There was a moment during the Democratic primaries when Bernie Sanders said something to the effect of, “They’ve thrown everything at me but the kitchen sink…and I have a feeling the kitchen sink is on it’s way.”
In retrospect, we now see why they held off on really hurling that sink. They knew there was nothing to hurl. Bernie Sanders is one of the 1% of 1% of politicians with no skeletons in their closet. He’s consistently been on the correct side of history. Bernie has been promoting the same message and warnings throughout his career.
Bernie Sanders has always encouraged change from the bottom up, hoping to encourage an influx of sane, intelligent, empathetic, concerned citizens to run for office. He’s encouraged us to acknowledge, but not to accept, the degradation of our democracy. He’s encouraged us to peacefully infiltrate the upper echelons of crazed power mongers and unspeakable wealth hoarders whose every action ultimately results in harm to 99% of our country’s population.
So when the Democrats, Hillary, Debbie Wasserman-Shultz and the gang wisely decided to forgo any kind of inevitably ineffective smear campaign and instead plow full steam ahead with a blatant mix of voter suppression, massive ballot purges, and fraud it was a good strategy on their part. This strategy was the only way to curb the seemingly unstoppable wave of young people, communities of color, nurses and everyday people who were already more than ready to shift away from a feudal structure and charge forth toward a system of sustainability and prosperity for all.
The corporate-fueled-mainstream-media helped immensely by collectively blacking out the meteoric path of Bernie’s campaign and increasing popularity. This dastardly combo proved effective in quashing the dream of millions and eliminating the one candidate that could have beaten Trump.
Bernie Sanders took it in stride and did everything in his power to promote Hillary and the Democrats who were expecting Berners to do whatever Bernie suggested. There was a glitch though, Bernie couldn’t make his supporters vote for Hillary. Why? Well because they are free thinkers. That’s why they are open to his ideas in the first place. They are not blind followers like the Trumpkins and Hillbots. They actually think rationally and critically and vote how they want to, not how they’re told to.
Cut to present day. Roughly half a year into a presidency that reads like a mockumentary about a crazy billionaire who becomes president of the United States.
In 2020 when the widespread devastation of the current administration has affected everyone on Earth, the pendulum will swing in the direction of…yes, you guessed it, Bernie.
So it makes perfect sense and I’m not even marginally surprised that a surge of anti-Sanders attacks has been launched. A sink to hurl is being searched out — lies, hearsay, and misleading information is swirling.
Meanwhile, Bernie marches on, fighting for the US. Progressive candidates inspired by him have been winning their races all over the country. Paul Ryan is freaking out because Randy Bryce is already garnering support to unseat him in 2018.
Both the Republicans and the Democrats will continue to do everything in their power to suppress Bernie and his supporters.
After more Republican dismantling of social progress, this country might be willing to try “real change.” Perhaps a good portion of those 97 million eligible voters who didn’t show up last time will chime in. Maybe the term “Democratic Socialism” will sound less scary than what we have now.
What do we have now? Defunct Democracy? Oligarchy? Authoritarianism? A tapas-like array of all three perhaps?
It feels a lot like trying to convince someone you care about to leave an abusive relationship. Trying to get them to believe that someone will bring them flowers instead of punching them in the face.
I am proud of my never wavering support of Senator Sanders. If he does run in 2020, he will win. Perhaps then, this browbeaten nation of bamboozled citizens will finally get some sanity, health, equality, and happiness.