Canvassing for Bernie Sanders has been an eye opener. Besides getting to know my neighbors, I am learning a great deal about our community. A smartphone app provides lists from voter rolls and maps show addresses where people are registered as Democratic and Independent voters. As you might imagine, Independents range widely on the political spectrum. However, I found areas of common ground even with the most politically polarized. No matter how much we might disagree on some topics, as long as we kept talking, we eventually arrived at agreement on others. We are not so different, you and I. During this door to door work I heard many reasons why people support Bernie, or don’t.
Here are mine… Bernie is Independent. Both parties operate as political machines. Bernie, a long time Independent, is slightly outside this system. He’s not beholden to nor controlled by “the party”.
He caucuses with the Democrats but he will sometime break with them on specific issues.
Another aspect of his independence is that he does not accept money from super PACs, lobbyist or billionaires. His campaign is funded instead by many smaller donations from everyday people like you and me. His commitment is to people in general, not the interests of the rich and powerful.
Bernie is consistent! For over 40 years Bernie has been voicing essentially the same core beliefs. Politicians have a tendency to tell people what they want to hear and then do whatever is politically expedient. Bernie is the rare politician who just doesn’t work that way. He clearly voices his positions and goals, and then works to achieve them. His reputation is based on consistently voting according to his convictions. I am confident that he will continue to be a beacon for his belief system no matter what happens. More importantly, I trust him not to sell out to expediency, money or pressure from lobbyists and other powerful interests.
Bernie supports the issues that are important to me! You’ve probably heard Bernie’s stump pitch. $15 minimum wage, Medicare for all for all, an avenue to free college education, moving away from fossil fuels toward green alternatives as part of an e ffort to address the existential crisis of planetary warming and climate change. Bernie actively works against the systemic evils of greed, intolerance and war, and openly denounces injustices like our racist penal system, the travesty of Citizens United, the absurd concentration of wealth and the domination our entire economy by a handful of people. Bernie supports labor unions and their integration into trade policy.
Broad issues like inclusiveness, opportunity and justice are important to me. Bernie has a proven commitment to fighting against our rigged economic system and for the interests of working people. He has offered many positive policy proposals to improve peoples lives. Like me, Bernie is a constitutionalist. The US government is supposed to be about We the People not a tool to benefit the wealthy and the corporations. He and I absolutely support a woman’s right to chose. This is a hot topic for many people on both sides. Being Pro Choice does not mean we are baby killers. Abortion is always a tragedy but it is not the government’s business to exclude this option. Planned parenthood, meaning reproduction with intent rather than by accident, is clearly a better way to go for everybody. Birth control ought to be about learning to avoid unwanted pregnancy before the fact, not after. …and, as my daddy used to say, “war is retroactive birth control.” Bernie is a democratic socialist. Why does this scare people? All it means is that he believes in democracy with the goal of making the government work for all of us, not just the very wealthy and corporations. Bernie believes that opportunity for betterment should be available to all those who want to pursue it. He supports legislated restrictions on those of whatever stripe who would try to screw people over. Perhaps this label does explain the media’s tendency to downplay and underreport Bernie and the success of his campaign.
Bernie is authentic. Like King Arthur flour he is never bleached or bromated. Bernie inspires people, especially young people, to get involved in the process and get out the vote. This is how democracy is supposed to work. Citizens are supposed to want to be involved in our elections. Not me, Us! is the campaign slogan. His ego is not at play. Bernie is an anti-demagogue. Unlike 45, Bernie presents as intelligent, moral and ethical. He communicates with civility using complete thoughts, not sound bites made for media consumption. You won’t find him on the band wagon. He is more likely to be reminding those riders of what is likely to happen when the music stops and we have to pick up the pieces. Bernie is the real deal, solid to the core.
Bernie trumps Trump! I believe Bernie is our best chance of defeating the current resident and his enablers. Bernie is better at baseball, basketball and being an American. He is and has always been about bringing people together to get things done! I long for a return to “civil discourse” and “Of the people by the people and for the people.” Wouldn’t that be nice for a change! Not me, us! Not me, US! NOT ME, US! It seems that we live in interesting times. This is no time to stay home, watch the show and do nothing! The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men (people) do nothing. Regardless of what you believe or who you support, I urge you to get involved in the process. Above all get out and vote!
Eric Blackmer lives in Peterborough.