The Oregon Progressive Party (OPP) has endorsed Bernie Sanders for the Oregon Democratic primary election to conclude on May 17.

"Bernie is clearly the most progressive candidate in the Democratic race," said Liz Trojan, a member of the OPP State Council.  "His stances on important issues are quite consistent with our platform."

Here is a summary of the Oregon Progressive Party's Platform

"Bernie is the only candidate in the Democratic Party's primary who is not dependent on big money from Wall Street, fossil fuel companies, drug companies, military contractors, and others who profit from human misery," said OPP Chair David Delk.

"Bernie has been a true progressive for decades and is actually still not a member of the Democratic Party," noted Jason Kafoury, Secretary of OPP.  "He has always been elected as non-affiliated with a political party, and Vermont has no party registration system at all."

Oregon Progressive Party members cannot vote in the Democratic primary, unless they change their registrations to Democratic.  Doing that, however, can jeopardize the continued existence of the Oregon Progressive Party, which needs to maintain a certain level of membership in order to be recognized as a political party under Oregon law.  "If you switch your registration to Democratic in order to vote for Bernie Sanders, please switch it back to "Progressive Party" after the May 17 primary," added Jason Kafoury.

Dear Bernie,

You chose to run in the the Democratic Party primaries. You are an independent progressive and have been fighting the big money interests for decades. Because of that, get ready to be screwed.

At the highest level, the Democratic Party is run by its big contributors. It has devised a primary system designed to nominate one of its own, Hillary. Really, you have virtually no chance of getting that nomination.

Here is one reason: 30% of all delegates to the convention are "Superdelegates" not chosen by the voters. They are politicians who have succeeded in the big money, Citizens United/McCutcheon system of campaign finance. So far, 451 of the 712 Superdelegates have announced their support of Hillary. Only 19 support you. So she is getting 96% of the Superdelegates. If that continues, she will amass a total of 683 Superdelegates; you will have 29.

Hillary will then will need only 509 of the 1670 delegates chosen by voters. You will need to win 1163 of those delegates.

Hillary can secure the nomination by winning only 30% of the voter-chosen delegates. But you have to earn 70% of those delegates. In other words, you can beat Hillary in the primaries and caucuses by better than 2-1 and still lose the nomination.

"Democratic" Party, indeed.

- Ralphie Buffalo