Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) recently held his official campaign launch rally, and during his speech he reiterated the main point of his platform: the government belongs to the people, not a handful of billionaires.
“Enough is enough,” Sanders said to the thousands in attendance. “This great nation and its government belong to all of the people, and not to a handful of billionaires, their Super-PACs and their lobbyists.”
He continued:
Let’s be clear. This campaign is not about Bernie Sanders. It is not about Hillary Clinton. It is not about Jeb Bush or anyone else. This campaign is about the needs of the American people, and the ideas and proposals that effectively address those needs.
As someone who has never run a negative political ad in his life, my campaign will be driven by issues and serious debate — not political gossip, not reckless personal attacks or character assassination.
This is what I believe the American people want and deserve. I hope other candidates agree, and I hope the media allows that to happen. Politics in a democratic society should not be treated like a baseball game, a game show or a soap opera. The times are too serious for that.
Sanders then went on to discuss issues including income and wealth inequality, the economy as a whole, Citizens United, climate change, and health care, among others.
“The lesson to be learned is that when people stand together and are prepared to fight back, there is nothing that can’t be accomplished,” he said.
“[I] ask you to join me in this campaign to build a future that works for all of us and not just the few on the top.”
Watch Sen. Sanders full speech.