Sisters and brothers -

The Fighting Oligarchy tour is going on the road again.

So far, we’ve held 24 events in 15 states speaking to over 270,000 people. Now, we’re adding 2 more states to that list:

North Carolina and West Virginia.

Now, I know some of you may be thinking - Bernie, why are you going to West Virginia of all places? Here's why...

The visits to West Virginia and other so-called "red states" on our tour have everything to do with my belief that our progressive message of justice -- economic justice, social justice, racial justice and environmental justice -- can resonate in every state in the country, including conservative states.

Today, in West Virginia and all throughout our country over half of our people are living paycheck to paycheck and millions are employed at starvation wages.

In West Virginia and all throughout our country millions of Americans are uninsured or underinsured and cannot afford to go to a doctor, and one out of four Americans cannot pay for the outrageously high cost of prescription drugs.

In West Virginia and all throughout our country despite an extremely competitive global economy, hundreds of thousands of working class young people are unable to afford college and many millions are struggling with outrageous levels of student debt.

The truth is that the agenda of the Republican Party that dominates in West Virginia is NOT popular. Very few Americans believe that it’s appropriate for one person to own more wealth than the bottom 52% of households; that we provide massive tax breaks to billionaires; and that we maintain a corrupt campaign finance system that allows the very rich to buy elections.

Most Americans understand, no matter where they live, that the current economic and political systems are rigged and broken in favor of the rich and that we need fundamental changes.

Most Americans, no matter where they live, vigorously oppose the key components of Trumpism: oligarchy, authoritarianism, unprecedented dishonesty, kleptocracy, and economic policies which favor the rich while impoverishing working families.

Even in West Virginia.

Plus, it has long been inconceivable to me that a serious national party -- the Democratic Party -- would surrender dozens of states in this country to right-wing Republicans, including some of the poorest states in the country like West Virginia.

We’ve got to educate, organize and mobilize working people in EVERY state in the country to fight oligarchy, authoritarianism, kleptocracy and the massive cuts to Medicaid, nutrition and education that Trump is proposing.

That is why I am going to West Virginia.

As always, we will stream these events on the internet so I hope that you will tune in, watch, and ask your friends to do the same.

And as always, we will do our best to give people in these states meaningful opportunities to get involved in the political process after our rallies end.

Now IS the time for millions of working families to come together, to revitalize American democracy, to end the collapse of the American middle class and to make certain that our children and grandchildren are able to enjoy a quality of life that brings them health, prosperity, security and joy — and that once again makes the United States the leader in the world in the fight for economic and social justice, for environmental sanity and for a world of peace.

Not just in blue states.

Not just in swing states.

But in every state and every town in this country.

Let's get it done.

In solidarity,

Bernie Sanders

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