- John Jay College, New York 06/05/2018 by Linda Perry, Killian Sundermann (WBAI Radio)

The Left Forum this year, "Towards a New Strategy for the Left," worked to counter the Trump presidency which organizers say has "brought out the most dangerous and oppressive aspects of America ― rapacious capitalism and foundational racism and misogyny ― out of the shadows and into a chillingly clear light." They point to a rising tide of the reactionary right all over the world."

In this context, with divisions on display, Jane Sanders, founder of the Sanders Institute, political scientist, former president of Goddard and Burlington Colleges and confidant and advisor to Bernie Sanders addressed the Left Forum's opening plenary on the topic of "A broken system: How we got here," on June 1, 2018.

Sanders was booed by people at the plenary for saying Independents should vote Democrat in upcoming primaries. She said she knew she'd get that reaction but continues with a critique of the Trump administration. "We must have the courage to confront this oligarchy, and restore power to the many, not the few." She said, "We have one of the lowest voter turnouts designed to protect the status quo...a major focus has to be raising voter turnout."