Bernie is a Start, Not a Savior

Bernie is not our savior. No one is. Yes, I like Bernie Sanders and think he is the best candidate for president. But without support from congress there is little he can do. Without congress; medicare for all, a Green New Deal, fair taxes, a strong safety net- forget it! After Obama Care, Obama lost congress and got little else done. Even Emperor Donald has got nothing done without congress. The little time he had congress he squeezed through a tax break for the 1%. What else? So much for the great deal maker. Today's Democrats are Republicans without the racism, religious fanaticism and disregard for science. However, they still vote for massive military budgets, favor finance and the status quo (See Joe Biden). A congress full of these "Democrats" are not going to help Bernie or the rest of us. Getting Bernie elected is still a long shot. Please understand this is only a small first step. The rest is up to us.

We are going to have to do a lot of work to turn things around. If we are serious at all, be ready for massive protest and civil disobedience. If congress is given the choice of do the right thing or we are going to burn it all down, the might just do the right thing. For too long we have lost the notion of "we are the government." Of the people by the people and for the people has morphed into of the rich for the corporations and by the lobbyists. Both Parties have traded in voters for their own power, comfort and wealth (LIFE AFTER CONGRESS). Once can argue it was never a democracy in the first place, just a stable platform used to suck the wealth out of us and rape the Earth. This topic is beyond this post. The big question is do we have enough freedom left to save ourselves? We will need to make mass protest and civil disobedience a new but ever-present normal. It will be a time of uncertainty and discomfort. Change always is.

A WORD OF CAUTION       

Some may think violence is a shortcut. It is a shortcut...  To losing. Violence is a tool long ago mastered by the state be it Russia, Iran or the ole USA. The use of violence in protest and civil disobedience gives the state license to crush any opposition violently, bloodily and thoroughly. Your AR-15 is no match for drones bombing your house / neighborhood from 18,000 feet. Yes, they can and yes, they will while others watch it all on live TV. So get those violent fantasies out of your head and stay away from anyone encouraging such thoughts. They are not helping. Government are getting quite sophisticated at undermining questioning of any kind. It is going o be a rough ride. There is no guaranteed outcome. There is no historical bent towards justice. Like always, we will have to struggle for it. We can and may indeed lose. We must try.