Once again... let us dare to believe in hope and change! For Bernie!
A recent New York Times article indicates that (allegedly) President Obama, in a private meeting, urged political donors to fall in line behind the Presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton. While he acknowledged that many do not consider her to be authentic, he argued that many DID consider Bush to be (suggesting that perceived authenticity is irrelevant). For those curious, the article is here: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/18/us/politics/obama-hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders.html?_r=2
That said, it is hard to trust anything being reported by the New York Times these days - they are not the organization of integrity that they once were, as recent events have demonstrated. Further... my rebuttal:
Mr. Obama, I believed you were a very authentic man when I supported your campaign in 2008 (and continued to support you in 2012) against the advice and opinions of pretty much my whole (immediate) family, and many, many other democrats I had known and respected for many years. I voted for you Sir, for several reasons. You did not support the IWR. You were a decent human being who worked hard to get people desperately needed health insurance. You were (and are) a great speaker, with what, in any sane Country, would be broad appeal. In any sane Country, your diplomatic, generally inoffensive nature... should have appealed to even political opponents to such an extent that they would sit and work with you.
Ultimately Sir, we failed to accomplish many of the goals you intended from the start. In large part, this is because of the hate-filled ignorance, racism, bigotry, misogyny, cruelty, and malice of the hard right... today's republican party is not that of Reagan, Nixon, Eisenhower... it's extreme elements (the tea party, birthers, etc.) do not resemble anything remotely reasonable or sane. What is frightening about this current election, Sir, is that the front runner on the other side is bringing all of the most despicable, most hateful elements in this Country out into the field.
Clinton, to some degree, reminds me much of you - with a few exceptions. One is that she, frankly, lacks your authenticity. Another is that she willingly campaigns for funds from some of the most despicable human beings and special interest groups on earth - on earth -. Her support for the IWR, for fracking, for the Patriot Act, and other policies and things that I find... frankly, unbelievable in the regard that any democrat, moderate or otherwise, would support them.
I wasn't thrilled with your administration, Mr. President, I believe you made some very bad choices - but I also think you made a number of good ones. In the race between you and Clinton, you were the outsider, the underdog, the man who I believed most closely represented my own principles. Indeed, my faith in you was so strong at one point that I was convinced we would really... truly have... health insurance for every American. The failure of this is not entirely your fault, nonetheless Sir... it is a failure - as my aching, damaged back can attest to... the fact that I have no health insurance, that I am (at least temporarily) disabled, that I have precious few options and none of them look good. I believed in you, Sir, in what you could do as President. I still believe you are a decent human being who tried his best.
I do not believe in Hillary Clinton. Many speak of Sanders in suggesting that he has forced her positions, her policies to the left... I would ask all of you... "Why were they not there to begin with?" In one who claims to be a progressive, how is it that she is often consistently against progressive policies and principles? In one who once supported health insurance for every American - how is it that when a fellow candidate suggests the same, he is mocked by her campaign as a one issue candidate... as a con artist promising everybody "free stuff"?
If we compare the history, in particular... the political history of Clinton and Sanders... I believe that most democrats and nearly all progressives will find their own views and desires far more in line with Mr. Sanders. I do find it very difficult to believe what Clinton has to say - in your case, I believed you would ATTEMPT to keep your campaign promises, in the case of Clinton... I have no such faith.
Perhaps I am wrong, perhaps Clinton will prove to be a better candidate and perhaps - if she wins - a better President than I believed possible. On the other hand, perhaps she will prove to be even worse.
We are sick and tired of the rule of the 1%. We, the 99% are sick and tired of the class warfare being successfully waged against us by the wealthy elite. We are tired of having no health insurance, of being buried in debt for the basic current economic necessities of higher education and healthcare. We are tired of the for profit prison industry, of the military industrial complex, of Monsanto, of many despicable special interest groups and others... and beyond being tired of it, we are now getting angry.
Should the nomination be decided, Mr. President, should Clinton win it beyond question, then and only then will I support her campaign. Until then, I will continue to contribute my faith, my pathetic little money, and my full support to the one person running for President who I believe is authentic, who I believe will at least TRY to keep their word.
You were once yourself, not an establishment candidate, Sir. I had high hopes for you, but sadly, your diplomacy is not what is needed in this political era. What we need, is a fire breathing, angry, liberal dragon... who speaks the truth, condemns the despicable elements of the hard right and falsehoods, corruption, bribes, and outright lies... at every turn. Someone who has spent his life and his political career fighting for "the least of these" and the most of us.
I am no longer looking to be reasonable with people that hold me in contempt or betray their proclaimed principles and policies. I am looking to make a difference. Again, I am daring, for hope and change. In other words, Mr. President... in famous words... YES. WE. CAN.
That's all I have to say about that.
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