Three Old Men
So it’s come down to one of this group of three leading our republic for the next four years, if they can keep breathing that long. Seems sad somehow. Not that we’ve ever been the Great Nation the government public relations people claim, but we seem to have reached a new low in our ‘democracy’.
Trump, Biden and Sanders. Clearly old, clearly white, clearly men. At least one is a sociopath, caring for nothing beyond himself, he’s clearly unable to see beyond his own interests, even in the midst of a pandemic.
Another has been a darling of the neoliberal establishment for his entire political life. He’s been there for Wall Street and the war machine time and time again. He’s been accused of unwanted physical contact, and now stories of rape. Many think he now suffers from cognitive decline.
The third old man is also flawed. He seeks the endorsement of a party he doesn’t belong to. He used to support guns freely. He’s sometimes adamant with his unwillingness to compromise. He doesn’t ‘play ball’. Still, he understands something the other two do not. We need a revolution.
The COVID-19 virus has altered our reality with a quickness. So much is suddenly gone. Freedom of movement, jobs, congregating, sports, and so much more that is just coming into focus. A reset. Even at this early stage of coronavirus, we implicitly know things will never be the same.
One of the things that’s been thrown into turmoil is the US nominating primaries. This year the biggie has been Bernie Sanders vs Joe Biden, but there are thousands of other primary battles. In this environment, some argue that Sanders should concede. Many of us argue that that is exactly backwards.
Let’s review. We had months with Joe Biden as the leading contender. Then the debates happened. And so last fall, as people started paying more attention, Elizabeth Warren had some momentum. When we finally got to the Iowa primary, it was a clusterfuck. Bad systems in place, failures in processing, results not matching exit polls, and it was a virtual tie with Sanders and Buttigieg. Some of us saw the clear shenanigans of the elite behind all this.
Then, for a brief moment in time, Bernie was the clear front runner. He’d won New Hampshire and Nevada. And those same elitists freaked out. A sudden swirl of events took place to revive the Biden campaign, who’s best placement to date had been a distant third. An impassioned speech by Jim Clyburn, the sudden dropping out and endorsement of Klobachar and Buttigieg.Then Super Tuesday, and an amazing result! The country had unified behind Biden – even with major voting irregularities and results not matching exit polls. The bastards did it again.
The next week, the Second Super Tuesday, Biden again scored big. And in the third, March 17, had primaries in Arizona, Florida and Illinois. Ohio’s primary was scheduled for the same date, but Republican Governor Mike Dewine cancelled the election due to coronavirus concerns.
Again, Joe Biden had a big day. And again, the results were suspect, for a number of reasons. Some polling places didn’t have staff, some didn’t have ballots, some had three hours or longer waits, often in crowded rooms. Coronavirus be damned, we’re having an election. There are already known cases as a result of those state’s decision to go ahead with their elections. Stinky.
Now, as of April the fool’s day, everything is in flux.
Old man #1 sees this whole pandemic and resulting depression as a photo opp. Great ratings as he moves from ‘this Chinese virus is under control’ to ‘if we only lose 100,000 people that’s a great job’. He has abused the office since day one. His work isn’t a great job. It’s a disaster as great as the virus itself.
Old man #2 has gone quiet, just now coming out with a Trump ad, and remarks about not debating Bernie this month. He just doubled down on the ‘it’s not the time for Medicare for All’ a davastatng blow to millions of un and under insured – sadly. Joe Biden seems unqualified and unable and unup to this moment. The deadly secret is that neoliberal democrats know Joe is weak, but they would rather see four more years of Trump than our revolution. Joe’s enthusiasm level among voters ranks even lower that Hillary’s was in 2016.
Old man #3 is our only hope for this election cycle. Bernie begins with ‘Us, not me.” Sound ground. And he goes on to define the scope and scale of what is needed in this time of crisis. Medicare for All, a Green New Deal, infrastructure projects, wiping out student debt and reforming the prison system. There’s more…
Yet to me the most important thing Bernie brings is his integrity and consistency. They go together. I’m not suggesting impeccable, but highly credible, and this in the age of McConnell and Trump. Again connected, Bernie speaks of love and compassion, the need for help for a citizenry that’s been under siege for a generation.
We have 3 1/2 months until the Democratic Convention in Milwaukee. Who knows what kind of shape our collective healthy and our country will be in by then. Hopefully we have a clearer sense of which old man is our best hope.
We are moving forward into a new reality whether we like it or not. The question is, are we going to let corporations and nation states continue to rule our lives, or shall we rise up and restore ourselves and our planet, a healing such as this civilization has never known?
A new future awaits. Do we meet it ass on, old systems intact, or head first, into a bright new life.
