Bernie Sanders should be running and here's why

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I read much in the news about the impossibility of Bernie Sanders to win the presidency and, therefore, it is imperative that he not win the nomination for the Democrat Party. To allow such a catastrophe would enable the Republican candidate, whomever that might be, to sweep into power bringing untold suffering and calamity on the poor and middle class, a demantilization of the current health care system and draconian police and military measures that would further erode the few freedoms we have left in this country. It may even bring about the end of the US as we know it (insert gasping, horror face here).

This is ridiculous and narrow-minded. Here's why.

The same arguments were given in 1980 (OMG, Reagan would destroy America!) and 2000. I can remember as far back as 1972 when the left ran around screaming that if Nixon won reelection, he would declare himself king and suspend all liberties. Today I hear the Tea Party making the same bs claim about President Obama.

Bernie's message is important

Bernie Sanders speaks for the common man. He says what needs to be said, but is seldom heard. Right now, his audience are the progressive media outlets and a few, small internet sites that desperately promote common sense. Outside of New England, most of America has probably only heard his name in association with words like, "Socialism," "Communism," "Far Left," "Extreme Leftist," and similarly biased words. I doubt if more than 10% of Americans can name even one of his policies on his platform,

even though many would agree with at least part of his agenda. Here are just some highlights:

Invest in our crumbling infrastructure

Transform energy systems away from fossil fuels

Raise the federal minimum wage

Provide equal pay for women

Reform trade policies

Remove money from elections and politics

Make college affordable

Break up big banks

Universal healthcare

There's nothing wrong with this list and it is imperative that people hear this from an elected politician. While other politicians will give lip service to these same ideas, as they have been doing forever, Sanders can speak to specifics, challenge their true intentions and point out where they have sided with those opposing these same concepts. We need someone to challenge the status quo and Bernie can do that.

The lesser of two evils is still evil

Republicans are called the fiscal party, yet they were in power during the beginning of the last three major economic calamities in the US, the Great Depression (Hoover), double digit unemployment and double digit inflation (Reagan) and the Great Recession (Bush). The Democrats are called the peace party, yet they were in power during every major war America fought during the 20 ^th Century except the Gulf War.

I have lived for over 8 years in foreign countries and I have come to realize that as far as the rest of the world is concerned, there is very little difference between Republicans and Democrats. When you look at a timeline of the US as seen by them, there is no way you can distinguish between a Republican administration and a Democrat one. Tweedledee = Tweedledum. And in reality, when you analyze domestic policy as well, each new group follows the one before, always promising change and always lamenting later that they can't do anything because their hands are simply tied.

Self-fulfilling Prophecy

"Third Party candidates never win because no one ever votes for them, so why should I." Bernie spoke to this as has so many other valid candidates who never had the chance to get their voices heard. The last one to come out of the blue was Ross Perot and he was a rich businessman. It's a sad future for America if the only nonTweedle is a rich businessman. The last time a new major party came forth was after the collapse of the Whig Party in the 1850s. The Democrat and Whig Parties were the main rivals back then until a young Senator from Illinois challenged the status quo in a new party and became the first nonWhig, nonDemocrat president since John Adams. Today Bernie feels that the same grassroots uprising is not quite here and I'm sure Ralph Nader and Jill Stein would agree.

The US is to the right of center-right

This might be news to some, but the US is not even close to the center between left and right. Our belligerent, bellicose war policy does not come from Socialism. President Eisenhower warned of the Military Industrial Complex in 1960. We now have the Prison Industrial Complex; Too Big To Fail Banks; Revolving Door Congresses, aides and administrators who work as lobbyists or major company executives when not in office; Police Departments that are given war machines to deal with daily crime; and a Wall Street that cheats, then gets Congress to write laws to legalize their activities after the fact. It's politely called Corporatocracy. It should be called Neofascism.

There is almost nothing leftist about any of it. Our foreign policy supports tyrant dictators and military juntas and actively goes after any Socialist style government around the world with few exceptions.

American exceptionalism must cease

We oppose any policy introduced by any country that isn't centered in making the US richer. All our trade policies are heavily stacked against other countries. We throw up trade and economic embargos because we feel like it, not because of any sound or justified reason. The whole world has voted against the Cuban embargo for decades, yet we won't move. Iran does not have a nuclear arms program according to all intelligence agencies in the world, yet we pretend they do and force the rest of the world to follow our lead.

I firmly believe that Bernie Sanders can, and will, address these concerns above. In fact, he's probably the only one out there who would dare mention these unmentionables. It's high time someone started discussing the taboo subjects that progressives only whisper about and no one dares bring to the national stage. Americans live in a bubble and it's about time we burst it.

I back Bernie 100%. So should you.

Authors Bio:

66 year old Californian-born and bred male - I've lived in four different countries, USA, Switzerland, Mexico, Venezuela, and currently live in the Dominican Republic - speak three languages fluently, English, French, Spanish - have worked as a journalist for Empower-Sport Magazine. I am a retired Supply Chain Specialist.