Bernie: Split a contribution between the John Deere and Kellogg's worker strike funds

[Omaha Steve]

Contribute here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/fobs-october21-strikes-video/

We want to thank you for the great response to the labor letter we sent last week.

As a result of your efforts, we have raised more than $130,000 for the Kellogg's and John Deere strike funds — every penny of which will be distributed this week and go directly to families impacted by the strike.

Thank you. That is what solidarity looks like.

But before we distribute that money, let's try to do a little better. We can help more families. We can send a message that our support for these workers isn't just a one day thing. And, at the same time, we can raise additional funds to help us defend workers in future struggles.

Watch a great 2 minute video we made with John Deere workers in Iowa and make a contribution to help those workers and Kellogg's workers sustain their strikes along with supporting Bernie's campaign committee. We’ll send the strike fund money this week.

If these workers succeed, it will be a huge step forward for working people, not just at John Deere and Kellogg's, but all across the country.

Because it is no coincidence that the decline of the American middle class virtually mirrors the decline in union membership.

It is no coincidence that as workers lose their seats at the negotiating table, the share of national income going to middle-class workers has gone down.

It is no coincidence that as Republicans have made it more and more difficult to join a union, the percentage of income going to the very wealthy has gone up dramatically.

So the fight of the working people at Kellogg's and at John Deere is all of our fights.

And together we can send a message to working people nationwide that even if we are taking on an incredibly rich and powerful company, when we stand together and fight, we can win.

But these workers cannot do it alone:

Watch a great 2 minute video we made with John Deere workers in Iowa and make a contribution to help those workers and Kellogg's workers sustain their strikes along with supporting Bernie's campaign committee. We’ll send the strike fund money this week.

If the middle class in this country is going to grow, we need to strengthen the union movement, and that is what these workers are trying to do.

Team Bernie

Contribute here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/fobs-october21-strikes-video/

[lapucelle]

1. The link reads "Your contribution will benefit Bernie Sanders".

Is he forwarding the money to the worker strike funds?

[Omaha Steve]

3. Yes

[George II]

6. How do we know that? According to the ActBlue page, "Your contribution will benefit Bernie Sanders."

[Omaha Steve]

7. How do you know where the Clinton Foundation donations go?

It's called trust.

[George II]

8. The Clinton Foundation doesn't ask for contributions to "Friends of Bill and Hillary Clinton"....

It's a registered charitable foundation. Contributions don't say "Your contribution will benefit Bill and Hillary Clinton.", and it's not a principle campaign committee.

This specifically says "Your contribution will benefit Bernie Sanders." and at the bottom of the contribution page is "By providing your cell phone number, you consent to receive periodic campaign updates through automated text messages from Friends of Bernie Sanders."

"Friends of Bernie Sanders" is Sanders' official Senate campaign committee:

https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/forms/C00411330/1301589/

"This committee is a Principal Campaign Committee."

[Omaha Steve]

9. So you don't trust Bernie

I'm shocked. Just shocked.

[George II]

10. What's that supposed to mean?

[Omaha Steve]

11. Just what is says

You seem to think a US Senator is out to fleece DUers, etc. I trust the $ is going where Bernie says it will go. You don't.

And IF you don't want a text, don't include your cell #. So simple.

OS

[George II]

15. Normally when people solicit contributions to a cause, whatever it is, the money goes DIRECTLY....

...to the cause, be it a union, charity, whatever.

It doesn't go to the solicitor, i.e., "Friends of Bernie Sanders" or "Bernie Sanders", it goes to the charity.

This does NOT say "Your contribution will benefit John Deere and Kellogg's union workers", it says "Your contribution will benefit Bernie Sanders."

Plus, that email was sent out not just to DUers, but to thousands of people on his mailing list (I got it at 11:14 AM this morning).

[Omaha Steve]

16. That just affirms you don't trust the $ won't go where it says it is going

I do. I posted my receipt for my donation. Good night.

[George II]

17. You can insult me as much as you want, that won't change how this was handled.

[Omaha Steve]

19. I'm not insulting you

Apparently you don't understand what I'm saying.

I'll try with good night again.

[TexasTowelie]

12. I'm sorry Steve,

but where I'm from that is called the "bait-and-switch." An owner of a local convenience store pulled that on me last year when COVID began. I haven't gone to that store again even though it is only six blocks away.

I'm not going to give away my personal information because I already delete too many unsolicited requests from my email.

[Omaha Steve]

2. Thank you for your contribution to Bernie Sanders!

[sheshe2]

13. Is it wise to post your personal info here, Steve?

Act Blue, sure it is a secure site, but DU?

[Omaha Steve]

14. My name has been posted on the DU several times before

I actually posted a link that displayed my charge card info once by accident years ago.

