Senator Bernie Sanders speaks passionately about a political revolution, but he is not really advocating a true political revolution. He is not suggesting that he and his supporters will overthrow our current political system and create a new form of government. That would surely be a political revolution. He also doesn’t talk to his supporters about the need to elect a majority of members of Congress, both in the House and Senate, who support his platform and revolution. There does not seem to be a majority of candidates running for Congress who are standing with Senator Sanders. Or at least, not a vocal majority.
So what would happen if Senator Sanders won the Presidential election and both the House of Representatives and Senate remained in Republican control? What would happen to his plans for free college and increased taxes on the rich and the corporations? Would he then resort to a series of executive orders and risk earning himself the title of a quasi dictator? Would he then lead a true political revolution and call upon his supporters to overthrow the government and create a new one? If so, what would that new government look like?
Senator Sanders quoted President Abraham Lincoln’s words from the Gettysburg Address “government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth” to end a speech. President Lincoln revered the Constitution, fought a war to save the Union and lost his life to ensure that “the last best hope of earth” did not perish. He understood the art of compromise, of give and take, of making deals to move forward regardless of how slowly and how small the steps might be. He could have let the Southern States go. But he believed that if the United States could not remain one country, then democracy would suffer a fatal blow. He never sought to lead a political revolution when he ran as the first Presidential candidate of the recently formed Republican party. He was determined to work within the frame of the Constitution to move the United States of America ever closer to achieving the ideal set forth in the Declaration of Independence that all are created equal.
Senator Sanders speaks about a political revolution and fires up his supporters, especially the younger ones. But he must be honest about what must happen to really achieve the changes he wants to make.
Moderately liberal, liberally moderate, American flag waving Democrat! Bachelor of Arts in History with concentration in Early American History and Abraham Lincoln
Graduate student pursuing a Master of Arts Degree online in American History at Southern New Hampshire University