I have been hearing Richard holding forth rather stridently about Bernie Sander's place in the American election and so, to get him off my back, here he is. Hopefully this will not start a political war, I put it up because Richard is entertaining and never short of opinions. For the record, I have not made up my mind!
Ann: Richard, I gather you have something to say about Bernie Sanders?
Richard Burton: I thought you would never ask. Bernie is a man after my own heart. If I were king and could decree a winner for your election, it would be he. A better man in a fight would be hard to find. There are perhaps better men in the programmatic sense, that is, in formatting policy details, etc., thick upon the ground, but Bernie is more than aware of his own limitations and can use his excellent ability to see the character of a person to choose those who bring to the table the attributes he lacks.
I like Bernie because he truly feels what unbridled capitalism has done to the home life and opportunities of the families and communities of hard-working people. He rightly see that these people are disaffected because of the slavish adulation and unquestioning loyalty to corporate America - and to the detriment of the people upon whose backs these people are carried.
Put it this way, as a Welsh miner’s son,if I had a part in your election, I would be out there with placards parading and screaming epithets at the top of my very considerable lungs because it is the people like those who worked the mines - and every one of the men in my family save myself did – whose little valued lives make the unbridled wealth of the pampered few possible.
To my everlasting shame I did not join them but did what I could to make their lives easier, and it was never enough. Never, however did I forget my upbringing and what such work and essential slavery can do to the human mind and body - not to mention the spirit. A person so subjugated either turns violent in rage, runs, as I did, in fear and shame to escape the so-call stigma of class and calling, or, sometimes, sometimes, very rarely laughs in the face of the corporate shills who would not last an hour in the life of a miner. My father bless his alcoholic and disaffected soul was one of the latter.
Bernie understands that, should he manage it, his ascension to the presidency would mark a turning point in American politics away from the plutocracy that is growing by the minute under that poor excuse for a human being who presumes that he is the guiding light for all people for all times. His version of trickle down economics begins and ends with his own overfed corpus. Bernie is his polar opposite in every way, not the least of which is his forthright nature. Telling the truth is apparently a lost art form which Bernie, God bless his iconoclastic soul, seems to have mastered.
A: OK, just one question. Weren’t you one of the fat cats who consumed the products and energies of working people?
RB: A fair question, Madame, and one that haunted me all the days of that self-indulgent life on the planet. Suffice it to say that my heart remained with my tribe and my treasure was theirs at will. I have much to atone for in that lifetime, but such did not include an abandonment of my family or lack of concern for their welfare. A poor effort no doubt, but the perseverance, integrity, and humour of these gallant people remain lodged in my innermost being, and I hope to see someday soon the ascension of Bernie and those like him who can implement these values into a better world order. I shall be cheering him on from the sidelines.
January 10, 2020
Myself as well, David. Myself as well.
Yes I totally agree with you Dave. Sometimes it's hard to get excited about anything political these days, yet the Progressives are finally being heard by the people. Their voices are ringing loud and true and to me, that IS exciting! Go Bernie!!
Wow, how brave of you both! Bernie is my first choice by far. Obviously anyone to defeat the monster. But for the first time in my life, I am actually excited about the progressive candidates that represent my views.
Indeed Bernie or Bust for me Richard!
Taradrolma, Right on! Bernie is the progressive candidate that can build momentum and excite the electorate to storm the polls in November which is essential with all the gerrymandering and voter suppression nationwide. I second gratitude to Ann and Richard!