Quotessence
Home / Authors / Bernie Sanders
Bernie Sanders

Bernie Sanders Quotes

United States Senator

Filter quotes by topic

AllPeopleCountryThinkingAmericaStatesNeedsIfsPoliticalShouldWantMillionsBelieveUnitedClassFightingCampaignsKnowsCareUnited StatesWorld

Famous Bernie Sanders Quotes

“Where America has got to move is not growth for the sake of growth, but it`s got to move to a society that provides a high quality of life for all of our people. In other words, if people have health care as a right, as do the people of every other major country, then there's less worry about growth. If people have educational opportunity and their kids can go to college and they have child care, then there's less worry about growth for the sake of growth.”

PeopleIfsChildrenCountryCareKidsAmericaMovingOpportunityGrowthQualityWorryCollegeMajorsSakeEducationalHealth CareQuality Of LifeHigh QualityChild Care
Author:Bernie Sanders
Create image

“I think Katrina is one more indication of how inefficient and corrupt this Administration is, and indicates the absolute lack of seriousness that [George W.] Bush has in making the government respond to the needs of the people. They are so separated from the lives of normal, low-income people that it never occurred to them that if you're poor and have no money, no car, that you can't leave.”

PeopleIfsThinkingNeedsGovernmentPoorCarNormalLowsAbsolutesIncomeAdministrationSeriousnessIndicationNo MoneyKatrinaLow Income
Author:Bernie Sanders
Create image

“We're not going to give tax breaks to billionaires and then cut back on the needs of our elderly or poor or kids or education. We're not going to privatize Social Security - in fact, we're going to strengthen it. We're going to provide quality education for every kid in America, from preschool through college. We have to take on these corporate leaders who are selling out the American people, whose allegiance is now much more to China than it is to the United States. If we have the courage to take these people on, I think we can overwhelm George W. Bush and his friends.”

PeopleIfsThinkingNeedsGivingStatesFactsKidsAmericaSocialPoorUnitedQualityLeaderBreakUnited StatesCuttingSecurityCollegeTaxesChinaSellingCorporateSocial SecurityElderlyAllegianceBillionaireQuality EducationSelling OutTax BreaksPreschool
Author:Bernie Sanders
Create image

“If people envisage me in the Senate they might think of me as someone who would emulate Paul Wellstone, fighting for the issues he fought for. He was a good friend of mine. We'll be trying to do a couple of things. One is fighting for national health care. Another is fighting to raise the minimum wage to a living wage, and changing our trade policies.”

PeopleIfsThinkingTryingMightCareFightingIssuesPolicyMinesCoupleRaisesTradeHealth CareSenateGood FriendMinimumThink Of MeMinimum WageEmulateLiving Wage
Author:Bernie Sanders
Create image

“I believe what I call common sense gun reform. Plus, a revolution in mental health, making sure that if people are having a nervous breakdown, or are suicidal, or homicidal, they get the care they need when they need it. I think the vast majority of the American people can support and agenda composed of those features.”

PeopleIfsThinkingNeedsBelieveCareI BelieveCommonSupportRevolutionGunMajorityMental HealthCommon SenseNervousReformFeaturesAgendasPlusSuicidalBreakdownNervous BreakdownHomicidal
Author:Bernie Sanders
Create image

“I went back to a small town in Poland where my dad grew up. It was a very traumatic experience for me as a young man to know that my father's family were killed by Nazis, killed by Hitler. And that left, you know, if not intellectually, at least an emotional part of me which said, God, we have got to do everything we can to end this kind of horrific racism or anti-Semitism. And I have spent much of my life trying to fight that.”

IfsKnowsMenTryingKindSaidEndsYoungFightingFatherLeftEmotionalGrewDadGrew UpRacismTownsMy DadYoung ManNaziSmall TownPolandAnti SemitismHorrificTraumatic Experiences
Author:Bernie Sanders
Create image

“Income and wealth inequality have reached obscene levels, the threat of climate change is more frightening than ever, and the billionaire class is now allowed to spend unlimited amounts of money to buy the candidate they want. And it is up to us to stand up and fight back. If we stand together, there is no limit to what we can accomplish.”

