Bernie Sanders calls on young people to solve the "crisis in American democracy"
Bernie Sanders wants America's youth to get involved in politics – and he's written a guide for them. The Vermont senator's new book, "Bernie Sanders Guide to Political Revolution," aims to provide tools to help young adults do just that.
"What this book is about is saying that we have a real crisis in American democracy," Sanders told "CBS This Morning" on Tuesday.
In the book's foreword, Sanders writes of his optimism and faith in the current generation of young people, calling them "the smartest, most idealistic, and least prejudiced generation in the modern history of the United States."
"We have the lowest voter turnout of any major country on earth. It means that we're seeing – as a result of this disastrous Citizens United Supreme Court decision – billionaires able to buy elections, spend hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars supporting candidates who represent the wealthy and the powerful," Sanders said.
The antidote, Sanders says, is to not only get young people involved in politics but get them involved in the political process.
"Run for school board, run for city council, run for state legislature," he said. "This is a generation that is beyond – in many respects – racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia. I have seen these young people stand together, talk about climate change, the need to transform our energy system, to take on the oligarchy that controls our country."
Sanders also railed against President Trump for policies that the senator says run contrary to what the president ran his campaign on, including draining the swamp and working on behalf of working-class Americans.
"He has brought more billionaires into his administration than any president in the history of this country," Sanders said. "He supported legislation that would throw 32 million people off of health insurance."
Sanders called for the nation to "stand together" despite the country's increasing political divide under Mr. Trump.
"Bottom line is: As a nation we have got to stand together. We cannot allow the divisions that are taking place every single day led by the president. Whether you're black, or white, or Latino, we are one nation. Let's work together," Sanders said.
Asked whether he was planning to run in the next presidential election Sanders said, "It's a little bit early to talk about that. Let's focus on the issues impacting the American people."