The #NotMeUs Revolution — Bernie Sanders for President
In 2016, I supported Bernie Sanders in the Democratic Primaries.
He made me dream.
Just like millions of other young and less young people, he showed us everything was not lost. He proved that the real left was still alive. That there was still hope in our political system. That maybe not all our politicians were corrupt and that some of them were still fighting for the People, not for money, PACs and businesses.
He inspired us all and led the way to the Revolution currently happening with the election of more and more young progressive new Democrats to the House. Without Bernie, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez would probably never have been elected and a lot of the newcomers running in the 2020 Elections would not have stepped into politics. He made AOC defeating Joseph Crowley possible. He made it possible for Joshua Collins, Jen Perelman, Rachel Ventura, CJ Berina, Jason Call, Nathaniel Mulcahy and so many others to run for the House.
In a time where we have in the White House the least trustworthy President ever, when the Russians are actively trying to get him re-elected, when more than 40 million Americans live in poverty and all of us are threatened by the Climate Crisis, it is more important than ever to be able to trust someone for the most important job in the world.
And I trust Bernie Sanders.
His record speaks for itself: Bernie never stopped fighting for those in need. He never stopped fighting for a better future. He never stopped believing in the ability of everyday people to change the world.
This post is about endorsing Bernie Sanders and convincing you to vote for him. Let me then just remind you that the man who today is Bernie’s opponent, Joe Biden, gets an F- rating about climate plans given by the Sunrise Movement while Bernie gets an A-. In 1996 as a Senator, Biden voted for the Defense of Marriage Act, defining marriage as between a man and a woman. He supported the Iraq War, tough laws on drugs and he criticized public school busing. I don’t trust him. I don’t want Biden to be the next most powerful person on planet Earth.
I have always said that we do not win an election by proposing the same things as our opponent. Joe Biden said he could pick a Republican Vice President. Is that how you defeat Trump? Look at the President’s ratings in the Republican Party, do you really believe enough of them will switch just because you propose the same things? No, they will just say “oh Biden = Trump so I’m voting to re-elect Trump that’s safer”. This is the truth. Joe Biden loses to Donald Trump. Just like Kerry lost to Bush and Clinton lost to Trump.
I strongly believe Bernie is the only one who can beat Donald Trump because he has a movement. Trump won because he talked to the People, about their concerns. He built his campaign on the ones who feel abandoned by Washington DC. And a lot of people who never voted before showed up on Election Day to cast a Trump ballot.
The comparison between Trump and Sanders obviously ends here as we all know Trump never kept his promises to the working class (Bernie will!). But to win this election, you can get all the money you want (shoutout to Bloomberg who spent half a billion in three months to get nothing), it’s useless. Money buys ads and trolls, not voters (except if you’re the DNC and you hack voting machines but I’m assuming you’re not the DNC). The only things that can elect you today are Russian support (please no joke here, I know the Democratic establishment is using that to discredit Bernie, it’s not funny) or a massive movement. Bernie has this movement. Just talk with a few of his campaign supporters and you’ll see. No other candidates (especially not Biden) has millions of people everywhere in the country willing to spend their days off out knocking on doors to get him elected. He has overwhelming support among young people like me who feel like someone is finally listening to them. Bernie has been able to create this movement because he is -and has always been- fighting for the people, not for the billionaires, not for Wall Street’s bankers and lawyers, not for the fossil fuel industry.
While Biden’s campaign is about HIM, Bernie’s is about all of us. This movement is not built on one politician running for President. It is built on millions of individuals pushing him to become their chosen representative.
Finally, let’s just repeat Naomi Klein’s words here: “our planet may not be able to take 4 more years of Trump and leave us with a chance at a habitable future. However, it also can’t afford a return to the Obama era one-step-forward-two-steps-back”.
I want a future. Please. Neither Trump nor Biden.
Join the #NotMeUs Revolution.
Clement
