Bernie didn't get the nomination. That's alright, in my opinion. When he entered the race the talking heads thought he would just be an afterthought. He was a self identified "socialist" who talked a lot about inequality. That would never sell in AMERICA they all said. He wants to model the nation on Scandinavia? No one at their expensive cocktail parties wants that so surely it would be a message that would resonate with no one.
But it did resonate. He wasn't an afterthought. The people looked at what he was proposing and a huge numbers thought "hey, they ain't so bad!"
The received wisdom was that America is hopelessly right wing. That the only way to get votes is to be more hate filled, more religious, more regressive. Bernie showed that there is, in fact, a huge yearning in America for progress, not regression. For inclusion, not rejection. For egalitarianism not stark nihilistic libertarianism.
Things are now on the table that wouldn't have been before. Want a much higher minimum wage? Totally possible now. Want more subsidies for college? Lots of people are talking about it. Want true universal healthcare? Seems pretty popular. Want more union power? Seems to be on the table again.
This is all the good that has been wrought. It could be built on. This won't be the last election America has. There is a giant future out there ready to be seized.
I know many want to be dour. Want to sulk. Want to take their ball and go home. This is not the time for that. Build bridges, work with those that are open to these ideas.
But it did resonate. He wasn't an afterthought. The people looked at what he was proposing and a huge numbers thought "hey, they ain't so bad!"
The received wisdom was that America is hopelessly right wing. That the only way to get votes is to be more hate filled, more religious, more regressive. Bernie showed that there is, in fact, a huge yearning in America for progress, not regression. For inclusion, not rejection. For egalitarianism not stark nihilistic libertarianism.
Things are now on the table that wouldn't have been before. Want a much higher minimum wage? Totally possible now. Want more subsidies for college? Lots of people are talking about it. Want true universal healthcare? Seems pretty popular. Want more union power? Seems to be on the table again.
This is all the good that has been wrought. It could be built on. This won't be the last election America has. There is a giant future out there ready to be seized.
I know many want to be dour. Want to sulk. Want to take their ball and go home. This is not the time for that. Build bridges, work with those that are open to these ideas.
via International Skeptics Forum http://ift.tt/1t7FaRM
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire