Like Bernie Sanders, I have long been an avowed Socialist. However, I cannot give him my vote.
When I explain my reasoning to my Liberal friends, all supporters of Senator Sanders, they all say that how do we know he can’t do what he says he will if he doesn’t get the chance. In 2008, the same Liberal friends were supporters of Ralph Nader, and for the same reasons. How did that turn out for America? Nader took 97,000+ Florida votes from Al Gore, and George W. Bush won Florida by 537 votes. Another state in contention that national election was New Hampshire, where Nader received far more than Bush’s 7,000+ margin of victory. So, in my opinion, Nader put George W. Bush in the White House.
But, my friends say, Bernie has promised not to run as an independent if he loses the nomination!
However, winning the nomination is only the beginning of the battle. Bernie Sanders (like me) is an avowed Socialist...the only Socialist ever elected to any office in the United States. Nevertheless, it is claimed that Bernie Sanders would easily defeat Donald Trump, the probable Republican candidate. I vehemently disagree. As distasteful as The Donald is to members of even his own Party, it’s a virtual certainty that given a choice between Trump and a socialist Sanders, Conservative Republicans, Moderate Republicans and even quite a few Democrats will flock to the Trump banner. Trump, Cruz, Rubio have all spoken out against Hillary Clinton, but ignore Bernie Sanders. Could it possibly be that they are all hoping Sanders the socialist becomes the Democratic candidate?
Odds against Sanders defeating Clinton for the nomination are long. But for the sake of argument, let’s say Bernie wins 60% of all the remaining primaries, and then miraculously wins the national election. Standing in opposition to a Socialist president would be 100% of Republicans and most likely a huge percentage of Democrats, as well. Hopefully, he would have better luck passing his agenda for the nation than he has had in 16 years of national elected office. While serving as US Senator, he submitted 383 bills, but only three passed—two of which were bills renaming two USPS offices in his home state of Vermont. A success rate of 1%. Think President Obama has had to contend with a roadblock to get anything accomplished?
If Nader had won the White House, would he have been able to achieve any of the lofty goals he touted in the campaign? If Bernie Sanders miraculously wins the nomination and then the White House, maybe he’ll be able to change the names of a few more United States post offices. Am I being too harsh in my assessment of the situation? Well, yeah, I suppose I am. My friends insist that Bernie’s coattails will be long, that all the legislative seats will be won by Democrats this time. We can only hope— but I won’t hold my breath.
Look, Bernie is intelligent and a caring, patriotic American—that is why he is a Socialist. For the same reasons, I too am an avowed Socialist. But I am also a pragmatist. Bernie has made promises I think he knows he cannot keep if he is elected president. Hillary Clinton has been very careful : what she has promised to do as president are doable.