Less than two months ago, even Bernie Sanders’ staunchest supports were saying “He’s a great candidate, but he’s not ‘electable.’” Today, we’re all changing our tune, as it becomes increasingly obvious that, given the current political landscape and polling trends, Sanders certainly can win the Democratic nomination. Considering that the GOP candidates are a motley crew of has-beens, racists, misogynists, neo-fascists, theocrats and idiots, the outcome of the 2016 election is virtually a foregone conclusion. In fact, H.A. Goodman with the Huffington Post reports Sanders coming out on top in almost every major poll.
It turns out that the only reason Bernie Sanders was ever considered “unelectable” is because few people knew who he was. His growing popularity is in direct proportion to the increase in the number of people who come to learn of him and what he stands for. That’s according to a recent Gallup Poll, showing Sanders’ favorability rating doubling since March, while Clinton’s has fallen by nearly 9%. In an article at the Gallup website, Lydia Saad writes, “Sanders’ increased favorability reflects the broader increase in the public’s familiarity with him.” The only reason Sanders still trails Clinton is because he is “still an unknown to a majority of Americans, with just 44% able to rate him compared with Clinton’s 89%.”
It’s no secret why Sander’s popularity is growing while Clinton’s is on the decline. The American People are sick and tired of “politics as usual.” They’re tired of seeing servicemen and women sent overseas to fight manufactured wars for the benefit of Big Oil and weapons manufacturers – and they’re really tired of having over half of the taxes they pay being spent to maintain an empire while needs at home are ignored. They’re tired of political “dynasties,” having seen how that played out with the Bush family. They’re tired of government being sold to the highest bidder. They’re worried about the environment and the effects of climate change and are seriously wondering what kind of world their children are going to inherit. They’re tired of being held hostage to a lifetime of student loan debt while Wall Street criminals are given a free pass. The people want assurance that when they need health care services, those services will be directly available to them. They want government out of their bedrooms. They are demanding economic justice.
And frankly, they’re fed up with politicians who dodge the issues, equivocate, and spend all their time attacking their opponents in order to deflect attention from their own scandals and misconduct.
The people of Vermont have been sending Bernie Sanders to represent them and their interests in Congress for twenty-five years. He has earned respect from Congressional colleagues on both sides of the aisle. Since Sanders’ arrival on Capitol Hill, membership in the Progressive Caucus has grown by over 1,100% (from six members in 1991 to its current membership of 69).
As the rest of the US discovers what the people of Vermont have known for a generation, we can expect Sanders’ popularity to grow – and everyone will know that he is in fact more electable than any other candidate.
