Our mission is to collect as many signatures as possible on the letter below and deliver it to Senator Bernie Sanders. We ask you to give it a read, and if you agree with its contents, please sign your name. 

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Dear Senator Sanders,

We write to you today as a coalition of engaged American citizens across this country. As the dawn of another Trump presidency is now certain and quickly upon us, we recognize that we stand at a monumental crossroads in American history. What we choose to do right now, while the wounds of defeat are still fresh, could lay the groundwork for some meaningful change in our democratic system. We believe that you are the person who can lead the charge.

It is time for the United States to have a legitimate third party.

We are the only democracy in the world that is hostage to a true two-party system. Votes for a third-party candidate in the U.S. have always been seen as "protest votes," and in the off chance those votes are addressed in any given election's post-mortem, the voters are derided for shaving support away from one of the two major candidates.

Time after time, we see the Democratic Party making the same mistake in campaign strategy. Pandering to the middle in an election is not enough. Putting Liz Cheney on a rally stage does not bring the "traditional Republicans" out to the polls to vote blue. This Republican Party has a strong enough hold on the right and the center to win both the Electoral College and the popular vote. It is time to do something different.

As the divisions in America grow greater each year, it is undeniable that the breadth of political stances cannot fit nicely under the two-party umbrella. A progressive like Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who believes in universal healthcare, childcare, and college education should not be in the same party as Joe Manchin. And a moderate Republican like Governor Phil Scott, who believes in protecting our climate and a woman's right to choose, should not be in the same party as Representative Marjorie Taylor Green.

While your time as a presidential candidate has come to a close, your time as a powerful voice in the Senate is ongoing. Your two formidable presidential runs have given you credibility when talking about the issues that matter most to you, and we believe, to most Americans. Ensuring that the wealthiest in the country pay their fair share of taxes, doing everything in our power to protect our planet, and establishing healthcare as a human right are just some of the issues that we believe a third party could base their platform on. These are issues that affect everyday Americans, no matter their current political leaning, and ones you have addressed since the start of your political career. There are enough sitting senators and congresspeople who agree on these issues, and we believe if you take the lead on forming a third party, they will follow you. Beyond that, we believe it will create a groundswell of excitement among previously disengaged voters and potential budding candidates, inspired by a new party they could see themselves affiliated with.

The obvious counterargument is that breaking off from the Democratic Party could lead to a rise in Republican power. But for at least the next two years, Republicans will control the presidency, the Senate, and, in all likelihood, the House. So, we ask: what is there to lose? Is this not the best possible time to work on restructuring our political system, in the hopes that in the next decade we might see a significant change in our options on the ballot? Poll after poll shows that no matter party affiliation, the majority of Americans are unhappy with the way in which our political system works. To continue with business as usual is not the answer.

There are millions of eligible voters across this nation that simply do not participate in elections because they don't believe either party is working in their best interests. Let's form a party that brings them to the table and a party that works for all Americans.

Signed,

Third-Party Coalition