We went for McGovern in 72 and got Nixon. McGovern was labeled left wing. I voted for him of course, but I knew he wouldn’t beat Nixon. It wasn’t even close (60% for Nixon). So we ended up with Watergate and a prolonged Vietnam War. Remember all those idealists who voted for Nader? We got George W. Bush and the Iraq war.
I was really depressed today to see a surge for Bernie Sanders in Iowa and New Hampshire. Is it going to be one of those elections… where we get Darth Vader because Democrats are too idealistic and not realistic? If we get Darth Vader this time, it could well be the end of the world, with Republicans sweeping all three slots: the House, the Senate, and the White House. No matter if it is Trump or Cruz even, the people in this country will vote against Bernie in the general election.
Bernie is a great guy. I agree with most of what he says. I will never support him. He won’t win the general election for one reason: he is a socialist. I’m a socialist probably, but I know that most people in America will not vote for someone who has had socialist next to their name. It just won’t happen.
So remember McGovern and Nader when you head to caucus or the primary vote, take the broader view and think of the future of this planet. And yes, there is no magic wand to make all Bernie’s promises come true. That has to start from the bottom in all the other elections below President. It will take a lot of work. The President is not King, and until the balance of power in Congress changes very dramatically, Bernie could never do a thing (he will never win anyway). But if you want to believe in magic, go ahead and vote for Bernie and make disaster happen. We will lose so much more than an election. We are running out of time.