Why the 2020 Election Should Belong to Bernie Sanders

Today was quite the day.

It started with working a small café and serving a small family their breakfast. While they were seated they discussed not quite understanding why the country is upset at Donald Trump even though “the economy is good and unemployment is low.” They prayed for their meal, discussed church business, and went their ignorant ways back to their car. On the television it was discussing how there was not going to be enough votes to allow witnesses in the Senate trial, which pretty much confirms that Trump (expectedly) is not going to be removed from office. Of course, I’ve never heard of an innocent person blocking testimonies and documents to…prove his innocence…?...but I digress.

The other piece of news in heavy discussion was about Brexit, which emerged from the shadows of the 2016 United States election which saw the rise of the far-right as well as nationalism. Seemingly born from the remains of the slug known as Donald Trump is Boris Johnson leading the way across the Atlantic. Unlike Trump, Johnson is no idiot, he’s a performance artist that does his best to represent what it means to be British while dancing on the nationalist lines within the corners of British society. His tactics worked well with the result of a controversial vote ending up with England beginning their process towards leaving the European Union, the second largest economic power in the planet---behind the United States of course.

During this Trump Era we have also seen the rise of far-right nationalism coming from France, Germany, Italy, India, and Brazil, some ending up with shocking results (Muslims being hunted in India) and others raising concerns (Germany has shifty eyes right now). It’s been a worrying time because whenever nationalism rises, what becomes affected most are the minorities. If this preacher who ate breakfast in the café were to approach me and ask if me if I accepted Jesus, what could possibly be my answer? It cant be yes, because my Jesus and his Jesus are extremely different people. His Jesus is neglecting the damage Donald Trump has done towards minorities, especially the Latinx community---just look at Puerto Rico, the threats towards Central America, and the United States/Mexico border, and that’s just the tip of the bullshit iceberg sinking United States’ global status. I wanted so badly to get that question, I wanted so badly for him to hear my two cents. The opportunity never came. And neither was the opportunity for John Bolton to testify in the Senate.

But, this isn’t about Trump, the impeachment, or even the trial.

It has been a rough beginning to 2020 because of the tragedies and fears globally. I wanted to walk Lake Eola in Downtown Orlando to walk off the anger, the frustration. Today’s decisions was neglecting the American people, ignoring Trump’s behavior, and accepting the desires of the angry Cheeto. Trump loves the idea of being a tyrant, a dictator, and his treatment of leaders in Saudi Arabia, Russia, and China are wildly different when compared to how he looks at leaders of Germany, France, and Canada. So I wanted to walk this off. Listen to some music, soak in the Florida sunshine (it was raining), and avoid the vegan lady trying to argue with strangers about the concept of eating meat.

But I saw something beautiful. It was a cloudy, rainy day, but there was a man in Orlando who didn’t care. He wanted to begin the rest of his life as soon as possible. There was a small group of people that had set up balloons all over this walkway, and at the end and facing the fountain were more balloons, more people, rose petals on the ground that resembled the shape of a heart, and a large balloon that spelled out a message: Will You Marry Me?

On my second lap around Lake Eola, the group was still there, patiently waiting. There was even a man with a saxophone waiting under an umbrella. As I walked past, I saw the couple approaching. Beautiful happy black couple that already were nicely dressed as if they had gone to a nice fancy lunch beforehand. I decided to stop and snuck my way around to see the event unfold. Under the rain, under the dark clouds that surrounded a dark day in politics and United States history, the man got on his knee, and popped the question. There was even a crowd of strangers that had gathered to also witness the proposal. He made a small speech, he asked, she said yes. The crowd applauds, the crowd is happy for this newly engaged couple. Their life is about to begin.

And this is where we begin to hope.

I hope they have a long, lasting marriage. I hope they have a marriage that is fruitful and full of joy and happiness. But this is a hope that can be supported by choosing the right people to lead this country and build a system that helps everyone, including this newly engaged couple.

This means a future in which we don’t have to worry about medical bills. This means a future that actually offers opportunities, and not just great jobs for people who knows powerful people. This means a future with affordable housing, affordable living, and affordable opportunities left and right. This means a future in which their future children can safely go to school, can have their free lunch, can afford a secondary education after they graduate, and not worry as much about a climate that has been misbehaving badly in recent decades.

This means a future that isn’t threatened by the will of corporations and large businesses. This means a future without conflict in which we send men and women overseas and into potential unrecoverable horrors. This means a future in which they wouldn’t have to worry about their health and their finances after retirement. This means a future in which they can see improvements in social justice, as this beautiful black couple already is many steps behind a newly engaged white couple from loans to jobs to even where they can live----to this day there are parts of the United States that will still not accept them.

This means a future that involves a government that actually considers them and will fight for them. This means a future that will involve a government undergoing a radical, massive, seismic shift in scope, in personality, in status, and in helpfulness towards the American people.

And this is why the United States government in 2020 needs to be run by Bernie Sanders.

