My view: Bernie's impact matters more than anyone else's.

[JudyM]

(This is a Sanders Group post)

When we look at where we are today it is worth a look at the recent past.

I volunteered hardcore for Bernie last time around for 3 main reasons: his unabashed up-front challenge to the blithe (though unspoken) acceptance by candidates of ownership by big-money donors, his focus on the serious systemic societal imbalances caused by that unethical finance system, and his apparent continuous superiority in just about all polls at that time as against every rethug candidate, including, ultimately, tRump. And to me, his lifelong career passion to make the system work for the people is so authentic. I would’ve loved to have a woman president, but policies matter far more to me than gender.

His unapologetic espousing of socially-enhancing ideals sparked public discourse and inspired by far the biggest wholesale shift in public opinion I’ve seen in my lifetime. The Democratic Party establishment took notice of this public leverage and shifted its platform to the left.

These shifts in party positioning and public sentiment have both allowed and, importantly, inspired, a massive sprouting of candidates standing up for many of these principles, responsible for our regaining political strength in various locales around the country. And now a crop of candidates for President who are running on fairly progressive platforms. I love Liz Warren and am impressed by a couple of the others but I most of all credit Bernie with changing the very foundation of our national dialogue in such a fundamental way that Warren and others are emboldened to step into the spotlight with their platforms.

Whatever happens this time around, Bernie’s legacy is cemented in this changed discourse, inspiration to public service and the heightened political awareness & engagement of young voters and the lasting effects all this will have on our democracy going forward. And despite the seriously obsessive criticism of some, his contributions to our society are a huge deal.

[Donkees]

1. Intrepid Bernie, Mensch President