Thursday, February 4, 2016

Did You Win the $20 Million in the Political Revolution?

Yesterday I claimed that Bernie Sanders' "political revolution" has already arrived. Chapter One has been written by his stopping the mighty Clinton machine in Iowa against all the odds and predictions. He has thus written the First Commandment of the revolution: Thou shalt not hand over the American presidency as an "entitlement".  Hillary Clinton is not getting a crown on a silk cushion.

And the Second Chapter has also been written. I said yesterday that if you guessed what it was, you'd win $20 million dollars. Well, I lied. But only a little bit. You'll win $23 million!

I am referring to the huge accomplishment of Bernie Sanders in fund-raising. He got $20 million in January alone! A new record in fund-raising! In average contributions of $27! That's also a new record in fund-raising. Then in the hour after the Iowa caucuses' result was obviously a tie, he got another $1 million. Within 24 hours that grew to another $3 million.

And it's all yours. Because this is how we buy back our country. It's how we buy back your future and that of your kids.

Forever! Because this can be the end of big money controlling politics and dictating the laws by which we live, the laws that favor the very rich.

Bernie Sanders has proved—come what may—that ordinary people can do what it takes to get back their country.  If we the people finance campaigns, there's no longer room for big money to buy politicians.

If...... That little word that means so much. "If we the people finance campaigns..." Of course we can do it. Do we have the will? I believe we do!

So let's mark February 2 as another July 4.  We can declare ourselves and our elected officials to be free of the dominion of big money.

I am not alone in this conclusion that Bernie's fund-raising is a great gift to us all and to the future of America. Regarding the New Hampshire debate a truly objective expert says:

“I think Sanders spoke the only central truth of both campaigns. Neither one of their platforms means anything unless there is first real campaign finance reform. Without it, the gerrymandered and legally bribed Congress and the leadership of both parties will block any significant change. ” — Marc Cooper, retired professor at USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

Bernie Sanderd has unshackled us and American politics from enslavement to big money financing of campaigns.  Free at last!  Free at last! Great God Almighty, we are free at last!

So now what do we do about the gerrymandering that has given us a Congress controlled by the most conservative rural areas of America?  I'm working on it, folks. I'm working on it.




1 comment:

  1. Years ago [oh 35 or so] we lived in New York near Lake Champlain and listened extensively to Vermont Public Radio, and so have known of Bernie for this long. Always admired his views, his honesty, his championship of people. Love your writing and can't help but wonder how on earth H.Clinton could possibly win against such a person of honesty and forthrightness.

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