Let's just get this out of the way! If Bernie Sanders is the Democratic nominee for president in November, I will support him both with my vote and financially.
That being said, I don't think that will be happening. I hope not.
In 2008 I made a tough choice and decided not to caucus for Hillary Clinton and gave my support to Barack Obama when I lived in Washington. It was a tough choice because I knew both of them would make an excellent presidents. I feel I have been correct in my choice aside from a few disagreements in policy (education and his terrible education secretary specifically), I think Barack Obama has been an excellent president. The history books will be kind to his presidency and not so much to the racists who disrespected him and the do nothing obstructionist Congress he had to deal with during much of his presidency However, had Hillary won in 2008 I believe she also would've had a successful presidency. In 2008 we were lucky to have at least two strong choices for President of the United States.
2008 is NOT 2016. I'm not feeling the Bern.
The thing is I've known about and have liked Bernie Sanders for many years (which is more than I can say for some of his obnoxious followers) I used to listen to a liberal radio station called Air America. Every Friday, host Ed Schultz would host a chat with Bernie Sanders about current issues. Bernie Sanders is a smart, caring man. Bernie Sanders has a lot of great ideas. I am glad Bernie Sanders is running for president because he brings in conversations to the race that otherwise might not be happening. But I don't think Bernie Sanders would make a good president.
As I said Bernie Sanders has great ideas. However, I am not convinced that he can bring many of his ideas to fruition. To me Bernie Sanders is a bit like that friend you may have had in high school or college who smoked a lot of weed. When he smoked, he would pontificatr about these great ideas he had to change the world, but then when the buzz wore off he needed a nap and sometimes forgot he even had the ideas. The revolution was over!
That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but I am not convinced that Bernie can make any of his ideas happen if he is president. President Obama has brought far less radical ideas to an obstructionist Congress and had them shot down. Now granted I believe there is a lot of underlying racism as to why this Congress has behaved toward Obama as they have, but there is no way Congress is going to let any of Sander's ideas fly. No way. Not one. I also don't think he has the leadership skills or charisma to negotiate with them to accomplish anything.
Out of all of the candidates both Republican and Democrat who are still running for President only one has the skills and understanding of the U.S. political system to get things done and that person is Hillary Rodham Clinton. I think she will be President, and if she is elected she will be an excellent President. She will take on the strong legacy that President Obama will leave her and continue to make it grow. She will be a much better president for public school teachers and students than even President Obama was. I trust that she will work hard to accomplish the things she believes in.
I believe that after the caucuses in Nevada and the primaries in South Carolina Bernie Sanders, a great man, is running on borrowed time. When I vote in the Massachusetts primary on Tuesday for Hillary Clinton, I hope my vote brings the Sanders candidacy one vote closer to its end so that Hillary Clinton can start running for President against the person she really needs to be running against, the Republican candidate for the President of the United States and for the future of our country.
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