Why is That Man Afraid of Mice? Because His Father Was a Rat. Lessons From Brexit

                   

Now that Brexit is an unfortunate reality, what does this mean for our Presidential

election or we may face an unexpected and undesirable election result.

If the election is held between establishment Hillary Clinton and the loathsome Donald Trump, It could mean that perceived outsider Trump, rat that he is, could win.  The British vote was forced in part by extreme right and left wing bigots who wanted to keep immigrants out.  The unexpected voter result illustrates the disgust people have in uncaring ineffective same old baloney politicians.  It was a revolt against establishment elitists, so that other rat, Hillary Clinton, ought to take heed.  In her hubris, she will not.  The Democrats resist waking up and nominating Bernie, the one candidate who can beat Trump. To those who voted for Brexit for financial considerations,  the effects have echoed in a major way spilling over to other economies in our multinational world.  So far, it has not been favorable for anyone.

Trump was in Scotland inspecting a Trump golf course when the Brexit vote occurred.  True to form, Trump praised the vote and praised Scotland for getting out of the European Union.  Ironically, Scotland voted in favor of remaining in the EU and is now looking for a way to stay in without the rest of Great Britain.  Once again the self proclaimed Smart Guy had his facts wrong.

How, you ask, does all that relate to the Presidential election?  It may foreshadow the outcome if Trump runs against Clinton.  The Brexit vote illustrates how an extreme minority can shake things up in a civilized nation.   People are sick and tired of the status quo and are looking for an outside the box candidate.  That would be Trump who belongs in a box.  

This is where Bernie comes in.  Although he has served it the Congress and Senate for twenty-five years, he is thought of as an outsider for his Progressive views and policies.  The people have had enough of the status quo i.e.:  Hillary Clinton.  Bernie, like Trump, represents significant change, not incremental.  The status quo has left us broke and with the most expensive health care on earth.  Millions are uninsured or under insured.  We are one of the most militant countries in the world when we cannot afford to fix our own infrastructure.  And by the way it fuels the fires of religious extremism and threatens homeland security.  Only Bernie is prepared to take on the urgent challenge of climate change. The status quo has left millions of students harnessed by the reins of massive debt and often little use for their degrees in terms of good jobs.  Why do we have to put our young people with the initiative and ability to get a higher education behind the eight ball?  The status quo and incremental change are getting us nowhere and the gap between rich and poor grows every day. 

Why do we have poverty and homelessness in the wealthiest country in the world?

It is clear people are frustrated and feel left out of the process.  Trump has appeal to those people.  So does Bernie.  Trump does it with hate and inciting anger and racism.  According to him it is the fault of Mexicans, not billionaires that our economy has left out the average worker according to Donald.  The difference in candidates is that Bernie appeals with love and good will.  He has presented viable plans for single payer health care, a fifteen buck minimum wage, a peaceful diplomatic shift in foreign policy while maintaining a strong national defense.  Only Bernie is prepared to take on the compelling threat of fighting climate change.  Clearly, Bernie satisfies the need for structural change in a positive way.  Trump rubs salt in the wounds of working class people by stoking the fires of racism with false American values. 

Clinton will not satisfy voters.  She offers nothing but perhaps a more militant America.  At least Obama tried to stop the billionaire onslaught while Clinton is the billionaire's best booster.  Conditions under Clinton are bound to become worse.

The Democrats need to nominate Bernie.   He has all the ingredients to mount a winning campaign against Trump.  Bernie offers change but in a positive and honest way.  Trump is a liar; Bernie is honest and positive even when going negative would help his candidacy.

People want change and want it in a hurry.  If Bernie does not run, they may vote for Trump in larger numbers than we expect.  That is the lesson of Brexit.  The British did not expect it to pass.  We do not expect Trump to be elected President.   We should not be so sure of ourselves.

We need Bernie to run, if not as a Democrat than as a Green or Independent.  We cannot allow hate and fear of Trump to leave us with the two most unpopular candidates in modern history.   Bernie offers the hope for transition and correction.  He is clearly the only candidate who is trusted and has positive approval ratings.  Moreover he offers a life with dignity and a revival of the middle class.  Neither billionaire bund cares crumb about regular people though they pretend they do.

Bernie can win and spare us the nightmare of Trump and the drag on misery of Clinton.  He is the outsider with old and new ideas stemming from Franklin Roosevelt’s economic bill or rights as set forth in 1944.  To that he adds the case for urgent action on Climate Change.  Our lives and the lives of our descendents literally depend on it.

I implore us:  do the right thing and vote Bernie Sanders.  Even a write in will advocate for our cause if that is the best we can do.  The important takeaway from all this palaver is that Bernie can win if we continue to campaign as we have been.

Stay steady, Bernie or Bust is the way.  Vote your heart, not your fear.