(There are a few short video clips of the event to give you a sense of what Bernie Sanders sounds like. Click up there on the right to see some video uploads.)
Bernie Sanders is angry and principled and he has a message.
I checked the definition of "Jeremiad", an angry rant about the problems of a community, and "Philippic", which is an angry rant denouncing a person. Bernie is angry, but not hopeless. There are things that can be fixed
**** He is angry about the corruption of American politics thanks to the avalanche of money, most of it essentially anonymous, which has poisoned the Congress and created an oligarchy. But we can fix Citizens United, upon appointment of the three new justices likely to be appointed by the next president.
****He is angry about the trade policies of this country which have accelerated the destruction of the American middle class by shipping their jobs to low wage high pollution countries. But we can fix that by electing a president who will change NAFTA, the TPP, and other trade agreements.
****He is angry about the disastrous effects of college costs and college loans on young people. But we can fix that by making public higher education free, as it is in many other western democracies, and by allowing refinancing of student loans at current low interest rates.
****He is angry about the ongoing lack of access to affordable health care because of the obstruction by Republicans to the expansion of Medicaid, the mere half-step of the Affordable Care Act which uses a health insurance model. We can fix this with a single payer system as is widespread elsewhere, simply "Medicare for All."
****He is angry that Republicans have acted as if Obama's efforts to turn the tide of the economic collapse had been a failure. We can fix this by asserting loud and clear that the economy was in free fall and a disaster of failed banking deregulation when Obama took office, but that the economy has improved significantly, adding jobs at 150,000 to 200,000 a month now, instead of losing 800,000 a month when he took office.
****He is angry about our involvement in unwindable wars in the Middle East, where we are unwelcome. We can fix this by electing someone with a track record of opposition to the Iraq war.
****He is angry about our crumbling infrastructure at a time simultaneous with high youth unemployment. We can fix this with a major jobs program fixing the roads, bridges, airports which will improve the competitiveness of America and use a currently idle resource: young people without jobs.
***He is angry about Republicans coming to New Hampshire and talking about "family values" while simultaneously voting to restrict a woman's access to health care and her own autonomy regarding her reproductive choices. We can fix this by electing people who genuinely respect women and who advocate for their autonomy and pay equality.
****He is angry about the inability of full time employees to survive on a minimum wage that is hopelessly outdated. We can fix this by moving to a $15/hour wage over the next 5 years.
And more.
Bernie Sanders argues that most Americans support these views and that we need to stop "thinking small", discussing whether to cut education 2% or maybe 4%. Instead, we need to accept that we need a "political revolution" and insist on real change which will re-empower the middle class instead of the very, very rich. He never uttered Hillary Clinton's name. But the implication that electing a "regular" Democrat like Hillary would be "thinking small", and that he was the alternative. He was the embodiment of a revolution in thinking, thinking big, and that Democrats need to get their minds around the simple fact that the politics he is urging are popular with the people.
But they are hated by the billionaires.
And that is why thinking small will not work because the Congress is captured by those billionaire interests and Congress will block little changes. But we are ready for big changes.
Bernie Sanders took about four questions, but this was not an interactive meeting, notwithstanding the name "Town Hall". It was a speech, sending a message.
And it was very well received by the audience in the hall. Attendees were handed donation envelopes entering and leaving the event. There were about 400 people in attendance in the middle school gymnasium.
There were lots of souvenirs for sale after the event, including Feel the Bern T-shirts in a variety of styles.
But there is a theme to the Bernie Sanders logo-wear: the unruly longish hair, as reflects the angry passionate man on a rant.
It is the opposite of the barbered corporate look; it is a man with a truth to tell, a truth the corporations do not want told.
Bernie Sanders is angry and principled and he has a message.
I checked the definition of "Jeremiad", an angry rant about the problems of a community, and "Philippic", which is an angry rant denouncing a person. Bernie is angry, but not hopeless. There are things that can be fixed
**** He is angry about the corruption of American politics thanks to the avalanche of money, most of it essentially anonymous, which has poisoned the Congress and created an oligarchy. But we can fix Citizens United, upon appointment of the three new justices likely to be appointed by the next president.