Bernie Sanders is the future, like it or not. He is also easily my pick for the Democrat that will represent me and the Democrat that can finally begin the death of the current GOP (A GOP that didn’t care about Biden and Burisma from 2012-2018 even while having the House of Representatives majority) that has poisoned Washington, and poisoned this country.

Bernie Sanders has been in politics for decades fighting for causes long before they became the political and social norm. And even when the public and the political discourse was in a certain direction, Bernie Sanders has battled continuously, consistently, and constantly for what he felt like was right for the American people and what was right for other parts of the globe. He marched alongside Martin Luther King, he was arrested for protesting segregation, he battled for gay rights in the military, he battled for universal health care, he rallied against the military budget for decades, went against every war the United States has engaged in since Vietnam, he controversially supported the guerilla armies battling against vindictive governments in Central America. Bernie Sanders has been ahead of the curve seemingly every single time, whether its gay rights or fighting Big Business, and would challenge each president, whether he’s a Republican or a Democrat. And now it is time for the United States to catch up to Bernie’s vision.

The coolest part? He’s not finished. He’s got more wild ideas up his sleeve.

Bernie is going to viciously battle Wall Street in ways previous administrations had not---Trump, Bush, even Obama. Look at the corporation-owned newspapers fight Sanders to this very day. Look at New York Times for the first time EVER endorsing not one but two candidates for the Dem nomination—and neither pick was Bernie even though his ideas are very similar to that of the chosen Elizabeth Warren. They are afraid. Look at Amazon’s Washington Post constantly hound Sanders. Amazon wants to continue paying $0 in taxes. Bernie will end that, immediately.

He’s going to battle student loan debt, which has become one of the largest monetary burdens in American history. Bernie Sanders has discussed helping and saving Puerto Rico, has discussed allowing prisoners to vote, has publicly supported the Palestinians (which has been a taboo subject in American politics), has discussed legalizing marijuana nationwide immediately while ensuring eliminating sentences to those who had previously been charged for possession. Bernie Sanders remains the only Democratic candidate to openly discuss the perils and cruelties of the current prison system---which has become modern-day slavery and has become one of the biggest hurdles for Latinx and Black America.

He’s going to rally against the fossil fuel industries and invest heavily in the controversial but revolutionary Green New Deal. Bernie Sanders is also going to rally for better gun control without going overboard. Unlike other candidates’ shape-shifting ways, he has not stepped his foot off the leaning-left pedal to appeal to voters, he’s keeping sharp focus and is inviting everyone to join: Democrats, Republicans, and his biggest support group of all---the Independent vote. This is why Bernie has entered the bellies of multiple beasts that usually wouldn’t go for somebody like him—he went to Fox News to reach to their audience, he went to the Joe Rogan podcast (to intense criticism) to reach out to an audience that is notoriously independent.

Bernie Sanders’ vision of the American government is simple: a government that works for everyone, and not just for corporations and the very rich. He believes that American citizens in this country through the taxes they pay, through the hard work they perform to keep the country moving, deserves basic human rights like health, affordable living, affordable retirement, and a full education without the worry of heavy debts. Bernie believes the country is strong and rich enough to provide these important basic services for everybody, and have enough left over to help those in need coming from other countries, as he has promised to not deport or ban anyone on the basis of origin of country. In other words, the exact opposite of Trump’s travel bans and behaviors towards migrants and asylum seekers.

The man is a trendsetter, relying strictly on the American people and not the media (Trump) and not the larger more popular donors (Hillary) to financially support himself during the expensive process. Even better is that once he does become president, he is going to change the process to make it easier for future aspiring politicians to run for office. Bernie Sanders has promised to take on the electoral process, beginning with the elimination of corporate and lobbyist money from the campaign trails to allow smaller-scale candidates with good ideas to better flourish. Andrew Yang’s campaign today could have never existed without Bernie’s 2016 surprising and record-setting performance in the Democratic primaries.

Even better, the Electoral College is in serious danger once Bernie takes office. The two-party system which hindered him in 2016, has hindered third-party candidates over the course of history, and has created an ever-growing gap between American politicians in Washington can slowly begin to dissipate. Let’s be honest, Donald Trump is a shitty disaster, but the shitty disaster would not have happened if not for the Electoral College forcing the scenario. Most votes should decide president, period, it really isn’t a hard concept, and Bernie Sanders and Co. are willing to eliminate this system once and for all----while making Election Day a federal holiday and expanding the abilities and opportunities for everyone to vote. Bernie is the rare candidate who cares just as much about the electing process being efficient and achievable for everyone as opposed to who might be voting for him.

What really supports Sanders’ vision is not just his consistency, but method of support. He hasn’t relied on large corporations, but instead on small individual donations. As of today, he has collected more money than any other presidential candidate in the field, has been breaking records for money and for amount of actual donations. The last quarter saw him raising a whopping 34 million, which is significantly higher than the other Democrats competing against him. If you think his vision is lacking support, I have about $90 million worth of reasons why your opinion is wrong. His audience is ever-growing, as he has the support of politicians and citizens from all facets of life and from all over the country, and even in different parts of the world. The popular Lula in Brazil endorsed Bernie Sanders after his prison release.

