OK, I am 44 years old and a lifelong Democrat. But I have NEVER seen a candidate like Bernie Sanders. The last candidate I can think of that I felt the same way about was Jimmy Carter...and I was a kid when Carter was President. Amy and I are about the same age...she is 47, I am 44.
I am constantly bothered by all these causes and campaigns that send "begging emails" for 3 bucks here 5 bucks there, and so on. These emails make you feel like...if you don't send money, then you don't REALLY support the cause (after all, if you did you'd send money, right??)
I DO passionately support the causes I believe in, but I just am not able to support them FINANCIALLY at this time. I have all I can do to make ends meet. I own a small business, and am the sole employee. I have but one client. And if the government shuts down, so will my source of income, since Medicare will quit paying on claims - so my doctor client won't get paid, and thus, neither will I - thanks, GOP!!
I live in a mobile home which I am paying on, and it is in a mobile home park, where I must pay lot rent every month...because this is all I can afford. I have diabetes, Type 2, and the management of that condition eats up any little available money I might otherwise have.
Until today....until Bernie Sanders...I never believed that any candidate, or any campaign ACTUALLY CARED.
That changed today.
I got a "begging email" from Bernie's campaign. I responded to it with a regret I was not able at this time to financially support Bernie. This is not the first time I have responded to such "begging emails." But it sure as HELL is the first time I got a response...and not just a canned response, but a REAL, HONEST TO GOD RESPONSE...and one which showed compassion, caring and understanding!
If I was not already a Bernie Sanders supporter, this would have done it. Read the blockquotes below for the actual exchange between myself and Bernie's campaign via email...and ask yourself if Hillary...or any other Democratic campaign would have responded like Bernie did? Not even Obama would have, I do not think...and sure as hell no GOP candidate would have!!
I am not going to include the original "begging email" because if you've seen one, you have seen them all. I will start with my response to the "begging email"
> Bernie,
> If after I meet all the expenses of daily living...if I had two
> quarters left to rub together, I'd send them to you. But I don't. For now, I
> hope my spoken support, and my declared primary vote is enough.
>
> I'm sorry, but the wealthy have made day-to-day living THAT hard in
> America. I live in a mobile home because it's all I can afford.
> -Angela
This is the response I got:
Angela,
Thank you so much for your support! It is appreciated.
As a supporter, you may from time to time receive these types of
campaign messages. Some of them come from Bernie, and others come from
campaign staff and organizers.
If the emails are too much, you can elect to receive fewer emails [1]
or unsubscribe using the link at the bottom of any email you receive
from the campaign. Of course, we send many important messages in
addition to appeals, and we hope you'll continue to read them.
Thank you again for your support!
Judie
I did elect to receive fewer messages, because I just feel horrible when I can't send money to all these causes I really DO support! And this was my response to Judie, from Bernie's campaign:
Thank you, Judie, for your kind response!
If I hadn't already decided to support Bernie, this would have done it.
Do you know you are the FIRST-EVER campaign to respond directly to an email like the one I sent you?
I truly regret and feel absolutely horrible that I just do not, at this moment, have the financial wherewithal to help you guys out.
I run a small business out of my trailer...as I mentioned, I live in a mobile home because it is all I can afford. And I believe it ought to be better than this for small business owners...and for all Americans.
And I believe Bernie does understand people in exactly my situation, which is why he has my support.
Now, on a positive note...I have two potential new clients that may sign with my business. If either (or better yet BOTH) sign up with me, then at that time there WILL be some money available, and I will happily contribute to your campaign.
It really DOES bother me to get all these emails all the time, and have to continually turn them down, and it makes me feel as if I am being accused of not supporting the issues I care about...just because I am not able to do so FINANCIALLY. Your campaign, however, and your response...does not make me feel that way. Instead, I feel as though you really do care and understand. That is the kind of man I want to see in the White House!
Thank you so much for a kind, personal reply, and thank you all for understanding my current situation. This correspondence has convinced me that Bernie Sanders is unlike any other politician...and is running a campaign unlike any other in recent memory. He is a person who truly cares and has compassion and understanding.
The last person running for high office I felt that way about was Jimmy Carter...and I was but a kid when he was President!
-Angela (remaining identifying info redacted as per Daily KO's Rules)
Now, let's hope I get one or both of those clients, because nothing would make me happier than to be able to give Bernie's campaign the maximum amount I am allowed to under campaign law! By the way, why is it that I, as an individual...am limited as to how much I am allowed to give...and corporations are not?
If a corporation is a person...why are they not held to the same level of allowable contribution as one person?