Matt Wuerker for March 09, 2016

Let’s face it folks, Sanders would have ZERO and I do mean ZERO chance of ever getting his core promises passed, even IF the Democrats re-took the Senate. Probably even if the Democrats re-took the House, since he is so much farther to the left than any of them are comfortable with.

I like Sanders. I watched him on Bill Moyer’s programs and printed out the transcripts of what they discussed. I followed up later with a look into his long career. I conclude that eventually what he espouses politically will come about, but it’s decades or longer down the road. .With the population of the U.S. on the increase as regards non-whites, current unfair social stratification must not get worse if any residue of democracy is to remain. Something has of necessity to be done for the sharing of wealth, if only in terms of health care, geriatric care, and more job opportunities for young citizens. But that’s only a temporary fix. It’s the opinion of many that the New Deal programs of Roosevelt prevented a revolution in this country under similar circumstances. As much as Republicans fought against them, they themselves actually benefited from those social policies greatly until now. A possible revolution was prevented that might have toppled our capitalist classes. .Now, after all this time, the lesson of pragmatic compromise is forgotten, and they’ve become greedy almost beyond control. The general acceptance of snatch to hoard / hoard to snatch as the guide to success is something the One-percenters have hypnotized so many with; it is increasingly exposed as a sham. They know that bad times are coming, and are grabbing as much as possible, stifling progress until they can irrevocably consolidate their wealth, for instance in energy research and denying climate changes. The multi-state lottery with enormous jackpots has to some extent coarsened our investment sense to expect huge returns with little risk. The Fed under the influence of banks has eviscerated small savers with disgracefully low interest rates. (Can negative interest be far down the road?) They are urged to enter the stock market, instead, ripe for fleecing with the dangers inherent in that arena..The common sense social responsibility policies that Sanders speaks fervently for are to me an indication that deep down he realizes he won’t get elected. Even if by some chance Clinton again implodes and he gets the nomination, he has no chance to win the presidency. The opposition ads would carpet bomb us with the S-word, which is “Socialism.” The age groups that actually vote are still scared by that term. And even if by remote chance he is elected, he would be opposed at every turn, even by those in his own party. To wear a strait-jacket at his inaugural would be appropriate..No, I think Sanders at age 74 is doing this run as his last hurrah, as an entry into the history books as a man before his time. There, he’ll join Adlai Stevenson, George McGovern, and Ross Perot, and even Ralph Nader. His frank and fearless rhetoric reminds me of a retired politician who is hawking his memoirs and is no longer afraid to tell the truth. At best, I believe he hopes to somehow shape future policies by having his thoughts out in public, validated within a presidential campaign. Small pure tones in the overall cacophony..Maybe in some future election, young people inspired by Sanders today will strive to put some of his suggested policies into action. Let’s hope by then it isn’t an act of precipitous desperation.

I’ll vote for either Clinton or Sanders. Whichever one is nominated. I have full confidence they will be better than whatever’s left sticking to the wreckage of the GOP.

Radish, one of your best.Thanks.