I understand that many folks consider Bernie Sanders “out there” and idealistic. However, do folks really think that Bernie is wrong about issues such as climate change, health care, and income inequality? I always find myself agreeing with his descriptions of our most serious problems and his frustrations that politicians seem unable to confront these problems term after term. You have to give Obama credit for finally doing something about health insurance and look how much backlash there has been. What do voters think happens to people unable to pay for insurance or who had conditions insurance companies decided to ignore because of preexisting conditions? Al Gore had it right when he described climate change as an inconvenient truth. So many issues fall into this category and it is easier to ignore and focus on self-interest than face reality.
Some of the Democratic candidates take a watered-down version of this same position again suggesting that Bernie’s extremism means that a Republican will win the election. They offer approaches that are less idealistic and less likely to do much about the more severe problems. Republicans are different. They offer no pretense of addressing these problems. I have no idea how this lack of acknowledgment appeals to anyone worried about others and I guess that is the key. Republicans worry about themselves in the present and little else – no solutions to inequality, health care, or climate change.
There are reasons there is such an income and race divide in our politics.
The President does not make these decisions alone or at least that used to be the case. The President should identify a vision and then work with the legislature to make the case for this vision. We have forgotten this. What is wrong with someone making the effort to identify serious issues and proposing we could address these issues if we wanted to.
So, at least listen to Bernie’s message and be willing to explain how your candidate will address the problems we have that are getting worse and going nowhere.