The last question from the moderators of the debate asked the candidates to prioritize their issues, saying that the first one chosen had the best chance of success. Hillary rejected the premise, saying she wanted to get a lot of things done and believed she could move forward on many fronts simultaneously. In terms of getting backing for those efforts, she said she wanted to engage in a dialog with the American people.
Bernie said with great clarity that what was needed to move forward was a political revolution, meaning that people turn out to vote for progressive candidates, and especially for the purpose of getting big money out of politics. With that goal established, the road would then be open to make the changes needed in the economic and political system of the country.
To me, it seems like Hillary's call for "a dialog with the American people" is really just the same old empty rhetoric that is always produced at election time, offering fine phrases instead of real programs of change. The idea of "a dialog with the American people" sounds to me a lot like calling for commissions and advisory boards and other such political shams which really concede no real power to the people. It all just points to the fact again that Clinton is part of the moneyed class and that, for all her protestations, she is the establishment candidate. She may be perfectly sincere in her beliefs, but they are the beliefs of the past, and I think that explains much of her lack of support by younger voters.
What Bernie was pointing to is that there is a dialog with the people in progress right now in the form of an election, and if enough of them speak up for meaningful change, then the politicians will have no choice but to listen and respond.
No comments:
Post a Comment