FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.co APRIL 14, 2016 • TIMES 5 CAMPAIGN 2016 Bernie Sanders makes appearances in LIC ahead of New York primary By Angela Mat ua amatua@qns.com/@AngelaMatua Presidential hopefuls have been flocking to the “World’s Borough” ahead of the New York Primary on April 19 and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, whose campaign opened an office in Long Island City recently, was the latest candidate to make an appearance. Sanders held a rally on April 9 to a packed auditorium at LaGuardia Community College‘s Performing Arts Center in Long Island City. He outlined his vision for the country and also remarked on the progress of his campaign from a “fringe” candidacy to a legitimate movement. “What has been happening in this campaign is that we began it, according to the media and experts as a fringe candidacy and it had a lot to do with the views we were bringing forth and a lot of experts said, ‘Who in America would agree with Bernie Sanders that we need a political revolution?’” Sanders said. “So it turned out that many millions of people did agree with us on that.” He outlined his views on topics ranging from economic reform, healthcare, climate change and political reform. Sanders called Citizens United the “worst decision of the history of this country” and implored attendees not to “accept the status quo.” “What I beg of you, do not accept that the status quo that we have today has to extend for decades,” Sanders said. “What we have got to do is envision a nation where in fact real change takes place.” Sanders will make his second appearance in the western Queens neighborhood next week when he holds a rally at Hunters Point South Park. On April 18, the candidate will be joined by actors Danny Glover and Fisher Stevens, and attendees will hear a musical performance by TV on the Radio. Sanders will discuss topics such as getting big money out of politics, his plan to make public colleges and universities tuition-free, combating climate change and providing universal healthcare. The entrance will be located at Center Boulevard and 54th Avenue and doors open at 5 p.m The event will start at 7 p.m. with a performance by TV on the Radio and speeches by Glover, Stevens and Sanders will begin at 7:30 p.m. Admission is firstcome, first-served. The former Vermont senator will also hold a rally in Washington Square Park on April 13 and another in Prospect Park in Brooklyn on April 17. SPECIAL EDITORIAL MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD ON PRIMARY DAY! Queens finds itself in a position it hasn’t been in for quite a while — it is a legitimate battleground in the race to capture the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations. Usually, by the time the New York primaries roll around, both parties already have a clear idea of who their nominee is going to be. This year, that scenario has been turned on its head, and Queens is seeing action it hasn’t seen in decades, particularly in the race for the Democratic nomination. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, made a grand tour of Queens this past weekend. Senator Bernie Sanders, meanwhile, opened up a campaign office in Long Island City and held a rally among his voters here on April 9. Even one of the three Republican presidential candidates, Ohio Governor John Kasich, got in on the action last month, visiting a pizzeria in Howard Beach after taping a town hall meeting at a nearby school. Queens has yet to receive visits from his rivals, billionaire celebrity and Queens native Donald Trump and Texas Senator Ted Cruz. Queens finds itself in the spotlight along with the rest of the Empire State in this critical time in a very important political campaign. We cannot waste this golden opportunity to make our voices heard in the way such opportunities were wasted in more recent primaries and elections, where turnout was (to put it kindly) abysmal. We must use our moment in the spotlight to make the case for our legitimate needs, and that starts by making sure that each and every one of us who is eligible to vote makes our way to the polls, in party primaries and in the general election in November. When we stay home, we do damage to the very fabric of democracy, as well as telling our elected leaders that we don’t care, and that they might as well allocate funding we desperately need to other areas that are more willing to make their voices heard. That is not the message we should be sending. The date of the New York presidential primary is April 19. If you can vote in it, make it your business to be there. Photo by John McCarten Bernie Sanders will make his second appearance in Long Island City on April 18.
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