Ben & Jerry on Bernie Sanders and the Origins of Their Progressive Politics
http://inthesetimes.com/article/19031/ben-jerry-serve-up-progressive-politics-along-with-ice-cream
Do you see any connections between your support for Bernie Sanders and your ice cream company?
BEN: During the time when Jerry and I were running the ice cream company, we recognized the very powerful role that business has in our society, and in our political system, and we were trying to use that power as a force for progressive social change. All the stuff we were trying to do at Ben & Jerrys as a business are the very same things that Bernie is trying to do: to help those that are oppressed economically and socially.
JERRY: Ben & Jerrys as a company doesnt support any candidate. But Ben and I are thrilled to personally support Bernie. We are supporting him as loudly and as enthusiastically as you possibly can.
Ben, you founded the organization The Stampede to help get money out of politics. You guys have a unique approach to this issue, stamping currency with slogans like Not to be used for buying electionscan you speak about that?
BEN: I got very involved in this issue of getting money out of politics because it is the root cause of most of the problems with our country. Its the reason why we have an energy policy that doesnt make any sense. Its the reason why we cant pass decent environmental regulation. Its the reason why we cant pass universal healthcare. Its the reason why were still buying Cold War-era weapons for the Pentagon. Its the reason why student debt is so ridiculously high and students cant get decent interest rates. Its the reason why big pharma is screwing us all.
I got involved in this campaign to get money out of politics because its kind of job one. Until we get money out of politics, were really not going to be able to solve the other problems. A recognition of that is the reason why some of the major environmental organizations like Greenpeace and Sierra Club recently called the Democracy Initiative to focus on getting money out of politics. Ive realized that were not going to be able to get money out of politics until theres a huge movement supporting that, kind of like the movement that Bernie is catalyzing.