vicissitudes
Banned
As someone who supported Hillary Clinton, I decided to do some more research after taking the isidewith poll which said my views aligned most with Bernie. I admit I've only followed the election peripherally and am not well educated on many issues. So I watched:
Bernie Sanders Rally in Portland, Maine
Followed by:
Hillary Clinton's Rally in New York for comparison purposes. I also watched this fantastic Katie Couric interview. And I've been noticing some important differences:
1. When I watch Hillary speak, I think "yes of course that makes sense, everyone knows that" but when I watch Bernie speak I think "that makes so much sense, I can't believe I've never thought about it quite like that before." Hillary at times feels like she is reading a speech off of note cards, but Bernie feels like he's talking to the common person from across the table.
2. Hillary feels like she does the right thing when it's the popular opinion. Bernie feels like he does the right thing no matter what. I was incredibly impressed when, during the Katie Couric interview, Bernie refuses to speak negatively about Hillary in any way, showing the utmost respect. I remember during the 1992 election, when so much focus was placed on character, and both Bush and Clinton said they were "trouble by the negative tone of the campaign" yet both still ran attack ads against each other on the air. Finally there is someone in Bernie who seems to walk the walk. Bernie and Hillary are both against Citizens United, but Bernie is the only one who actually refuses to take any PAC money, to his great detriment.
3. To follow up on #2, I was surprised to find out that Bernie Sanders has been supporting gay marriage since 1996. He voted against the Iraq War, against renewing Bush tax cuts, and against the Patriot Act, an issue which Hillary and Obama has disappointed me on. He seems very consistent on doing the right thing, no matter the public opinion at the time.
4. I noticed Hillary ended her rally with the traditional "thank you, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America" while Bernie ended his rally with "Thank you very much." In a country that was founded on religious freedom, with many religious groups and an ever-decreasing Christian population, one that preaches the separation of church and state, it makes so much sense to drop the "God" part from a political speech and just end with "Thank you very much" yet he's the only candidate I've seen who does this. (I also like that he identifies as Jewish but says he's "not very religious")
5. More logic that makes so much sense: "if banks are too big to fail, they are too big to exist." How can anyone argue against this? He follows in another interview "if Teddy Roosevelt were president today, what would he do?" (Interviewer: "he would probably break them up")
6. He's incredibly right in saying that no president, no matter who it is, can do it alone. I think that was the mistake we made with President Obama, thinking all we have to do is vote him in all he'll do it all alone, and then being disappointed when he can't get it done all alone. We need to all become more active in the political process, vote in every election possible, take some precious time out of our weeks and educate ourselves on the issues, and vote in progressive Senators and Congressmen, not just the President. When we have a conservative-leaning Supreme Court voting in favor of gay marriage nationwide, it shows that the public opinion matters and the people matter. We don't just have to sit back, look at a Republican Senate and House, and say well nothing will ever get done so why bother. Because when the people voice their opinions and take action, the government must listen.
So, I have made a $25 contribution to the Bernie Sanders campaign (having never contributed to anyone) and looking into doing some volunteering for him. Let me make this clear about Hillary: I have a ton of respect for what she has done, agree with her on most issues, and would happily vote for her in the general election if she's the candidate. I think she would make a great president, and I think having a woman president would have a large positive impact on today's young women. However, when we compare the two candidates side by side, when it comes to the issues and character, I have to admit Bernie Sanders is simply the better candidate.
In this thread, feel free to comment on how you came to support the candidate you are supporting, and how you are contributing.
FAQ:
Q: Do we really need another Bernie Sanders thread?
A: Yes. Yes we do. I think GAF is too liberal on many issues but Bernie is clearly the best candidate we currently have.
Bernie Sanders Rally in Portland, Maine
Followed by:
Hillary Clinton's Rally in New York for comparison purposes. I also watched this fantastic Katie Couric interview. And I've been noticing some important differences:
1. When I watch Hillary speak, I think "yes of course that makes sense, everyone knows that" but when I watch Bernie speak I think "that makes so much sense, I can't believe I've never thought about it quite like that before." Hillary at times feels like she is reading a speech off of note cards, but Bernie feels like he's talking to the common person from across the table.
2. Hillary feels like she does the right thing when it's the popular opinion. Bernie feels like he does the right thing no matter what. I was incredibly impressed when, during the Katie Couric interview, Bernie refuses to speak negatively about Hillary in any way, showing the utmost respect. I remember during the 1992 election, when so much focus was placed on character, and both Bush and Clinton said they were "trouble by the negative tone of the campaign" yet both still ran attack ads against each other on the air. Finally there is someone in Bernie who seems to walk the walk. Bernie and Hillary are both against Citizens United, but Bernie is the only one who actually refuses to take any PAC money, to his great detriment.
3. To follow up on #2, I was surprised to find out that Bernie Sanders has been supporting gay marriage since 1996. He voted against the Iraq War, against renewing Bush tax cuts, and against the Patriot Act, an issue which Hillary and Obama has disappointed me on. He seems very consistent on doing the right thing, no matter the public opinion at the time.
4. I noticed Hillary ended her rally with the traditional "thank you, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America" while Bernie ended his rally with "Thank you very much." In a country that was founded on religious freedom, with many religious groups and an ever-decreasing Christian population, one that preaches the separation of church and state, it makes so much sense to drop the "God" part from a political speech and just end with "Thank you very much" yet he's the only candidate I've seen who does this. (I also like that he identifies as Jewish but says he's "not very religious")
5. More logic that makes so much sense: "if banks are too big to fail, they are too big to exist." How can anyone argue against this? He follows in another interview "if Teddy Roosevelt were president today, what would he do?" (Interviewer: "he would probably break them up")
6. He's incredibly right in saying that no president, no matter who it is, can do it alone. I think that was the mistake we made with President Obama, thinking all we have to do is vote him in all he'll do it all alone, and then being disappointed when he can't get it done all alone. We need to all become more active in the political process, vote in every election possible, take some precious time out of our weeks and educate ourselves on the issues, and vote in progressive Senators and Congressmen, not just the President. When we have a conservative-leaning Supreme Court voting in favor of gay marriage nationwide, it shows that the public opinion matters and the people matter. We don't just have to sit back, look at a Republican Senate and House, and say well nothing will ever get done so why bother. Because when the people voice their opinions and take action, the government must listen.
So, I have made a $25 contribution to the Bernie Sanders campaign (having never contributed to anyone) and looking into doing some volunteering for him. Let me make this clear about Hillary: I have a ton of respect for what she has done, agree with her on most issues, and would happily vote for her in the general election if she's the candidate. I think she would make a great president, and I think having a woman president would have a large positive impact on today's young women. However, when we compare the two candidates side by side, when it comes to the issues and character, I have to admit Bernie Sanders is simply the better candidate.
In this thread, feel free to comment on how you came to support the candidate you are supporting, and how you are contributing.
FAQ:
Q: Do we really need another Bernie Sanders thread?
A: Yes. Yes we do. I think GAF is too liberal on many issues but Bernie is clearly the best candidate we currently have.
