Bernie Brief: Climate Change | Ep. 3

Bernie Sanders talks about his bold plan to fight climate change and protect our planet. Watch to hear his insight into the real reason the government is not addressing this global threat. Hint: follow the fossil fuel money.

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★ Connect with Bernie:

★ About Bernie:
Bernie Sanders is a Democratic candidate for President of the United States. He is serving his second term in the U.S. Senate after winning re-election in 2012 with 71 percent of the vote. Sanders previously served as mayor of Vermont’s largest city for eight years before defeating an incumbent Republican to be the sole congressperson for the state in the U.S. House of Representatives. He lives in Burlington, Vermont with his wife Jane and has four children and seven grandchildren.

Bernard “Bernie” Sanders was born in Brooklyn, New York, to immigrant parents and grew up in a small, rent-controlled apartment. His father came to the United States from Poland at the age of 17 without much money or a formal education. While attending the University of Chicago, a 20-year-old Sanders led students in a multi-week sit-in to oppose segregation in off-campus housing owned by the university as a Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) officer. In August of 1963, Sanders took an overnight bus as an organizer for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee to hear Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic “I Have a Dream” speech firsthand at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

After graduation, Bernie moved to Vermont where he worked as a carpenter and documentary filmmaker. In 1981, he was elected as mayor of Burlington as an Independent by a mere 10 votes, shocking the city’s political establishment by defeating a six-term, local machine mayor. In 1983, Bernie was re-elected by a 21 point margin with a record amount of voter turnout. Under his administration, the city made major strides in affordable housing, progressive taxation, environmental protection, child care, women’s rights, youth programs and the arts. In 1990, Sanders was elected to the House of Representatives as the first Independent in 40 years and joined the Democratic caucus. He was re-elected for eight terms, during which he voted against the deregulation of Wall Street, the Patriot Act, and the invasion of Iraq.

In 2006, Sanders defeated the richest man in Vermont to win a seat in the U.S. Senate as an Independent. Known as a “practical and successful legislator,” Sanders served as chairman of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs where he authored and passed the most significant veteran health care reform bill in recent history. While in the Senate, Sanders has fought tirelessly for working class Americans against the influence of big money in politics. In 2010, he gave an eight-and-a-half hour filibuster-like speech on the Senate floor in opposition to extending Bush-era tax breaks for the wealthy. In 2015, the Democratic leadership tapped Bernie to serve as the caucus’ ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee.

Known for his consistency on the issues, Senator Sanders has supported the working class, women, communities of color, and the LGBT community throughout his career. He is an advocate for the environment, unions, and immigrants. He voted against Keystone XL, opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal, wants to expand the Voting Rights Act, and pass the Equal Rights Amendment.

[euroyankeeblog]

I grew up in the 70’s when America was leading the world in green technology and environmentalism. The ozone layer was disappearing, and we solved the problem by leading the world in eliminating CFC’s.

Jimmy Carter had a program under which homeowners would get a tax deduction for installing solar heating panels on their roof. While in college I actually had a summer job selling these systems. They were very popular! And our President led by example as well: Carter installed solar heating panels on the roof of the White House.

Under Carter, America started to move to smaller, more fuel-efficient cars, and lead-free gasoline was introduced to work together with catalytic converters to lower the pollution caused by automobile exhaust.

Then Ronald Reagan was elected. Almost on the first day, he ripped out the solar panels on the White House and set about getting America back into the fossil fuel camp. SUV’s were introduced, and the size of American cars swung to the other end of the size spectrum.

When I graduated college, I got my first job as European Sales Representative for Allied Signal, an American company that made catalytic converters for automobiles running on unleaded gas. The US was 15 years ahead of Europe in clean-car technology, and we sold our catalysts to Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, Renault, Peugeot and FIAT. I must say it was a wonderful feeling to be respected as an American by my colleagues and customers: respected for the technology that only America could have pioneered.

Sadly, those days are gone. America is now “Number 1” among advanced countries only in areas like gun violence, obesity, military spending and of course the denial of Climate Change.

Bernie Sanders has a plan to take America back to our rightful place as a pioneer and an innovator in clean technology. Under Bernie’s leadership, the US will lead the world once again in stewarding the planet. America can and will become the “indispensible nation” not just in terms of military security but also in climate security. The world needs radical change in terms of our relationship with the planet and our environment; the world is counting on America not just to develop the technologies we need, but also to once more provide a shining example of what can be achieved when American ingenuity is combined with sensible public policy. #FeelTheBern – Bernie2016!

[AelaZenith]

Very impressed by Bernie Sanders' (14 page) climate change proposal. It would be insane not to listen to the world experts' proposed action. Counteracting climate change is the next giant leap for mankind and Bernie's plan is the only one which is even in that ballpark.

[powerhitter]

Thank you, Bernie, for being one of the only candidates who seem to care about the future of our planet. You have my full support.

[iforgetedmynameagain]

Bernie is our best chance (by far!) at saving humanity. Of all the topics and issues that Bernie stands behind and wants to help solve, this is definitely the most important!

[williamable]

Americans, please vote for this guy, he's our only chance to make a world a better place!! Not only americans need him, the world needs him!

[roadskegermann]

Real talk, Bernie. Thank you for your relentless fight against the evils of this world.

[markjrich]

Geez, I have never heard it explained this clearly.  Go Bernie!

[yarnpower]

Bernie is the only candidate with logical, comprehensive solutions to many problems that our country faces, including climate change.

[eoswald]

I'm a climate scientist (a young one, albeit). This man gets it. Our planet depends on whether he can lead us in fighting climate change, without question. please tell your friends and family about him.

[BramSLI]

The force is strong with this one. #FeelTheBern

[MattWalker]

As a geophysicist, I realize this is top issue and thank you Bernie for making the case. I worry, that without sweeping campaign finance reform first, that this issue (or any other) can never be fixed. Keep stomping and I will too. Thanks again.

[ericandthelakees]

So relevant Everyone is impressed by how Bernie Sanders has created such a stir world wide. His message is not only for America but for everyone in the WORLD!

[makey]

If Bernie becomes President [hopefully, WHEN he becomes president, not if] I would really like to see something like this monthly. A message from Bernie himself, detailing an issue that he thinks the American people need to know about, should care about, or want to know about. I'm a young person, but it evokes the idea of Roosevelt fireside chats for me.

[christinaagustin]

yes! a presidential candidate who acknowledges the perils of climate change on the welfare of the people and our resources!

Thank you Sanders!

[TheUS]

At least one of the presidential candidates is capable of rational thinking. #FeelTheBern #Bernie2016

[brunolopes]

Bernie is not the hope of America. He is the hope of the World.

[MrKaugaban]

true. i like this guy. vote bernie. good luck bernie. frm Malaysia

[jordangerhard]

Inspirational man right here #feelthebern

[mimi]

Bernie really is an eloquent speaker. I love his proposals for dealing with CC. Especially since too many politicians specifically on the Republican side aren't interested. He's a nice breath of fresh air.

[darwain]

I'M from Canada and i support you !!!