What if our choice for this year’s presidential office is that between a Donald Trump and a Bernie Sanders? At this rate, it seems as if it could happen. But what would it mean for us?
Trump and Sanders appear to be gaining momentum. People like what they’re saying. That is, at their respective ends of the political spectrum, both Trump and Sanders are striking a nerve on Main Street, USA. Ironically Trump and Sanders are popular for the same reasons, though they have a different take and draw different conclusions as to how to respond to the given reasons. The common denominator is that their audiences are equally mad at and disgusted with politics as usual, and are therefore attracted to the Trump/Sander’s in-your-face, tell-it-like-it-is, to hell with soft-peddling political correctness. “He speaks my language,” might be the common praise given to a Sanders or a Trump by their respective supporters.
Yes, Trump and Sanders are speaking the language of the common folk—your average hard working American citizen who are tired of the bull that most slick politicians dish out. So far, so good! Nevertheless, given what Sanders and Trump are actually saying, and given what they hope to accomplish, if elected, the question is this: How could either one of them possibly succeed in office? To accomplish what they say they’d like to, if elected to office, they’d essentially have to become dictators. That’s the only way they’d be able to actually enact their agendas.
You see, the problem is the System. Whether the newly elected president is Right or Left or even dead Center, the problem he or she will face is the whole political System, as it now operates. The System has become the enemy. Of course, that is exactly what both Trump and Sanders have been saying? And that’s why a Trump or Sanders is sure to also fail in his stated goals as president, if elected.
In that sense, Bernie Sanders is right, we do need a kind of revolution. The System no longer works for the common citizen. It’s rigged against us. So, Bernie Sanders rightly speaks of a needed “revolution.” But what does that exactly mean—realistically speaking? How is this so called revolution going to happen? Does Sanders have a secret recipe for changing the System overnight? What part of the System will he actually be able to change or revolutionize? Simply being elected as our next president does not mean a revolution has begun. First of all, as a newly elected president, Sanders will immediately come up against the structural powers of the System, which will quickly block any attempt Bernie might make to revolutionize things? It goes without saying that those who benefit the most from the System, as is, will undercut and/or sabotage his every move? Mind you, I like a lot of what Sanders says; but is he being realistic about starting a revolution? I don’t think so. The System is big and massive and is a kind of controlling Matrix in its own right. The System owns the political process, and therefore quite easily crushes anyone that challenges it. And we the people are too lethargic and are too easily blindsided by the hidden complexities of this Political Matrix, “The System.”
On the other hand, Donald Trump speaks of making America great again. Okay, but what exactly does that mean in day-to-day local and global politics? What does it mean respecting the instability in the Middle East, for example (Palestine, Israel, Iran, Afghanistan, and Iraq)? And, what exactly does that mean with regard to North Korea and its recent actions or with respect to China’s growing naval power rippling through the South China Sea region, for example? Or, with regard to monetary might, in terms of “making America great again,” what about our economic trade ties with China, Latin America, Europe, Africa, etc.? Exactly how does a man like Trump plan to sustain American wealth in a context of shrinking global resources without getting us into trouble with our trading partners or causing new tensions in various global fronts? Sure, it’s easy to talk big, but is Donald Trump truly capable in dealing with global geopolitical and economic realities? In short, given Trump’s attitude and posturing and arrogant big talk, is Donald Trump the kind of Head of State we Americans want to present to the world, representing U. S. interests? Is he really the kind of character America wants to hire as a means to “make friends and influence people” around the world?
In a way, both Trump and Sanders are right. We do have a problem and the problem has to do with politics as usual. The problem is with our present political System as it now stands. The System needs to work for us, not against us—the average American citizen on the street. Presently the System works fine for the rich and powerful, for the elite and privileged—but at our expense! Thus, we do need a kind of revolution. We need big changes, fundamental changes, positive, constructive, and effective changes—in the System. But neither a Republican nor a Democrat on his or her own can make that kind of difference, and so we are kidding ourselves if we think that electing a Sanders or a Trump will revolutionize things or make America great again. It will take more than a mere presidential election to fix what’s wrong with America. But, just what that “more” is? My guess is that we haven’t got a clue.
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