At first, the corporate media and the political establishment laughed at Bernie. They called him a protest candidate. Sure, he might be popular at the moment, but he's just a flash in the pan. In the meantime, at least he gives Hillary Clinton a Democratic opponent to campaign against so she won't be totally unprepared for the general election.
Oh how things have changed.
Since February, Bernie has won nine state primaries and caucuses, many of which he won in a landslide behind record turnout (Colorado, Kansas and Maine). He's also raised more than $40 million last month alone, which means he has plenty of money to mount a strong campaign that can go the distance.
Now, with his incredible upset victory in Michigan, Bernie has proven that no matter how hard the pundits try to spin it, the race is far from over. This isn't a protest campaign. It's a people's movement. And its growing stronger each day.
For nearly 50 years, Bernie has been preaching the same exact message, yet no one listened. As a young activist in Chicago, he got arrested for protesting against segregated schools. As a mayor, he revitalized Burlington through New Deal-style improvements that benefited the community, not the super-rich. As a member of the House, he took on homophobic colleagues and fought against disastrous trade deals, the de-regulation of Wall Street and the Iraq War. As a Senator, he has taken on climate deniers, income inequality and a corrupt campaign finance system.
In almost every case, Bernie did so without fanfare, without any notoriety. He didn't do these things because they were popular. Or because it would score him political points or make him famous or earn him money. He did it because it was the right thing to do. Period.
Now, all of a sudden, millions of Americans are listening to Bernie's message. And they're loving what they hear.
Bernie is succeeding because he is tailor-made for the times. It's almost as if the moment was pre-ordained for Bernie, like some divine power told him to bide his time and continue toiling in obscurity, with the promise that one day, far in the future, his message would eventually break through.
That time is now.
Bernie's message isn't just resonating, it's dominating and transforming our political discourse. We have the energy and the momentum, but we can't rest on our laurels. Everyday that Bernie grows stronger, Wall Street and corporate America funnel millions more into Hillary's Super Pac to stop him. The assault will only get more intense the more Bernie succeeds.
To combat this onslaught, we need all hands on deck.
Iraq War Vet and Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has stepped up to the plate in a big way, campaigning hard for Bernie at deafening rallies all across the country. Other vocal supporters include Congressmen Keith Ellison of Minnesota and Raul Grijalva of Arizona, along with Robert Reich and celebrities Mark Ruffalo, Spike Lee and Sarah Silverman.
With a wide variety of progressives uniting behind Bernie, many supporters are left to wonder: Where is Elizabeth Warren?
As much as this moment is made for Bernie, it's made for Warren as well.
While Bernie has been preaching the same message for a half century with very little notoriety, Warren popularized the message on a mass scale just a few short years ago. Seemingly overnight, she went from an unknown college professor to a liberal rock star thanks to her stinging critique of Wall Street in the wake of the 2008 financial collapse.
In many ways, Bernie and Warren are two sides of the same political coin. They both preach progressive populism. They both know that the game is rigged. They are both vehemently anti-Wall Street and want to break up the big banks. Their entire careers have been built on fighting for the the regular, average American, doing everything they can to tip the scale back in favor of the 99%, away from the rich and powerful.
As a result, it makes perfect sense for Warren to team up with Bernie at this crucial point in time. Simply put, she is the Robin to his Batman. By combining forces, they can rid Gotham of the oligarchic villains that have hijacked our democracy.
Yet, for whatever reason, Warren is reluctant to endorse Bernie. She has stayed on the sidelines for the entire campaign, choosing not to add her powerful voice to the passionate debate among Democrats over which candidate has a better vision for the country.
Some argue that since Warren is the only female Senator not to endorse Hillary, that equates to a tacit endorsement of Bernie. Others believe that her reluctance to endorse Bernie means that she secretly supports Hillary. Or maybe she is just being politically savvy by not endorsing either candidate.
Whatever the case may be, one fact cannot be argued: Warren has enormous influence, and she is forfeiting that influence by remaining silent. She is leaving her progressive comrades in the lurch at a time when they need her the most.
The battle lines have been drawn. Progressives all across the country are energized in a way they haven't been in generations. From coast to coast, they are standing up to say enough is enough, it's time our democracy works for everyone, not just the rich and powerful. Warren should be leading the battle alongside Bernie, but instead she is nowhere to be found.
This could be the last stand for the middle class. Either we reclaim our democracy from the plutocrats now or we lose it forever.
It's time to stop playing politics. It's time to get off the sideline. The Revolution is underway and we need all hands on deck.
It's time for Elizabeth Warren, the biggest rock star on the left, to put down her pen and pick up her sword.
My thought is that Bernie's job is to win the presidency and start the revolution and Warren's job is to support the election of progressive senators so that when he is president he can pass bills in Congress. Because Congress is so firmly establishment, if she came out openly for Bernie now she might not have the clout to draw support for the progressive candidates she is trying to help. She has clearly spoken of her support for much of his platform.
ReplyDeleteI also wonder whether she is holding her thunder until right before the biggest electoral prize, California, to ensure that he wins that by landslide.
Given how honorable she is, I give her the benefit of the doubt and trust her judgment on timing.