Why New Jersey Needs Bernie Sanders

[cui bono]

Published on Thursday, June 02, 2016 by Common Dreams

Why New Jersey Needs Bernie Sanders

by Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg

Our country has fallen into a tailspin of poverty and inequality. In my home state of New Jersey our poverty rate is the highest it’s been in 50 years. Since 1980, only New York and Connecticut have outpaced the growth of New Jersey’s income inequality. Almost one-third of New Jerseyans are struggling to afford basic necessities. Like many Americans they juggle which bills to pay and which to skip: rent, utilities, food, medication. More than one million people in our state don’t have enough food.

Finding affordable housing is the Achilles heel for many New Jersey residents in a state that has the sixth-highest housing costs in the nation. A New Jersey minimum wage worker would have to work 18 hours a day to afford a two-bedroom apartment. The average renter in Cumberland County earns about $10.50 an hour in an area where a fair market two-bedroom rents for $1129 a month; this means that an average renter who is working full-time is putting more than half their income towards rent.

In New Jersey - as in the rest of our country - more and more have less while less and less have more.

This type of rampant deprivation isn’t because our country is poor. Quite the contrary, our country is one of the richest in the world; it’s just criminally unequal. Nationally, the top one-tenth of one percent owns almost as much wealth as the bottom 90%. In New Jersey, the average income of the top 1% - those earning over $1.5 million a year - is 27 times greater than the average income of the bottom 99%.

And at this moment, at this juncture between despair and hope for our communities, Senator Bernie Sanders has intervened. Throughout his career - whether as mayor, Congressman or Senator - he has worked to support and enact progressive policies to stem the exponential growth between the haves and have-nots; his efficacy has earned him the nickname the “Amendment King.” His presidential platform, an extension of his life’s work to further economic and racial justice, proposes extending certain fundamental protections and opportunities to every American:

more at link:
http://www.commondreams.org/views/2016/06/02/why-new-jersey-needs-bernie-sanders

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[onehandle]

1. To elect Donald Trump? nt

[hrmjustin]

2. I think Hillay will get 57-63% of the vote in Jersey.

My friends in Jersey politics say the private polls look great for Hillary.

[Tarc]

3. Mid-Atlantic, semi-closed primary, 42% Hispanic, Asian, African-American, others...

Not a prayer in the world NJ goes to Bernie.

[MFM008]

4. The media will call this

as soon as she gets the 73 she needs.
They wont be able to help themselves.

[cui bono]

5. LOL... same #1-3 Hillary posters responding as in my other OP.

Are you guys coordinating your swarming? How many other OPs did you post the first 3 replies in the same order? Did you flip a coin to decide the order or do you rotate?

I'm reccing for this talent!



.

[pacalo]

6. Even funnier (at least, for me) is that your #5 post is the only one

showing for me.

[dchill]

7. +1 *snort*

[cui bono]

11. Hehe... I finally broke down and put one person on ignore.

With the smug and arrogant attitude Hillary fans are showing now that there's going to be a lockdown on democracy at DU I really should put a ton more on. I can't believe these are the ones who will blame Bernie supporters if Hillary loses when they are the ones telling us to shut up and get lost.

.

[JackRiddler]

19. At least they're kicking this important thread.

[cui bono]

20. Yep, and that's always appreciated!

[JackRiddler]

21. It's not like anyone reads all this bullshit we write down here.

Lucky if they read the OP!

[DeGreg]

8. Where the F are you Boss man?

All I can say, as a person who grew up in New Jersey, is where the FUCK is Springsteen's endorsement of Bernie Sanders?

BS, you used to be cloy about politics, even when you did NO NUKES, you wanted it both ways--to make a political statement without making a political statement. Then you showed up in Central Park for the Disarmament Rally in "82--and you did the same thing. Then in 2004 you got a bit more overt and helped with the Vote for Change effort on behalf of Kerry's failed bid. Then when Obama looked like he might close the deal for nomination you went out there whole hog.

So BS, where are you now? I get it that politics is messy yucky and doesn't help with record/concert sales, and I get it that you're probably financially considered to be a 1 percenter, or a least pretty close by most standards, so I need to know are you one of them now? Why so silent? Have you dined with Hillary? With Bill? Did you promise Barack not to take sides? Does Barack expect you to support Mrs. Clinton?

I mean come on Bruce if there was ever a presidential candidate that has ever represented the things you appear value in human beings would it not be BERNIE SANDERS?

And, at the same time, I completely understand why you might want nothing to do with the shit show of American Politics; and you have the right to that as well...

[cui bono]

12. Yeah, you would think he would be endorsing and rallying for Bernie.

He's supposed the be voice of the working person.

.

[auntpurl]

15. Bruce Springsteen will not come out for Bernie.

He's been around a lot of years and watched a lot of politics. He's not going to hurt Democrat's chances in November by endorsing the losing primary candidate.

Bookmark it, and if I'm wrong, feel free to come back here and mock me.

[brooklynite]

9. Why New Jersey doesn't want Bernie Sanders

[Luminous Animal]

10. Because Hillary laughs?

[brooklynite]

17. If you're not having fun running for office, you shouldn't be...

[JackRiddler]

22. Yeah, looks like a real barrelful of fun.

Ah, the Bubble Existence! Soon you'll be here alone, in a cavernous echo chamber protected from the uglier 99% of the Internet, not to mention reality itself.

[brooklynite]

23. So you're planning to leave?

Personally, I've never felt the need for protected discussion groups and media that reinforces my existing beliefs.

[JackRiddler]

24. Not that it matters, but no, I am not.

As I understand, under the rules I just won't be able to speak my mind on too many things. An occasional non-election GD post, I spose.

[AzDar]

14. K & R

[Betty Karlson]

16. We all need Bernie Sanders: Clinton is too big a risk agaiunst Trump.

For the good of the party and the country and the world: New Jersey, go with Bernie!

[GreatGazoo]

18. "average renter in Cumberland County earns about $10.50 an hour in an area where a fair market

two-bedroom rents for $1129"

says a lot about the mess we're in economically yet some are comfortable enough not to give a shit about the rest.

[Bubry]

25. Awkward nt