He’s not going to win any beauty contests.
He’s not going to compete on America’s got Talent.
He doesn’t dance.
But he doesn’t need any of that.
Why?
Because he’s the only one left presenting Medicare for All, eliminating student debt, and so on, and so on.
Issues matter. Ideals matter.
Any one of the candidates could rapidly defeat Bernie Sanders very easily.
How?
By making better proposals for the same issues.
Full single-payer healthcare, corporate death penalty, and further principles to rebalance society closer to the rest of the world’s best policies. There’s a variety — but they all add up.
But they’re not doing that — so Sanders is the best of what’s left.
Not that I expect he'll instantly be able to do the stuff he proposes — no one expects that — but he’s representing the ideals at the negotiating table the way none of the rest will — they’re pre-compromising right in their campaign platform. He’s standing at the table for what I care about.
I’m not planning on voting for Bernie Sanders — I’m planning on voting for the issues I care about, which means Bernie Sanders is what I’m left with.
So fine — Dislike his supporters, dislike him for being old, or sometimes seeming grumpy — he’s guilty on all counts.
But understand why he’s increasing in popularity outside of Daily Kos (and a little inside) — he’s riding some VERY important ideals, the same ones he’s worked behind for decades, and THOSE are what’s important, not Bernie Sanders himself.
Thank you for reading.