Summer Sadness Speculatron: Saturday Political Soap Box 135

One of the few bright spots of this summer political season is the continuing emergence of Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren as a major political figure.  No one has battled the dark side of the most dangerous politician of modern times, Donald Trump.  No, Bernie fans, she is not  a traitor.  She is the bridge to the future.  Bernie showed us the way.  She will lead us across.

I'm a Christian.  I'm not saying this to brag.  I'm saying this as a point of explanation.  As a Christian, one of my most deeply held beliefs is that our purpose is to be the hands and feet of Christ, and that is to do what we can to live the clarion call of the Lord's prayer, to bring the Kingdom of Heaven closer to Earth.  And that is accomplished not by the anger of forced conversion, proselytizing fear, or setting up walls and barriers to keep people out.  It is done through love, understanding, tolerance - by reaching to help your fellow man, and make this a more decent world for all.  Christians are not the only ones who believe versions of this -  many other faiths and secularists believe in working towards a better world as well. 

It's hard to look out at the present political landscape and see that on the horizon.  The summer looks like a bleak contest, between two candidates with high unfavorables, and the promise of the most negative tone in the history of our elections (which is saying A LOT!).  Clinton may break faith with progressive and run the country with corporations and the wealthy still tightly in control, and she is far too militaristic for my tastes.  This scares me a bit as my youngest son will become of draft age during her first term.  On the other hand, putting the nation in the hands of the impulsive fascist con man is the death knell of the American vision.  Everything that I love about America will be lost.  Is Trump a NAZI?  No, he's too erratic to be called that, but he is an authoritarian who has no respect for anybody but himself, and is willing to use rhetoric that does match up closely with NAZI tendencies.  Calling people based on nationality rapists and murderers?  Building a mammoth wall that will cost a fortune and have no practical effect except to denote America as a selfish, bigoted force?  Desiring to deport millions?  Endorsing the murder of terrorist families?  Encouraging the most vile forms of torture?  Wanting to ban people on the basis of religion, desiring to identify them and surveil their places of worship?  What else am I supposed to call all that but fascistic NAZI like appeals?

The great political movement of our time, Bernie Sander's run, has been presumably been squashed.  Hillary and her people may decide to make only the most vague appeals to Bernie, while actually tromping off merrily to the Corporate right.

But I have faith.

Bernie has planted the seed.  He has begun the dream.  Millennials, if they're smart, will keep the flame alive, and we will see a whole fleet of young progressive politicians becoming more and more prominent. Gaven Newsome, Tulsi Gabbard, Nina Turner and dozens more will flood the American stage.  Some will prove not worthy.  Some will surpass Bernie in impact.  And one or more WILL become President of the Untied States.

Bernie is our movement's Moses.  He has shown us the way, even though he will not make it to the promised land of the White House himself.  Bernie is our John the Baptist, opening the process up to future progressives.

So what will happen this election?  I don't know.  I pray Hillary wins. She may be my fifteenth choice, but Trump is my nine billionth.  I pray she picks a progressive to be her running mate, instead of the Corporate Center or even Right figure that I fear she will.  She will most likely pick Virginia Senator Tim Kaine.

I cannot rationally pick Donald Trump's running mate, because there is no rationality to him.  If I  was forced to a wall to guess, I would say New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.  Why not?  Christie's career lies in tattered ruins anyway.  Trump would be better off picking a Great Lakes region Senator or Governor, but I'm not sure there's any one suicidal enough to run with him.

Barring the unforeseen, Hillary should win decisively, by the largest margin of any Democrat since LBJ.

I also think there is a very real possibility that at least one of the presumptive nominees will not be the candidate on the ballot in the Fall.  The reasons I feel this could happen would fill another blog post, and if I may make these posts too long, people stop reading.

A quick message to Hillary supporters:  STOP IT!  You won!  Quit berating Bernie and his supporters. You're going to need us to win the general, and calling us immature is not helping your cause.

A quick message to Bernie supporters:  Don't be immature.  We don't have a multi-party system yet. Vote for Hillary to stop Trump, and to build a foundation to a progressive future - she will respond to you better than any Republican.  Writing in Bernie or Green will not help.  And trust me - Bernie will soon be telling you not to do it.  Pressure the platform, advocate for a Progressive running mate. and most importantly, find and fight for down ticket progressives.  Turning over the state and federal legislatures is as important, if not more so, than winning the Presidency.

A quick message to Trump supporters:  What the hell are you thinking?  You're letting an irrational mad-on that has been fueled by years of Fox News, right wing radio, and Conservative Christian preachers,take control of your better judgment.  Research Trump.  See what Trump is really leading us to.  Examine what Christianity really means, and how this frightening man is working in the opposite direction.  Can you be a Christian and vote for Trump? Yes.  Can you vote for Trump and claim you are doing so BECAUSE you are a Christian? No, you can't.

The political summer looks sad and dim.  But there is a brighter horizon, I promise you.  The future does not have to result in a better world, but the seeds have been planted.

Now it's up to us nurture, grow and harvest those planted seeds.

Millennials, I believe in you.  I'm counting on you.  I'm praying for you.

Bernie has shown us the path.

Now it's up to you.