Ever since I began supporting Bernie, I have also been deluged with money requests from other Democrats. In the past I have not done anything to discourage them. However, with the Dobbs decision, I have been unsubscribing to Democrats who make requests to support abortion. Bernie is the exception because although Bernie has always supported the "right to abortion" he has never made it central to his campaign and has in fact supported progressive Democrats who are pro-life.
This is today's message from Bernie. Notice how indirect the reference to abortion amid the broader problem of a reactionary Supreme Court. The reference is far down in the list of defensive struggles and has no place in the offensive goal-oriented paragraphs that follow which are very much Bernie's standard program
Dear Jack:
In this unprecedented moment in American history we, as progressives, are now engaged in many struggles.
We are trying to save the planet from the ravages of climate change; we’re trying to create an economy that works for all and not just billionaires; we’re trying to defend and improve American democracy against those who are moving us toward authoritarianism; we’re trying to create a public health care system which guarantees health care to all and protects us against future COVID variants; we’re trying to protect a woman’s right to control her own body against a reactionary Supreme Court; and we’re trying to address the horror of increased gun violence. Among many other things.
But, in the midst of all these struggles, we cannot simply remain on the defensive. At a time of obscene income and wealth inequality, outrageous corporate greed, and the growing concentration of oligarchic power, it’s important that we contrast our vision for the future of this country, our values, against those who wish to defend the status quo and our corrupt political and economic systems. In other words, this is not a time for tinkering around the edges. The American people are desperately hungry for a new direction — economically, politically, morally — and we must not be shy about demanding the bold and systemic changes this country needs. We must make it clear that:
Greed is not good. The growing gap between the billionaire class and everyone else is not good. Buying elections is not good. Producing carbon emissions and destroying the planet is not good. Starvation wages and the exploitation of workers are not good. War and excessive military budgets are not good. Making huge profits off of human illness is not good. Charging people the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs is not good. Having a corporate media which limits the scope of public discourse is not good. Monopolization of the economy is not good. Ignoring the needs of the most vulnerable – children, the elderly, and the disabled – is not good. Racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia are not good.
If we truly wish to make America great, we need to strive for an equitable distribution of both wealth and power. In the richest country in the history of the world we should end austerity economics and use the exploding technology to benefit all, not just the few. We should strive to be a nation that has eliminated poverty and homelessness, and where every worker has a livable income, the right to join a union, and increased influence on the job. We should have a political system which encourages grassroots participation, not one heavily influenced by super PACs and wealthy campaign contributors.
We should have the best educational system in the world from childcare to graduate school – accessible to all regardless of income. We should have a high-quality health care system where all people can walk into a doctor’s office without worrying about the cost, because the system is publicly funded. Instead of spending more money on the military than the next ten nations combined, we should lead the world in efforts to eliminate war and climate change.
I do understand that these are difficult times in so many ways, and that many Americans are demoralized and discouraged. But, as I have said many times, despair is not an option. We are fighting not only for ourselves. We are fighting for our kids and future generations, and for the well-being of the planet.
During the next several months I will be traveling around the country doing my best to bring people together in the struggle for economic, racial, social and environmental justice. I hope you will join us at these events and help make them successful.
In solidarity,
Bernie
Gotta love Bernie. Consistent messaging since 1974. No identity politics, no coded language, no buzz words. Strengthen labor rights, think globally, pay attention to the undue influence of money.
ReplyDeleteThe only mistake Bernie made was in labelling himself a socialist. I've got no problem with that, but the label makes it too easy to dismiss him.
With any luck, young people who like his ideas will eventually form a labor party of some sort around his ideas. There has been some success at forming unions among servicevworkers, but fear mongering about the economy will likely quash that.
I agree it was a big mistake to label himself a socialist. While he advocates many of the policies present in "democratic socialist" countries, he never has gone as far as they, e.g. two weeks of sick leave when they have four, etc.
DeleteHe should have branded himself as an "FDR socialist" expanding upon FDR ideas. When I once went to a meeting of Democrats in the country, they went around the room choosing their favor president. FDR had over 80 percent of the votes.
"country" should have been "county" This meeting was after Obama's second term had begun.
Delete"Gotta love Bernie. Consistent messaging since 1974."
DeleteOr even 1934. He is consistent. I heard him on This Week (ABC's Sunday news panel show) yesterday. His grand theory always has been: what ails America is that the rich exploit the rest of us. He is, in his secular way, a Common Good politician.