IfsWantTogetherFightingWealthLevelsClassAmountLimitsThreatClimateClimate ChangeAccomplishIncomeInequalityCandidatesFrighteningUnlimitedBillionaireObsceneWealth Inequality
Author:Bernie Sanders
Create image

“No. It is not acceptable that the 6 largest financial institutions in this country have assets of almost 10 trillion dollars, and issue half of the mortgages and two-thirds of the credit cards. That is too much wealth and power in the hands of a few. If Teddy Roosevelt were alive today he'd tell us to 'break them up.' And he'd be right. These huge banks must be broken up.”

IfsTwoCountryHandsTodayWealthHalfBreakIssuesToo MuchAliveHugeBrokenThirdsInstitutionsDollarsFinancialCreditCardsAssetsAcceptableMortgageCredit CardLive For TodayTeddyBroken UpFinancial Institutions
Author:Bernie Sanders
Create image

“The struggle to create a nation and world of economic and social justice and environmental sanity is not an easy one. The struggle to try and create a more peaceful world will be extremely difficult. But this I know: despair is not an option if we care about our kids and grandchildren. Giving up is not an option if we want to prevent irreparable harm to our planet.”

IfsKnowsWorldWantGivingTryingCareKidsNationsSocialEasyDifficultJusticeStruggleEconomicPlanetsDespairGiving UpSocial JusticeEnvironmentalHarmPeacefulSanityGrandchildrenOur PlanetGiving Up Is Not An OptionPeaceful WorldEconomic JusticeIrreparableIrreparable Harm
Author:Bernie Sanders
Create image

“How can the United States be competitive globally if higher education is unaffordable? Germany, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Scotland and Sweden have no tuition for college. Other countries have low tuition. We need the best educated workforce in the world. Instead of spending endless amounts on the military, we need to invest in our young people.”

PeopleIfsWorldNeedsCountryStatesYoungUnitedEducationUnited StatesMilitaryCollegeAmountHigherLowsSpendingEndlessEducatedGermanyOther CountriesScotlandHigher EducationSwedenWorkforceDenmarkTuitionNorwayAustriaFinlandCollege Tuition
Author:Bernie Sanders
Create image

“I want to say something, and it may sound harsh, not to you, but to the American people. In a sense, in my view, the business model of Wall Street is fraud. It's fraud. I believe that corruption is rampant, and the fact that major bank after major bank has reached multi billion dollar settlements with the United States government when we have a weak regulator system tells me that not only did we have to bail them out once, if we don't start breaking them up, we're going to have to bail them out again, and I do not want to see that happen.”

PeopleIfsWantBelieveMayStatesFactsGovernmentHappensI BelieveSoundUnitedViewsUnited StatesStreetsWallMajorsModelsWeakDollarsCorruptionBillionsFraudHarshSettlementState GovernmentBusiness ModelsBailUnited States GovernmentRegulators
Author:Bernie Sanders
Create image

“I think, while it is true that the Hillary Clinton and I voted differently on the war in Iraq, what is important is that we learn the lesson of the war in Iraq. And that lesson is intrinsic to my foreign policy if elected president, is the United States cannot do it alone. We cannot be the policeman of the world. We are now spending more I believe than the next eight countries on defense. We have got to work in strong coalition with the major powers of the world and with those Muslim countries that are prepared to stand up and take on terrorism.”

IfsThinkingWorldBelieveImportantWarCountryStatesNextStrongI BelievePresidentUnitedUnited StatesPolicyLessonsMajorsPreparedClintonIraqEightTerrorismSpendingDefenseForeign PolicyPolicemenCoalitions
Author:Bernie Sanders
Create image

“If there is a large voter turnout, not only do we retain the White House, but I think we regain the Senate. We win governors' chairs up and down the line. So I believe if you want to retain the White House, if you want to see Democrats do well across the board, I think our campaign is the one that creates the large voter turnout and helps us win.”

IfsThinkingWantBelieveWellsHelpingHouseWinningI BelieveLinesWhiteDemocratCampaignsBoardsChairsWhite HouseVotersSenateGovernorsUp And DownVoter Turnout
Author:Bernie Sanders
Create image

“I think people cast their votes for a number of reasons. I think if you look at your polls, you'll probably find that many, many people think that our views are closer to what they believe the future of America should be. That our views are closer on economic issues. And a lot of those polls come down to demographics, to age, to how much money you are making.”

