Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders campaigns in Yakima, Washington, on March 24, 2016. The flag of the Yakama Nation, bordered in blue, was displayed prominently at the rally. Photo from Bernie 2016

Vernice Moncooyea Willis, a member of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe, explains why she supports Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders for president:

Bernie Sanders won convincingly in my state of Oklahoma, one of the “reddest” and most conservative in the United States, so I don’t understand what sort of electoral fraud and forensic breakdowns could lead to him losing so badly in New York state, other than the egregious disenfranchisement that occurred in Brooklyn and the Bronx, where many supporters were denied the right to vote. This needs to be investigated thoroughly at the state and federal level, and even at United Nations level, as we have become some kind of third world nation. I see little in the media about the investigations by the NY Comptroller and the NY Attorney General.

My husband was a retired SFC Army Veteran of 22 years. He never drew his Social Security, nor did my father or brother. They each died a few years before retirement age. Presently, the government wants to do away with Social Security, and this is very, very wrong: They have depleted what millions of Americans paid into for their future. They should pay back all they took out.

This government has mishandled our money and our programs. The leaders have denied hardworking Americans so much. When we cast votes for politicians to do our bidding they turn around and promote their personal gain, or are merely tools for big money and corporations, because it is profitable for the politicians doing so. This is so disgraceful. It must come to an end. Bernie Sanders is the only candidate to address the issues of all Americans doing their part to help this country survive.

Get the Story:
Vernice Moncooyea Willis: My View of the Primaries (Indian Country Today 4/26)

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