Bernie Sanders has been fighting the same fight for over 50 years, and that's why the system is silencing him. He's one of the purest products of Washington in our modern day, which is why Washington has been itching to drown his campaign in all things Hillary (and has recently attempted to do so). He's presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders, and, contrary to some popular belief, his dedication to the people is no joke.
Let us quickly rewind back to the year 1963 near Chicago, Illinois (Englewood neighborhood, to be more specific). Handfuls upon handfuls of students from the University of Chicago met in protest of the segregation still plaguing Chicago's Public School System. With revolution in their hearts, they went sweating, screaming and kicking in the arms of unforgiving, sullen-as-rock officers. Among all of these protesters, however, one Jewish, 21-year-old, passionate poly-sci student is standing back out today; that student is Bernie.
Unless you've been living under a rock, you're probably aware of the Super Tuesday turnout. This would mean that you're aware of the utter, horrific confusion that ensued across a majority of the population after Trump and Clinton swept delegates in Georgia (and most other southern states). For quite some time now, the mainstream media has been desperately eager to write off Bernie Sanders as a valid candidate against DNC shining star Hillary Clinton. For example, in regard to Sanders' officially released economic plan, doubtful online blogger/writer Peter Suderman states, "It is hardly surprising to find that Sanders has underestimated the tax hikes necessary to pay for his plan."
Many often write Bernie off because of his radical economic policy. They assume that he's twisting the arms of uninformed millennials all around the country with promises of "free college" and "free universal healthcare", notions impossible to implicate in a country so grand and independent as America. The truth is that Bernie supporters are acutely aware, and they are strongly informed. They realize that his plans are radical and they're ready to see a structural change in a system corrupted by the constant feeding of the rich (and draining of the less so). They're tired of complacency with a system that benefits those on top considerably more than the common person. They're tired of racism, sexism and homophobia, and the implications of that age-old bigotry still apparent in little chunks of their own society.
However, there are a slew of economists that see Sanders' plan for what it will bring in the long-term. Jason Easley reported that 170 established economists including Robert Reich signed a powerful collective letter in support of Bernie's plan to reform Wall Street. Among them was pragmatic economist and democratic socialism supporter Gerald Friedman, who apparently concluded that Bernie's economic plan would raise income by about $22,000, create millions of jobs and drop unemployment to around a mere 3.8%, if pushed through Congress successfully. He explains how Sanders wants to raise $14.1 or so in tax revenue, and then proceed to pour it back into our crumbling infrastructure (this is when all of that "free" stuff comes in).
No, I know, nobody wants higher taxes... but to us, its long-term benefit for our society. It's not a communist America that Bernie seeks to create, but a democratic socialist one. The Democratic Socialists of America states that "while we believe that democratic planning can shape major social investments like mass transit, housing, and energy, market mechanisms are needed to determine the demand for many consumer goods." In other words, democratic socialism isn't all that impossible. It isn't all that evil. Its a pragmatic method of economic reconstruction.
Super Tuesday gave the media the chance to turn on Sanders with arguably deceptive numbers. After the fact, the doubt by Clinton supporters and Republicans of Bernie's capabilities grew exponentially strong as she defeated him noticeably in the primary elections with a whopping 71% of the popular vote (as opposed to his 28%). These results sunk my heart, because I knew that he was doomed to be shattered by the mainstream media at this point. The utopia of Bernie Sanders, so to speak, would be shattered by Clinton supporters and conservatives alike-- or would it be?
More studies provided show that Sanders is trailing Clinton by about 200 super delegates (or 609 to 412, with these numbers currently expanding). While this shows that he would have to win some serious delegates to beat her, Bernie Sanders actually has a real fighting chance. Still. Contrary to the many news sources writing off Bernie's campaign, its here to stay, and it has a reason to do so.
So...am I still in full, true support of Bernie?
Well, I'm not saying that Bernie isn't facing a real fight. Even if he does end up in the White House, he has a wall of Congress ahead of him, ready to shoot down his every plan. I know what America is and where its mentality stands at the moment, which is why I'm fighting so hard for Bernie in the first place.
Nobody knows for certain what will truly make this country great again. However, what we have is not working. Bernie has been behind-the-scenes for decades and fighting his fight with the utmost humanity. Bernie means what he says, as he's proven with consistent civil action for over 50 years.
So, yes. I am still in full support of Bernie Sanders, who still has a chance in the race. Like him, I will not give up the fight unless I have to. Change isn't going to be easy, we know that. That's why we push without apology. Bring on the northern states.
