Today's news from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)

[Playinghardball]

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Senator Sanders

White House ’16 Sen. Bernie Sanders will announce his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday, The Associated Press, USA Today, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Chicago Tribune, ABC News, CNN, Reuters, National Journal, The Guardian, Politico, The Huffington Post and others reported. “Sanders may end up serving as the most prominent voice for the left wing of the party - particularly voters who are suspicious of Clinton and her ties to Wall Street,” according to The Washington Post. LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK

Sanders at Howard University On the same day that Hillary Clinton visited three homes of wealthy Manhattan benefactors to raise an estimated $1 million in campaign funds, Sen. Sanders gave a Howard University audience a sneak preview of a campaign platform that is squarely aimed at "the billionaire class," Bloomberg reported. Sanders avoided commenting directly on the widespread reports of his impending announcement. “I've said I'd make a decision by the end of the month and today's what? The 28th?” he said. “Let me be diplomatic here. A formal decision will be announced before the end of this month, and we would love to have you on board,” USA Today and the Burlington Free Press reported. A formal announcement will be coming soon and we would love to have your company." LINK

Trade In recent weeks, Sanders has been a forceful critic of the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, which would eliminate tariffs and other trade barriers for the U.S., Canada and Asian countries conducting commerce with each other. "One of the key reasons why the middle class in America continues to decline and the gap between the very rich and everyone else is growing wider is because of disastrous trade agreements which have sent millions of decent-paying jobs to China and other low-wage countries," Sanders said last week, The Associated Press reported.

Labor AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka criticized the 12-nation free-trade deal supported by the Obama administration, as well as Trade Promotion Authority, but Clinton's presidential candidacy puts labor in a particularly difficult position. Clinton has dithered on TPP since she became a candidate, despite having previously calling it "the gold standard" for promoting free, fair, open, and transparent trade. Clinton's potential Democratic challengers include Sen. Sanders and other ardent TPP opponents, National Journal noted.

Sanders’ Agenda Among his proposals, Sanders calls for free college tuition, a $1-trillion program to rebuild the nation's roads and bridges, government-run health care, higher taxes on the wealthy and publicly funded elections to reduce the influence of the country's rich donors, the Los Angeles Times reported. LINK

Background in Vermont Sen. Sanders is the longest serving independent member of Congress in history, according to The Burlington Free Press. His father, an immigrant from Poland, sold paint for a living —and Sanders' views about the distribution of wealth were formed early. "A lack of money in my family was a very significant aspect of my growing up," he said in December. "Kids in my class would have new jackets, new coats, and I would get hand-me-downs," he told The Associated Press. There were reports on Sanders’ planned announcement in the Burlington Free Press, Rutland Herald, Times Argus, WFFF-TV, WPTZ-TV and WCAX-TV. LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK LINK, LINK, LINK.

Mayor de Blasio New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is elevating his profile with an eye toward influencing the 2016 presidential race. Sen. Sanders said in a recent interview that de Blasio deserves to be heard. “He's playing a very important role within the progressive community," Sanders told Newsday. LINK

Facebook With the presidential race heating up, a torrent of politically charged commentary has flooded Facebook, the world's largest social networking site, with some users deploying their ''unfollow'' buttons like a television remote to silence distasteful political views. Mike Massaroli, from Staten Island, told The New York Times that he is occasionally unfollowed even by friends who playfully cast him off as ''the dude who is voting for Bernie Sanders.''

National

Obama on Violence in Baltimore President Barack Obama denounced the Baltimore rioters as “criminals and thugs” who “distracted” attention from legitimate concerns raised by those protesting the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray, who was arrested by Baltimore police on April 12 and died a week later, according to The Wall Street Journal. LINK

Curfew Enforced There was no repeat of Monday’s violence, in which dozens of people pelted police with rocks and bottles, looted several stores and set things ablaze. National Guardsmen with rifles and police in riot gear looked on while fire-scarred buildings smoldered, burnt cars were towed away and the rocks hurled by rioters were swept from the streets. Merchants and neighbors came out to clean up shattered stores and streets strewn with debris, The Washington Post reported. LINK

Clinton on Criminal Justice Hillary Clinton will deliver a major speech on criminal justice reform Wednesday, calling for fundamental changes to how the United States punishes its citizens and an end to a system that disproportionately targets black men. Clinton is scheduled to keynote the 18th Annual David N. Dinkins Leadership and Public Policy Forum at Columbia University Wednesday morning. It will be her most significant policy address since she launched her 2016 presidential bid this month, The Huffington Post reported. LINK

Gay Marriage The Supreme Court on Tuesday was deeply divided over one of the great civil rights issues of the age, same-sex marriage. But Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, whose vote is probably crucial, gave gay rights advocates reasons for optimism based on the tone and substance of his questions, The New York Times reported. LINK

Today's news from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.): http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/042915 …

[wendylaroux]

1. link sent to me:

[upaloopa]

2. More of an anti Hillary post than news from Bernie.

I thought it was going to be Bernie telling us some new news he has.