politics not as usual?
how do you get in a twitter argument about hillary vs. bernie when you’re technically on the same side…? (and only have 140 characters, to boot.) this happened to me today. here’s more than 140 characters!
here’s what unusual about bernie sanders and why i’ll be voting for him.
he hasn’t taken any money from large corporations. all his money is funded by the little people (aka you and me). i’ve donated $25 to him, the first time i’ve ever in my life given money to a politician. i’ll probably give more.
he’s pretty darn staunch on his issues. he doesn’t sway on them like other candidates. hillary only became supportive of gay rights in the last five years. not cool, hills. (as an aside, i just read that hillary supports the death penalty in federal cases. really? really??)
he’s honest. liz and i went to see him when he stopped in rochester, and i’ll never forget what he said about by the people for the people. we have to do some of the work ourselves. he alone as president doesn’t have much power. but we the people can make things happen. if he can fire up the country to take a more active role in the issues that come to politicians’ desks, then all the better. those issues are our own issues, after all. let’s own them.
will he beat a republican? if you vote for him, yes he will. people keep saying that bernie can’t win. bernie can’t win. well, not with that attitude! if you’re going to the polls to merely vote for the lesser of two evils, that’s a pretty sad state of affairs. then suddenly there’s a candidate who actually seems like he gives a crap about people’s lives and isn’t a corporate shill at the same time, and you actually really like his policies and what he’s talking about, but you’re NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR HIM?? what is wrong with you?
his stance on guns has been questioned as not controlling enough. i feel the same as bernie on this issue, and that’s a blog for another day, but if he’s pretty lenient on gun control, more undecided moderate/conservatives might lean his way. plus, he’s said gun control is a state issue (think rural vs. urban and how guns are used differently), which is pretty attractive to states’ right activists.
here’s the thing. this is a chance to take the current state of politics and turn it on its nasty little head. even if you’re staunchly republican, you can’t deny that this would be a 180 in politics. what does bernie need to do now? appeal to minorities. appeal to older voters. get people fired up about going to vote. i’m planning on going to a caucus for the first time in my life. add that i gave him money, and if this is what he’s doing for a 36-year-old average, liberal white girl? let’s get the fire going. bern it up!