George McGovern

Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont is still in process on his personal filibuster of the Obama-GOP tax deal, which has caused a major split in the Democratic Party in Congress.

Sanders is an Independent Socialist who allies with the Democratic Party in the Senate. He was a member of the House of Representatives from 1991-2007, and was elected to the Senate in 2006. He has the distinction of being the longest serving Independent member of Congress in American history.

While some would say, “but he is a Socialist!”, the answer is “So what!” There is nothing wrong with Sanders’s brand of Socialism, as it is in the tradition of great progressives of the past, including Robert La Follette, Sr, Robert La Follette, Jr., George Norris, Hubert Humphrey, George McGovern, Ted Kennedy, Paul Wellstone, Russ Feingold and many others.

He is the champion of the working man and woman, of the middle class, of the poor, of the sick, of the elderly, of the young, of ethnic minorities, of ALL average Americans who will NEVER achieve the so called “American dream” of becoming wealthy. All they want is a fair shake from their government, instead of a government that favors the wealthy and upper class and corporations that promote monopoly, greed and selfishness.

Sanders is to be applauded for his principled stand, his high moral and ethical beliefs, and his willingness to remind us of how desperate conditions are for millions of Americans, who cannot afford gasoline, food, rent, medical costs, clothing etc on their struggling low income jobs if they are fortunate enough to have one, and the millions of Americans who have no work, are losing their homes, and whose children are facing the scarring nature of economic deprivation. 🙁

Sanders’ filibuster speech, lasting seven hours at this point with no set end in sight, is a speech for the ages, a speech which should be honored historically as much as the speech of Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1963, along with the great principled speeches of the people mentioned above, and others not named.

If only we had one hundred Bernie Sanders in the Senate, or a combination of Sanders and the various progressive leaders mentioned above, who are part of our history, we would be a far better nation.

Instead, through the ignorance and fear of many poor and middle class citizens, plus manipulation by special corporate
interests in the recent campaign, and assisted by the Supreme Court Citizens United decision in January, the country is now faced with the reality of a Republican Party which is going to make the plight of the American people MUCH MORE NIGHTMARISH over the next two years! 🙁

They have Barack Obama and the Democratic Party in a tough position for the moment, necessitating, unfortunately, the striking of a deal just to accomplish short range goals.

But starting next year, Barack Obama and his party MUST fight the good fight that Bernie Sanders represents, and work to convince the American people that the Democrats are indeed the party of the people who have their best interests at heart, and deserve control of both houses of Congress and the White House in the 2012 elections!