So now we’ve come back to my day.

Today is the day that I am publicly coming out….as a democratic socialist.

I’ve been democrat most of my life, despite being independent most of my voting career to not cater myself fully to one party. But because of Bernie Sanders, because of what’s been happening to the Latinx community, because of my research and seeing what has happened to Central and South America thanks to American fears, desires, and demands for everyone to follow their lead, I can no longer be just blue team, I’m steering towards Dark Blue. Being at the center isn’t enough, radical changes are needed.

It is time for American corrupt capitalism to take a slight backseat to a type of socialism that is clean, organized, and constantly flowing with new ideas and desires to help people from their country and as well as neighboring countries. Let’s make this clear, the Market doesn’t give a shit about you, about America, or about doing what’s right. The Market doesn’t regulate itself, and contrary to popular belief will not work itself out to mellow out to meet demand. The Banks are interested only in your pockets, and the 1%, those who have so much money it’s physically impossible to spend it all, will still battle to keep that status. I’m not here to kill Big Business, I’m here to make sure Big Business pays its taxes, pays its people, and stays away from basic human rights like education and health care.

Helping the United States is not enough. It is time to truly help countries the United States had damaged or flat-out ruined in the past century. It is time to help Mexico, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Venezuela, Chile, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Cuba, and all the other nations who in the past century had been harmed by the United States. It may sound ironic that I criticize United States for their involvement but then want us to….get involved, but my solution is a bit different. We need to financially help them, open up our arms a bit more to help those desperate in need, and help them find solutions to the biggest problems plaguing Central and South America: the cartel and their drugs, gangs (some that originated in the United States), the violence against the indigenous people, poverty, and slow recovery from endless civil wars and conflicts. Improving our neighbors improves us as well----and if there’s a country with the funds, power, and resources to improve entire portions of the globe, it would be the United States. And if there are countries with resources and people to make us better, it would be the beautiful and wonderful people from the Latin American nations.

Socialism is seeking what’s best for everybody, socialism is ensuring that everyone has equal rights in the eyes of the law and the country. Democratic socialism means we develop a proper system that guarantees economic stability and opportunity for all the people and also properly elects their leaders that continue the process of maintaining the government and maintaining the distribution of the services to the American people. Democratic socialism allows for capitalism to breathe, disallows falling into dictatorship territory, and keeps the politicians in line as well as prevents the very wealthy from dominating the decision-making. Yes Bernie Sanders’ ideas are controversial and a bit radical for this country, but couple that with his attempts to give politicians and voters improved chances to having their voices heard makes him the perfect candidate to alter the course of this nation in the right direction.

Donald Trump has set us back a couple generations, but if we elect Bernie Sanders, and with the proper help and support (Andrew Gillum for Vice President would be spectacular, and let’s toss in Andrew Yang for a nice Cabinet spot), we will pull a massive 180 and head towards an America that can properly imitate functions that have helped made Canada as well as the Nordic nations top-tier countries in terms of quality of life.

United States in the past quarter century remains a top-economic country, but in many other categories from health to education to economic freedom has slipped significantly. And the United States is by no means a third-world country or a bottom-tier place to live. But this country was founded by people, for the people, and we have drifted away from this. It’s time to stop being competitive, stop battling for every penny, and start helping our neighbors—in our city, our state, our country, and beyond. Bernie Sanders believes in this idea, hence his “Not Me, Us” campaign quote.

Sanders constantly stresses working together and being united, especially when we are battling the most corrupt and quite possibly worst group of politicians since the Reconstruction Era. It will not be easy implementing these ideas, but his movement has grown to exponential levels, and if we can get over the Primaries hurdle, the possibilities will expand vividly. He already has the support of some of the strongest, most radical, and most progressive politicians in the White House today—The Squad.

I am a Democratic Socialist, voting for Bernie Sanders, begging for you all to do the same.

I finished that walk with a smile, seeing a beautiful moment in the lives of two people as they face an uncertain future, but will face it with their better half by their side. And I will do my part to participate and try to help them achieve their happiness, and it starts with multiple donations to the man most qualified and most willing to perform this daunting yet rewarding and history-making task.

It starts with supporting one of the most radical, groundbreaking, and inspiring politicians in the past century. Bernie Sanders deserves to be president come January 2021, and I invite you to join me on this democratic socialist journey as we escape the horrible Trump Era and enter a radical new America that will finally grow up and evolve into the 21st Century by providing a more sustainable and profitable and better life for every American citizen. It is not enough to simply beat Trump, but instead we need someone to alter the political climate and system to ensure 2016 never ever ever happens again.

Vote for Bernie Sanders. He needs all of you, he can’t change the United States and potentially the entire world alone.

After all, its “Not Me, Us.”