Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton both focused on widening inequality at yesterday’s Democratic National Committee’s summer gathering, but Bernie also talked about a political movement. “Democrats will not retain the White House, will not regain the Senate, will not gain the House and will not be successful in dozens of governor’s races unless we run a campaign which generates excitement and momentum and which produces a huge voter turnout,” he said.
Bernie is right – but his point goes far beyond the Democratic Party. There is no way to reverse widening inequality, stagnant wages, the persistence of poverty, and unequal opportunity in America without a political movement to overcome the moneyed interests that have taken over our democracy. Good policy ideas are irrelevant without a public that’s mobilized, organized, and energized enough to make them happen.
In the campaign of 1936, a voter approached Franklin D. Roosevelt, saying she’d vote for him if he did several things in his second term she wanted done. “I’d like to do every one of those,” he said, “but if I'm elected, you must make me.” In other words, he couldn’t do them by himself even if elected president. He needed her and millions like her to push him and Congress to do it. I’ve worked for three presidents and viewed several others close up. Campaign promises are meaningless. The only way good things happen in Washington is if good people outside Washington force them to happen. This is truer now than ever.
Bernie’s campaign is important not just for what Bernie is saying must be done, but for the movement he is mobilizing.
The TRUTH will set you FREE.
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