Why Bernie Sanders’ strategy is important

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Do I think for a moment that if Sanders becomes president that he will get Medicare for all? Free higher education? Universal childcare?

Not for a second.

A couple of hurdles first. I don’t think Sanders gets the nomination until he can secure Super Tuesday, which I think he will.

He also has to beat Trump, which I think is possible.

But the Senate and Congress both have to have big wins with the Democrats in November to secure Sanders’ agenda.

Okay, so let’s pretend Sanders is sworn is as president #46 and the Dems control both houses. What than?

What has been frustrating me the most is that we ‘need a moderate’ for the Democratic Presidential Nominee. If there is one thing we don’t need, is a moderate. We tried that strategy last time, progressives were not energized and they didn’t vote in key states. Many polls showed after the election in 2016 if Sanders would have been the nominee he would have beat Trump. Sanders is just as progressive today as he was back then. Little has changed with Bernie, and that is why so many people support him.

Moderate candidates want to continue to sell you the ‘status quo’ like expanding the ACA and making college education ‘more affordable’. Whatever that looks like.

What Sanders is proposing is we ask for the most and negotiate down from there. Isn’t that what you do when buying or selling a house? A car? You don’t ask for the least and expect to get what you really want. When I see the moderate candidates argue their agenda in this way, I just shake my head.

Sanders knows he won’t get all he is asking for, but if you don’t ask, you will never know.

What I think will happen is a deal where people can sign up for Medicare if they don’t want their private insurance. Personally, I think it will be so wildly popular that within 5 years you will see very few people keeping private insurance unless they are super wealthy. The best and most efficient way to solve our healthcare crisis in this country is by covering everyone, 100%. This would achieve this goal. This is what is mandated in Germany.

As for free college education, keep dreaming Bernie. But what I do see is free technical education, and maybe half of college tuition covered with maybe government loans at 0 or 1% interest. I could see a scenario that if you are at a certain income level, college would be more affordable or partially free.

As for universal childcare, this could be achievable, but there are a lot of moving parts. Personally I am opposed. Having children is essentially a choice, and when you make that decision, you should be prepared to make sacrifices financially. What I could see happening is longer paid leave for mothers and fathers and universal pre-k education. This would narrow the gap of time you would need a child care provider.

Like I said, Bernie may not get everything he is asking for, but it is a great strategy, because you never get anything unless you ask first.

Sanders was slighted. Shocker!

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I told people 2 years ago that Hillary Clinton would be our next president. I still think that. Though I am not a religious person, I do believe in a creator, and I don’t believe that our creator would allow a Trump presidency.

But enough of the gospel according to Detroit Lewis.

I voted for Bernie Sanders. I like him. I like his ideas. But as I told his supporters, he is unelectable. There has been proof over the past year that the DNC was working against him. It is no surprise.

I learned a long time ago what the established parties do to the best candidates. I watched them destroy the rising star of the party, Howard Dean. I still think if Dean would have become the nominee, he would have been president. He was transformative, progressive, passionate, smart and powerful. I sat thru the ‘meet-ups’ with state organizer, Ben Hanten. We were proud of him, and the glimmer of hope he showed to supporters. But the right-wing media and the corporate influenced Democratic party wasn’t going to have it. They crushed him.

But they didn’t just screw him once, after his successful 50 state strategy, they threw him away again.

I was actually surprised that he spoke tonight at the DNC. He looked good, and it still hurts as a ‘Deaniac’ that we wasted such a great opportunity. But I learned the hard way about the national machine, and how the ‘great ones’ get away. That is why I am so passionate about local government, here we can make changes, even when credit card company money may get in the way, our voices have influence and our actions are noticed. Not so much on the national stage, or even in the houses of congress or our state house. Just look at what the state Democratic party did to Joe Lowe. Another wasted opportunity.

I still think Hillary will make a ‘good’ president and I am happy a woman will be in charge for once. But she is no Dean or Sanders, and that is unfortunate. But she is strong and smart, something very absent in the GW Bush years.

Keep speaking out on the streets of Sioux Falls, where you can make a difference. Sanders and Dean will be fine and Trump will go back to being the ass munch he has always been.