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Sanders Authors Op-Ed on 'How Democrats Can Stop Losing Elections'

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) / Getty Images
June 13, 2017

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) penned an op-ed Tuesday in which he outlined his plan for "how Democrats can stop losing elections."

The article, published by the New York Times, blasted Democrats' electoral failures since 2010, including their loss of the White House, Senate, House, and nearly 1,000 state legislature seats.

"In 24 states, Democrats have almost no political influence at all," Sanders wrote.

Calling this result a "clear manifestation of a failed political strategy," Sanders called for a "fundamental" change in the Democratic Party, one focused more on the grassroots message he emphasized during his failed presidential campaign.

Sanders pointed to the recent general election in Great Britain, lauding Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who once compared Israel to the Islamic State, for his unexpected success.

"There is never one reason elections are won or lost, but there is widespread agreement that momentum shifted to Labour after it released a very progressive manifesto that generated much enthusiasm among young people and workers ... The British elections should be a lesson for the Democratic Party," Sanders wrote.

The senator outlined his vision for the Democratic Party going forward. Front and center was his message on income inequality.

"A vast majority of Americans understand that our current economic model is a dismal failure," wrote Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist.

He also attacked Democrats for "cling[ing] to an overly cautious, centrist ideology," which he said would not be successful in bringing "millions of new voters into the political process."

He outlined other political focuses he believes are important for Democrats, including opposing President Donald Trump on health care, embracing a "progressive tax system," opposing the Trump infrastructure plan, supporting alternative energy, making public universities tuition free, reforming the criminal justice system, and supporting "comprehensive immigration reform and a path toward citizenship."

Sanders' op-ed followed up on many recent statements in which he has been critical of the Democratic Party. On Saturday, speaking before the "People's Summit" in Chicago, Sanders told progressive activists that "Trump didn't win the election, the Democratic Party lost the election."