Press Release: Progressive Democrats of America Calls on Bernie Sanders to Stay in the Race
Excerpt:
The severity of the COVID-19 national emergency has changed everything in this election year. Coronavirus has revealed, with tragic consequences, the failings of our public health institutions and economic safety net in ways that Bernie Sanders has been warning against for decades. Thus, it comes as no surprise that Bernies platform directly addresses these failings; in marked contrast to his rivals. As many observers have noted, with each passing day the COVID-19 pandemic is proving the wisdom of the Sanders agenda.
In particular, Medicare for All needs to be the official policy of the Democratic Party and its presidential nominee in 2020. The pandemic has exposed Americas current healthcare system for the disaster that it is. There can be no denying that having tens of millions of Americans unable to access affordable care greatly increases the public health risk for everyone. America needs universal single-payer health care; and the only way to get there is through the Democratic Party. Yet Joe Biden opposes Medicare for All, while Bernie Sanders is its leading proponent.
In the wake of COVID-19, Medicare for All isnt merely a winning political issue; its a political landslide issue. Even if Bernie doesnt win the nomination, by continuing to campaign and win delegates to the convention, he could leverage Medicare for All into the party platform. For this, America, the Democratic Party, and even Joe Biden, should want Bernie Sanders to stay in the race.
We also need Bernie to stay in the race to insure that his voice is heard as we enter the peak days of the crisis. Over the past few weeks, Bernie has fought tirelessly on behalf of average Americans in the battles over the stimulus bills. As one of only three viable candidates for President, Bernie has a powerful platform. That will change overnight when his campaign ends; and his influence will wane, leaving Americans even more at the mercy of a political class that, on balance, prioritizes big money interests over those of the vast majority.