I'm not worried about my name being displayed.

[sheshe2]

18. Lucky, as a guy you don't have to worry.

Women, even here are not that lucky.

Stay safe.

[George II]

4. Coming from a strong union family, I went make a contribution. The money does NOT go them....

....the hard working union members at John Deere or Kellogg's, it goes directly to BERNIE SANDERS!

"Your contribution will benefit Bernie Sanders"

I WANT TO BENEFIT THE WORKERS ON THE PICKET LINES!!!!!

Below is a screen shot of the contribution page. Why aren't the contributions going to the unions themselves? Does anyone have links to contribute to those union workers?

[George II]

5. It's NOT a split donation between the John Deere and Kellogg's workers, it's a donation to.....

....Sanders' campaign committee.

[JudyM]

20. You seem to be misreading this. Sanders is coordinating with

these workers to support them and is crystal clear that he is collecting to support both the workers and Sanders (“Split a donation…”) and that

We’ll send the strike fund money this week.

Further, “ at the same time, we can raise additional funds to help us defend workers in future struggles.”

Quite clear that he is offering his actblue account to be a conduit, and frankly, using his reach to get donations that these workers wouldn’t otherwise be getting, as well as his other worker-supporting work.

To suggest he is pulling a fast one and will keep the donations to himself is suggesting he is being dishonest, and is in fact arguing against DUers contributing to this fundraising effort. Surely that wasn’t your intention.

[George II]

22. Not at all, I'm NOT misreading this, but you are reading into what I said that isn't there.....

....and misrepresenting it.

For background, I've been involved in almost a dozen campaign and party committees as Treasurer or Deputy Treasurer, and we never raised money for anything other than the purpose for which we were organized.

Many politicians have worked to help various charities or causes, but when they do they provide the direct contact information for whom they are helping. I've never been associated with a politician or political organization that has money donated to THEM to be passed along to the final recipients.

And no, it's not "crystal clear" where the money being collected is going (*see highlight below) NOR is it crystal clear when it will be sent.

I've never seen donations solicited for other groups with the disclaimer that we see here, "Your contribution will benefit Bernie Sanders". I thought the contributions were to benefit the striking John Deere and Kellogg's workers? And I've never seen donations solicited for a specific cause (in this case the strikers) with the other disclaimers of "But before we distribute that money, let's try to do a little better" and "*we can raise additional funds to help us defend workers in future struggles."

Clearly all the money being contributed is not going to these two striking unions, but some to "workers in future struggles".

It would have been much more transparent to do what other politicians do when asking for money to help others. That is, give the actual contact information for the funds helping those who are striking, eliminating the middleman and delays:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-john-deere-strike

https://www.gofundme.com/f/udp2r-support-striking-kelloggs-workers-local-252g

Plus, this site has links to directly contribut to the strike funds already set up for each of the striking Kellogg's locations as well as the addresses of each of the strikelines for people to drop off food and supplies:

https://bctgm.org/2021/10/08/5-ways-to-support-the-kelloggstrike/

Back in February, when the Houston area was hit with unusual storms and widespread power outages, Representative Ocasio-Cortez solicited contributions to help the people in and around Houston. She provided an ActBlue link, but the contributions went directly to the ten groups that were being helped:

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/aoc-social-20210219?refcode=tw20210219

THIS is the way to do it.

Also:

https://abc7ny.com/aoc-visits-houston-alexandra-ocasio-cortez-relief-aid-winter-storm/10354366/

Ocasio-Cortez's effort is in partnership with 12 Texas organizations getting on-the-ground relief to residents.

She set up the donation website to where contributions will be split evenly between the following the organizations: South Texas Food Bank, Food Bank of West Central Texas, ECHO (Ending Community Homelessness Coalition), Feeding Texas, Corazon Ministries, Family Eldercare, Houston Food Bank, Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley, North Texas Food Bank, Central Texas Food Bank, Southeast Texas Food Bank, and The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center.

No middleman, no "we'll distribute the funds in a week" or "we'll help groups in the future", and no "Your contribution will benefit Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez" - just straightforward contributions directly TO the people in need, immediately.

Now you can read whatever you want into what I've said in this thread, and you can claim I said things that I didn't, with the vague accusation of me "suggesting he is being dishonest" and "arguing against DUers contributing to this fundraising effort", but you know that is totally untrue, and it's insulting. In fact, I've now given DIRECT links to the strike funds instead of a roundabout way of contributing.

It's a shame this wasn't done this way in the first place - contributions from me or other DUers would have been more direct and immediate. But at least now the links are there.

[NurseJackie]

21. Will Sanders keep a percentage? If so... What percentage does Sanders keep?