Hillary Clinton just indicated that she will not take a position on the Keystone Pipeline until she is a "candidate". This translates to me that I might be voting for a candidate that supports positions (along with my position against Keystone) I vehemently disagree with just to vote for the lesser of the two evils.
The point I have decided to push is that we need a bumper sticker, a lawn sign, a t-shirt that says "I support the values and positions of Bernie Sanders" or something with even more zip...the strategy here is that when (not if) the Koch brothers and/or a Karl Rove type create the moment to take Bernie down, we need to have a movement (as Bernie is stating) that is beyond Bernie. We need to have the power to push/force Corporate Hillary (and other corporate Democrats) or even (I hate to think of it) a Republican President/Congress to support progressive values in government policy.
As much as I love Bernie...as Bernie states...its not about a person...its about a movement! Hillary is also likely to win just because of a bulk of Americans don't understand that the rise of the middle class in the fifties and sixties was about the results of the a progressive movement, which in turn created the New Deal, which in turn created Johnson's War on poverty, which in turn created a further expansion of better lives for millions of Americans. Movements create organic lasting change--for good or for ill--look at the decades of work that created the results of the conservative movement that we are suffering with today.
Now I will provide an important admission: the fifties and sixties were very far from perfect as they discriminated against just about everybody except for whites-- especially white men. The resulting progressive legislation also had many flaws. But I contend that is no reason to throw it all out. Laws and our governing bodies are living organisms that need to be cared for, fed, and carefully updated/corrected as we discover their flaws and new needs. Just because we have a defective heart or liver, we don't cut them out..we work to repair and improve them.
Therefore, we need to work to rebuild, expand, and improve the agencies and laws that have created the backbone of the progressive era, the New Deal, and the War on Poverty. As I write this diary, the defects of agencies like Social Security, Medicare, and the VA are being used against us as an excuse to hack them up and dispose of them. In fact, I believe they are working to dismantle the VA healthcare system in a similar manner that they have almost completely dismantled the public school system. I have to admit, I have the advantage of experiencing--through my partner--some of the best health care in the nation right at the VA Hospital in Portland Oregon. However, I do not see a clear path forward that protects the good work that the VA is doing, as plans are executed to correct and expand the points of deficiency. The answer to the VA problem that seems loud and clear: increase access with private health care.
This may be a controversial piece of my thoughts coming up...
I believe there were forces at work that took down Howard Dean, Eliot Spitzer, Gray Davis, Van Jones, even my governor Kitzhaber (and many more I choose not to list).
They are working on Planned Parenthood as we speak. The killing of ACORN was a surprise for me but I am learning to not be surprised more than once (and can't afford to be).
Think I am a conspiracy theorist? Watch "Ethos"...listen to/read Thom Hartmann. Both of these sources are anchored in historical and academic references. As Ethos indicates, conspiracy is not out of the realm of possibility for some of what is going on today.
We just learned that Governor Brownbach's re-election in Kansas has much evidence of voting machine tampering/hacking. Another conspiracy?
I understand that some conspiracies are not credible or real. However, if we do not thoughtfully check them along the way, we simply contribute to the heat being turned up another small notch as we collectively sit in the cauldron of what we call the United States.
Many people I talk to feel powerless. In the past, I have trusted government to provide for the common need and to support a civilized society. I now feel that we need to rebuild/repair some of the good that was created in the first half of the twentieth century. I believe--at this point--we can only do this at the grass roots: in the community. We need to, as WCTU's president Willard advocated, "Do Everything." Its not just about donating money to the right cause, its working neighbor to neighbor, creating another "Freedom Summer" as we go to unfamiliar places with our Bernie message. People learn to understand and commit to ideas and projects with community involvement and people to people connections.
The movies that turned my head a few years back are MATEWAN, and a small historic documentary "Salt of the Earth." Especially in "Salt" one sees that creating a union and fair and safe working conditions became a single focus of the families in this film.
Baby boomers: it is our responsibility to figure out how to pass on the knowledge of the progressives and the New Deal that created our privileged lives. We have had our fun and we (at least some of us--including me) thought it was mostly fixed and that we could move forward enjoying the rewards along the way. As can be seen by the systematic dismantling of the public school system and social safety net and even Roe V Wade, NOTHING IS FIXED.
Just like the farmers that have to always be ready to fend off predators devastating their harvest (plants and animals) we too have to always be ready to fend off the enemies that systematically eat away at progressive movement/New Deal government agencies and policies--ones that support--along with many more progressive values in our modern era: the "Four Freedoms," which include Freedom of speech, Freedom of worship, Freedom from want, Freedom from fear.
As one might note the Four Freedoms can be interpreted by a conservative lens or a liberal/progressive lens. If we are to guide/shape our country for the seventh generation...then...
Baby boomers: its time to repair our neglect and the resulting damage of the last 45 years. We have had our fun that our progressive ancestors provided us --including myself. We must leave the golf courses, football games, and sitcoms behind. For my part, I have left a beloved job that was too buried in the ills of the system and therefore constrained my efforts to make a difference. Moving forward with my life, I am inspired by the words of Barbara Boxer as she announced her retirement from the Senate, "I'm going to continue working on the issues that I love," Boxer said. She indicated that she was only leaving the senate at this point and that she planned to continue her public work for the rest of her life. I too plan to continue some kind of work to make a positive difference that supports a better life for the 99%.
Its going to take a full throttle effort just as in "Salt of the Earth" to turn this ship called the "US government" around. Baby Boomers: we need to start now.
Gen X, Gen Y ers: Seek out/encourage Baby boomers to help you understand their academic and "life experiences" knowledge of the New Deal and the War on Poverty. Watch the films I have suggested: MATWAN, SALT OF THE EARTH, ETHOS. Read/listen to Thom Hartmann--the ultimate Baby Boomer that exposes/creates contextual historical vignettes, which will increase your understanding of the Progressive era, The New Deal, and Johnson's War on Poverty.
All: Some of us Baby boomers may not be able to physically put our bodies on the line of this effort, but as elders we can provide thoughtful wisdom/energy and support of the new movement that must happen. Alain de Botton pointed out in his interview for the book, "Religion for Atheists," churches give us a strong model for how to collectively create powerful institutions that motivate their followers. Hence, as religious followers continuously turn to the scriptures of their faith for renewed understanding and commitment to their beliefs; so, we the Baby boomers need to provide a constant source of knowledge, encouragement, and support for this necessary 21st century progressive movement.
Bernie has created a model and started the relay...and is ready to pass the torch...now let the rest of us be ready to grab that torch and make this movement take off!
Let's make them (our government at all levels) create the change we need..."Let's make them do it!"