I understand the Democratic presidential race is not over. I voted for Bernie here in Maryland on April 26th. I’d just like to ask our readers to think about this.
Should Hillary Clinton cinch the nomination are there really thousands and thousands of you out there that really will stay home in a fit of pique if your Absolute Ideal candidate misses the nod? Despite not being my 100% ideal I believe Hillary Clinton is an intelligent woman whose sheer stamina shown throughout the decades is still underappreciated. President Obama sensed this when he first got elected eight years ago. Rather than shunt his closest competitor out to pasture he appointed Hillary as Secretary of State. What anyone thinks about her job performance needs other diaries.
The point is that Presidents do not wave wands and dictate the policy of the country from a lone pedestal. They appoint a Cabinet with which to hammer out solutions . I put it to you that who becomes appointed to Cabinet positions is just as important as who we elect as President.
Intelligent as she is, does anyone really think that Hillary can afford to totally ignore the vast swaths of Bernie supporters? Are her eyes and ears open enough to perceive even moderately the mood of the country? Is moderate perception better than none? Should she garner the White House, wouldn’t it be probable that she would appoint Bernie Sanders to a vital cabinet post, like Secretary of the Interior? Or the Consumer Protection Agency?
Imagine headlines like “CPA Director Bernie Sanders has submitted files to the Attorney General in preparation of filing charges against Big Banks.” With any Democratic President Bernie stands a good chance of using his skills within the cabinet to keep the policy on track. With any Republican, there’s no way that will happen.
Or is the attitude really President or Nothing. If Bernie can’t get the nod I’m going to have a right pet, take my vote, and go home? Will putting millions of people through cruel and unnecessary suffering , maybe billions, make you feel better? Pure ideals seldom work. Let’s do what we can to make sure Team Democrat gets the chance to try to keep the country on a better course. If not, with Sarah Palin as EPA head and Chris Christie at the Dept. of Transportation, don’t get shocked and come running to me for solace. Don’t make it impossible for Bernie to be able to do anything. That’s how our purism ends up biting us in the ass time and again.