****He is angry about the trade policies of this country which have accelerated the destruction of the American middle class by shipping their jobs to low wage high pollution countries. But we can fix that by electing a president who will change NAFTA, the TPP, and other trade agreements.
****He is angry about the disastrous effects of college costs and college loans on young people. But we can fix that by making public higher education free, as it is in many other western democracies, and by allowing refinancing of student loans at current low interest rates.
****He is angry about the ongoing lack of access to affordable health care because of the obstruction by Republicans to the expansion of Medicaid, the mere half-step of the Affordable Care Act which uses a health insurance model. We can fix this with a single payer system as is widespread elsewhere, simply "Medicare for All."
****He is angry that Republicans have acted as if Obama's efforts to turn the tide of the economic collapse had been a failure. We can fix this by asserting loud and clear that the economy was in free fall and a disaster of failed banking deregulation when Obama took office, but that the economy has improved significantly, adding jobs at 150,000 to 200,000 a month now, instead of losing 800,000 a month when he took office.
****He is angry about our involvement in unwindable wars in the Middle East, where we are unwelcome. We can fix this by electing someone with a track record of opposition to the Iraq war.
****He is angry about our crumbling infrastructure at a time simultaneous with high youth unemployment. We can fix this with a major jobs program fixing the roads, bridges, airports which will improve the competitiveness of America and use a currently idle resource: young people without jobs.
***He is angry about Republicans coming to New Hampshire and talking about "family values" while simultaneously voting to restrict a woman's access to health care and her own autonomy regarding her reproductive choices. We can fix this by electing people who genuinely respect women and who advocate for their autonomy and pay equality.
****He is angry about the inability of full time employees to survive on a minimum wage that is hopelessly outdated. We can fix this by moving to a $15/hour wage over the next 5 years.
And more.
Bernie Sanders argues that most Americans support these views and that we need to stop "thinking small", discussing whether to cut education 2% or maybe 4%. Instead, we need to accept that we need a "political revolution" and insist on real change which will re-empower the middle class instead of the very, very rich. He never uttered Hillary Clinton's name. But the implication that electing a "regular" Democrat like Hillary would be "thinking small", and that he was the alternative. He was the embodiment of a revolution in thinking, thinking big, and that Democrats need to get their minds around the simple fact that the politics he is urging are popular with the people.
But they are hated by the billionaires.
And that is why thinking small will not work because the Congress is captured by those billionaire interests and Congress will block little changes. But we are ready for big changes.
Bernie Sanders took about four questions, but this was not an interactive meeting, notwithstanding the name "Town Hall". It was a speech, sending a message.
And it was very well received by the audience in the hall. Attendees were handed donation envelopes entering and leaving the event. There were about 400 people in attendance in the middle school gymnasium.
There were lots of souvenirs for sale after the event, including Feel the Bern T-shirts in a variety of styles.
But there is a theme to the Bernie Sanders logo-wear: the unruly longish hair, as reflects the angry passionate man on a rant.
It is the opposite of the barbered corporate look; it is a man with a truth to tell, a truth the corporations do not want told.
2 comments:
I'm impressed with the savvy way he's captured the youth vote. Even young Republicans are smitten. The wild hair is a great meme, and he's by far and away the "king of memes" at the moment. He appears to be doing everything right, and by "right" I mean correctly and also "right out of "Rules for Radicals." His organization is very impressive, and he's following all of Alinsky's rules. Though not the first, he's doing it differently, with considerable coolness and his signature "rants."
I'm impressed with the savvy way he's captured the youth vote. Even young Republicans are smitten. The wild hair is a great meme, and he's by far and away the "king of memes" at the moment. He appears to be doing everything right, and by "right" I mean correctly and also "right out of "Rules for Radicals." His organization is very impressive, and he's following all of Alinsky's rules. Though not the first, he's doing it differently, with considerable coolness and his signature "rants."
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