I think he's sincere in his social issues views, but I don't think they animate him. Corporations exploiting us is what gets him going.
Real change in the form of a Jewish grandpa. If people couldn't flock to that banner, I don't know if they ever will vote for real change. Of course, he was popular among the young but my generation's lack of vision (generally) canceled them out. So now we have an old man running the country based on the same old stuff. People want some messiah to fix the system when the system's the problem. Messiahs don't fix systems. They show us new ones.
ReplyDeleteLots of young people running in the state and local Dem primaries here. Many are young parents concerned about schools and guns. Most are well-heeled suburbanites, but one guy is a farmer and another is a service industry worker.
DeleteThe demise of Roe has suddenly awakened a lot of people to how much power states have.
Gotta give the Repubs credit. They always knew that. And now THEY'RE EVERYWHERE, THEY'RE EVERYWHERE.
DeleteYah, you normalize certain attitudes at the local level (people should not be forced to join unions, gays are grooming our kids, vaccines are making kids autistic, Jewish space lasers) and then they worm their way into the national consciousness via Louie Gohmert, Jim, Jordan, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and that creepy Matt Goetz.
DeleteMy favorite thing about Bernie was that picture of him at Bidens's inauguration with the mittens and the mask. I do admire him for at least being consistent in his messaging. But I can't think he is serious about running. He is already 80. Some Democrats have gone from, "Leave Biden alone about his age" to "He's three quarters senile." What prompted the change? I think they feel he's not full-throated enough in defense of abortion rights. I wish they would consider some other things, such as he is the only person who has proven he could beat Trump. Who is what, 78? Sometimes I feel like we are watching a remake of "Secondhand Lion". I'd like to see some credible younger people running . But where are they? All I can see are the likes of Josh Hawley and Elise Stepanik
ReplyDeleteThis was David Brooks today, seeing change in the offing:
Deletehttps://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/14/opinion/americans-dissatisfaction-polling.html
"I’d like you to consider the possibility that the political changes that have rocked this country over the past six years will be nothing compared with the changes that will rock it over the next six. I’d like you to consider the possibility that we’re in some sort of prerevolutionary period — the kind of moment that often gives birth to something shocking and new.
"Look at the conditions all around us:
"First, Americans are deeply dissatisfied with the way things are going. Only 13 percent of voters say the country is on the right track, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll published this week.
"Second, Americans are deeply dissatisfied with the leaders of both parties. Joe Biden has a 33 percent job approval rating among registered voters. About half of Republican voters want to move on from Donald Trump and find a new presidential candidate for 2024.
"Third, inflation is soaring. Throughout history, inflationary periods have often been linked to political instability. As the economist Lionel Robbins wrote about Weimar Germany, inflation “destroyed the wealth of the more solid elements in German society; and it left behind a moral and economic disequilibrium, apt breeding ground for the disasters which have followed.”
"Fourth, the generational turnover is coming. The boomer gerontocracy that now dominates power is bound to retire, leaving a vacuum for something new.
"Fifth, Americans are detaching from the two political parties. Far more Americans consider themselves independents than consider themselves either Democrats or Republicans, and independents may be growing more distinct. And there’s some research that suggests independents are increasingly not just closeted members of the two main parties but also hold different beliefs, which put them between parties. Sixty-two percent of Americans believe a third party is needed.
"Sixth, disgust with the current system is high. A majority of American voters believe that our system of government does not work, and 58 percent believe that our democracy needs major reforms or a complete overhaul. Nearly half of young adult voters believe voting does not affect how the government operates."
I thought he was leading up to the big reveal (".. and that's why our next president will be - wait for it - LIZ CHENEY!!") You'll have to read the rest of the column, though, to see where he takes these thoughts.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/14/opinion/americans-dissatisfaction-polling.html
Here's a quote I saw from Rod Dreher: " I hate to break it to my friend David Brooks, but the candidate he's looking for is a lot like Viktor Orban."
DeleteYeah, I don't think that's what we need. We'll wish it was someone like Liz Cheney. The outsider who's going to change things..."deconstruction " I believe is the word; wasn't that what Donald Trump promised?
I think Brooks is correct, though, that someone like Ross Perrot could throw a monkey wrench into things.
I think Brooks' analysis of where we are politically is on target. I don't have any idea who might emerge as the two-fisted social conservative that likes giveaway programs, though. It would likely be some type of evangelical leader. Maybe Al Sharpton?
Delete