1. It feels like the Bernie culture is a little rabid, you’re either a supporter or an idiot and lacking either ideals or information. I don't like conversations that goes that way.
I consider myself a lefty/progressive, if that’s the term for people who believe that the role of government should be to help to level the playing field, create opportunity and fairness for people born into less privilege than some of us, protect natural resources, take care of the weakest among us, work to solve some of the most challenging problems of the day, offer a framework for civilized debate, and maintain an unbiased, fair legal system. If that's what left is, yeah, count me in. I want to pay taxes to support all of that. (I don't want to pay taxes for the stupid new fire station that cut all the trees down but that's not the topic, people!). But I don’t understand the Bernie Culture -- supporters imply that he is the only path, in the manner of other religions or cults.
2. The Bernie fans seem to be -- and please know that I’m not trying to lob accusations, but merely to understand – almost as blind to his weaknesses as the trump supporters are blind to trump. (I'm not saying their weaknesses are measured on the same scale -- one's a corrupt narcissist out for his own gain, and Bernie is none of those things. But Bernie is not the messiah.).
While I hear debate and discourse about other candidates, there seems to be a closed-mindedness by Bernie fans. If you aren't for him, you're wrong. In particular, the question, “but is he electable?” seems to be taken as an indicator of lack of integrity on the part of the asker. "Of course he’s not going to get elected if you’re too chicken to vote for him!"
But I think its a valid question. There is a monster in the white house, and we need to throw everything we’ve got at getting him out, and be strategic about it. Sometimes, when you’re sick you get to be a purist and use sleep and natural remedies to get well, but sometimes you need chemotherapy or surgery. Those aren’t anyone’s first choice, but when you’re fighting something awful, you don’t always get to do it in the most pure way. Is that wrong? Is someone who could capture the vote of people in Florida and Pennsylvania, who's not a corrupt self-serving monster, so bad?
3. I’m a fan of most of the positions that Bernie supports. I’d love to see health care for all; I’d love to see more equality in the distribution of wealth. I don't understand why those positions are considered radical left. But, his positions are seen as a huge swing, way over to the left from the center mark, and my instinct is that putting him in the White House won't heal the country, and that's what we need now. We need someone who seems normal and in charge and can help restore order. I think there is more than one candidate who could do that.
I get anxious and horrified and feel disenfranchised when the pendulum has swung so far to the right – and I don’t think electing someone who will create that kind of anxiety on the other side is the way to move forward. We have a disrupter in the white house now – someone who’s positions are extreme, someone who wants to tear it all down, someone who has an us/them view of the world. It’s not helping, and I tend to think the white house isn’t the place for disrupters. Disrupters are important and do a lot of good (or bad!) in the world, and create movements that push the dial. And I get it, we on the left see the anxiety on the right as misplaced. No one is really coming for anyone's guns or jobs, healthcare for all would help everyone, blah blah blah. But if someone enters the white house who is viewed by the majority of Americans as not representing their beliefs, will he be able to get anything done?
4. Is an 80 year old white man with heart disease really the best candidate?
5. Is this McGovern all over again? My sisters and I had a lemonade/brownie stand and sent the money to McGovern; I think it was $11 or maybe $14. Nixon loved having McGovern as an opponent. Trump would love having Bernie as an opponent. If I were to do it again, I wouldn't pair brownies with lemonade, but that's besides the point.
6. Is it heresy to ask these questions?
Ok, I'm listening. I have a few weeks before I mail my ballot. Bernie will likely win Washington no matter how I vote, but still....
