Bernie Sanders has called for a revolution!
Rah-rah-rah, sis-coom-bah. Go Bernie!
But . . .
There's great danger in such loose play with inspiring and provocative language.
Not the danger that citizens might rise up and actually incite a radical and much-needed transformation. But the danger that the idea of such a transformation will be trivialized and gutted of any substance by empty campaign rhetoric and fatuous sloganeering.
What is he really saying? Will he stop the drone attacks? Will he cut the military budget by 40%? Will he close 500 bases and bring the troops home? Will he end the special ops missions which have occurred in at least 135 countries so far this year? Will he put a halt to our self-sabotaging aggressiveness in the world, driven by the greed of DOD contractors and stoked by the neocon delusions of world empire? Will he open a constructive dialogue with Russia and China to promote peace and multi-polar power-sharing? Will he end the contentious, chest-beating encirclement of China -- the silly sophomoric "pivot to Asia"? Will he condemn the apartheid and aggression by Israel against the Palestinians?
I'm all for revolution. But I'm for REAL REVOLUTION.
If
Mr. Sanders wants to talk about revolution and stake out the higher
moral ground, there is certainly a way to do it. Refer to the above
questions.
Understand there is more at stake here than the cosmetics
of a campaign strategy. Applying just a little common sense and a
pocket calculator, one can only conclude that there is gross
inconsistency and guaranteed failure in promoting an agenda of
far-reaching domestic reform without conjoining it with a repudiation of
America's out-of-control militarism and imperial visions of grandeur.
Mr. Sanders' critics from the right claim his socialist ideas will bankrupt the country. And there is a lot of merit in this. The simple, obvious truth is there will be no money at all for his wonderful ideas under the current budgetary regime, UNLESS we as a nation are cured of our addiction to war.
THAT is the revolutionary message. War is bankrupting us and destroying any prospect of a good life for everyday Americans and a hopeful future for our children.
THAT is the sobering message we don't hear from any of the candidates. Sure, Jill Stein has consistently been saying it. But the sad fact is that Green Party continues to conduct a stealth campaign which is all but invisible to the public. Her ideas are never heard.
Most Americans are sick of war. No voice is being given to the anger and frustration of the American public in this regard. Even the constant demonizing by politicos and the media of Vladimir Putin and chicken-little fear-mongering about Russia is losing its punch.
Putting aside the current risks of moral bankruptcy, nuclear war, and economic collapse, it would be a shrewd and welcome move for Mr. Sanders to rethink his militarism, allegiance to the military-industrial complex, and tacit embrace of empire-building, and give voice to the truly revolutionary idea of America as a nation which promotes peace and harmony, democracy and freedom, cooperation and constructive engagement across the globe.
What a slick and audacious campaign strategy, eh? Telling the truth to the American voter about how war is becoming a fast track to economic collapse and social disintegration.
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