "Isn't Sanders still running? He's just suspended his campaign, not dropped out!"
No, today was (unfortunately) the official and practical end of Bernie's 2020 presidential campaign. Bernie might remain on the ballot in some remaining states, but he is no longer actively contesting or seeking the nomination. He is not running as an independent, and he is not going to be on the ballot in November.
In his own words, "I cannot in good conscience mount a campaign that cannot win and would interfere with the important work required of all of us."
The delegates he has earned will still attend the convention and do important work, hopefully advocating for Bernie's causes and helping the move the Democratic party further left today and into the future.
2. "Sanders was the only hope for a progressive future! What am I supposed to do now?"
Well, keep fighting! Bernie has been in fight this since the 1960s, and he's not going to give up - neither should you. The presidency is important, but it's not the endgame: everything Bernie has accomplished so far has been possible because he won other elections, like Senate races and Mayoral elections.
If you stay home in November, you're missing out on your chance to vote for the next Bernie, because they might be running for school board or mayor or state rep. And more than they need your support in November, they need your support today. Look up the people running in down-ballot races for your location, and get in touch with a local campaign! Phone bank, talk to your family, STAY INVOLVED. Apathy is one of the greatest enemies to the progressive agenda today.
3. "Isn't Joe Biden just as bad as Trump? I've seen a lot of negative stuff online."
It's important to be critical of political figures, especially during a primary election. Joe Biden has been in politics for a very long time, and his record is by no means spotless. There's lots to criticize, politically and personally. But having Biden in the big chair instead of Trump changes the entire game.
Look at it this way: if Joe Biden wins, a democratic Congress gets a clear path to passing real, lasting progressive laws. If Joe Biden wins, Ruth Bader Ginsburg gets to retire, and be replaced by a young firebrand who will make Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh's lives a living hell for the next 40 years. If Joe Biden wins, all of the horrible executive orders Trump has enacted are gone, on day one: family seperation, abortion bans in VA hospitals, EPA funding gutted, global warming denial in NOAA, removal of LGBT+ protections, all GONE in January 2021. If Joe Biden wins, all the Trump shills in the government disappear: I'm talking about new people in the CPB, the Justice Department, the FTC, and everything other federal agency.
With Biden instead of Trump, we're going to be fighting for Medicare for All vs. Obamacare, instead of Keeping Obamacare vs. Stripping Away Any Kind of Federal Insurance. We're going to be fighting for the Green New Deal vs. Having a Functional EPA, instead of Gutting The EPA or Having No EPA At All. The fight is way different, and we get to pull the conversation further left - where it belongs.
This election is just as much about getting rid of the Republican stench in the Oval Office as it is electing a particular person. So yeah, be critical of Joe Biden, but please don't lose sight of what President Joe Biden would actually look like versus President Trump.
If you're feeling confused, or want to talk about your feelings today, my inbox is always open. Keep your head up, and stay in this fight. It's not over yet.
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