PeopleIfsThinkingShouldBelieveLooksReasonAgeAmericaViewsNumbersIssuesEconomicVoteCastsPollsDemographicsEconomic IssuesFuture Of America
Author:Bernie Sanders
Create image

“I'm interested in - in that his power, if that is the word, is such that he has actually been able to be in a way a one-man wrecking crew in the area of deportment and how one proceeds politically on the stump. Marco Rubio is - is attempting, as you know, to a - to give [Donald] Trump a fight in Trump's own style. I'm not sure how that works, but - but certainly the indices are good.”

IfsKnowsMenWayGivingAbleFightingStyleTrumpAreasNot SureOne ManCrewAttemptingMarcosStumps
Author:Bernie Sanders
Create image

“And the reason that I was one of the first, not one of the last to be in opposition to the TPP is that American workers should not be forced to compete against people in Vietnam today making a minimum wage of $0.65 an hour. Look, what we have got to do is tell corporate America that they cannot continue to shut down. We've lost 60,000 factories since 2001. They're going to start having to, if I'm president, invest in this country - not in China, not in Mexico.”

PeopleIfsShouldFirstsLooksCountryReasonTodayLastsAmericaLostPresidentHoursWorkersChinaCorporateOppositionVietnamFactoriesMexicoMinimumMinimum WageCorporate AmericaAmerican Workers
Author:Bernie Sanders
Create image

“What I think people should realize is that programs like Social Security, programs like Medicare, programs like the Veterans Administration, programs like your local park and your local library - those are, if you like, socialist programs; they're run by [and] for the public, not to make money. I think in many ways we should expand that concept so that the American people can enjoy the same benefits that people all over the world are currently enjoying.”

PeopleIfsThinkingWorldWayShouldRunningSocialEnjoyRealizingSecurityLike YouBenefitsConceptsProgramLibraryLocalsAdministrationMaking MoneyParksSocialistVeteranSocial SecurityMedicare
Author:Bernie Sanders
Create image

“If elected president I will have a litmus test in terms of my nominee to be a Supreme Court justice. And the nominee will say, we are going to overturn this disastrous decision on Citizens United because that decision is undermining American democracy. I do not believe that billionaires should be allowed to buy politicians.”

IfsShouldBelievePresidentTermJusticeDecisionUnitedDemocracyCitizensPoliticianTestsCourtSupremeSupreme CourtBillionaireUnderminingAmerican DemocracySupreme Court JusticeCourt JusticeCitizens United
Author:Bernie Sanders
Create image

“There are many major crises facing our country. At the top of the list is the need to overturn Citizens United. If billionaires are able to buy elections and elect right-wing candidates, there is no way we will ever address climate change, college education, affordability, job creation, raising the minimum wage and taking on Wall Street.”

IfsWayNeedsCountryAbleJobsUnitedStreetsCreationCollegeWallCitizensMajorsElectionCrisisWingsClimateClimate ChangeListsOur CountryCandidatesAddressesMinimumRight WingBillionaireMinimum WageCollege EducationJob CreationCitizens UnitedAffordability
Author:Bernie Sanders
Create image

“Believe me, every American, every person in this country, if I have anything to say about it, will know precisely what is going on with Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, because they are beginning to appoint people who are typical right-wing Republicans who want to privatize and cut Social Security.”

PeopleIfsKnowsWantBelievePersonsCountrySocialCuttingSecurityRepublicanWingsBelieve In MeTypicalSocial SecurityRight WingMedicareMedicaidMedicare And Medicaid
Author:Bernie Sanders
Create image

“If you look at virtually all of the issues of importance to the people of America - issues like making public colleges and universities tuition-free - Hillary Clinton is now on record for doing that for people making $125,000 a year or less. You know what? That is pretty revolutionary. That will transform the lives of millions of families in this country. That's what Clinton stands for.”

PeopleIfsKnowsYearsLooksCountryAmericaMillionsIssuesRecordsCollegeImportanceClintonUniversityRevolutionaryTuitionColleges And Universities
Author:Bernie Sanders
Create image