Heal the Bern
Let me start by revealing that I live in Ohio and had our primary actually happened this week, rather than being postponed further into irrelevance, I would have voted for Senator Bernie Sanders. I want a revolution, specifically with our healthcare system and Bernie is the man that wants to make that happen. Whether or not he could accomplish his revolutionary goals is another discussion for another day…ok another year because it’s time to accept that former Vice President Joe Biden is going to win the Democratic nomination. I should disclose that I liked Biden as a Vice President, and I don’t share the disdain for him that the fervent Bernie fans do. Having said that, I like many Democrats have said that I will vote for whoever the Democratic regardless of who the nominee is. I will do this for one simple reason. I want Donald Trump out of office.
If you listen to the Whiskey Congress podcast regularly enough, you may know that I am a stand up comedian (as a hobby not a career). As a result, I know and talk to a lot of comics. This probably won’t come as a shock to anyone, but comics tend to be progressive and outspoken. We also regularly hang out after shows and chat amongst ourselves in what is typically a safe-space for openly liberal thinking. Like I said earlier, I was going to vote for Bernie. But I see the writing on the wall and I stand by statement that I will be voting for the Democratic nominee regardless. Many of my friends in the comedy scene have said the same thing despite clearly stating that Bernie is their man. In a few recent conversations (after Super Tuesday), some of these friends have said that they will sit the election out unless Bernie is the nominee. I have seen a lot of similar sentiment on Twitter often accompanied by #Demexit. Okay, Bernie fans, I get it. You feel as though the system was rigged against your guy…again. And you’re right. The DNC clearly favors the mainstream candidate with the most name recognition. We all know how that strategy worked last time. What I am saying is that we as progressives CAN NOT contribute to allowing it to happen again.
There are lots of things about Joe Biden’s proposed policies that I do not like. When it comes to issues like cannabis, Mr. Biden acts like his only knowledge on the subject came from frequently watching Reefer Madness. He is a mainstream, old fashioned Democrat with a dubious voting record as a Senator. He is also possibly the best choice for a return to political sanity. Like I said before, I want the Bernie Revolution. I accept that I am not going to get it in this election. People always say that voting is about “choosing the lesser of two evils”. I know when I have said that in the past that I meant it…but I still voted.
I know it is cliché, but Democrats like myself are going to say that “not voting is essentially voting for Trump” …and they’re right. So as a person that wants to see Trump removed from office as a one term president, all I can say is “get past your frustration and don’t be part of the reason that we see a repeat of 2016”. The revolution may not happen this election cycle, but if Trump is re-elected, the Supreme Court will get another conservative justice (if not more than one). If that happens, you can kiss the revolution goodbye for a generation.
Jim@whiskeycongress.com
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