Bernie Sanders got personal last weekend. And it paid off

[Uncle Joe]

(snip)

At the rally in Brooklyn, I was reminded at how young and diverse Sanders’ audience is. Far removed from the “Bernie Bro” trope on social media, Sanders supporters come from an array of backgrounds and identities, but they all could relate his experiences and political awakening with their own. As he put it in his speech that afternoon: “I came from a family who knew all too well the frightening power employers can have over everyday workers.” After all, capitalism may divide us, but it also exposes billions of us to common feelings of powerlessness, precarity and stress.

Politics can’t get rid of all the anxieties that plague us, but the universal programs that Sanders is still making the core of his appeals can free us of many of them. And it can also help us dream again.

Sanders was lifted into the middle class by the sacrifices of his parents, but also by public schools (including a tuition-free year at Brooklyn College) and rent controls. Like millions of immigrant families, his parents wanted something as simple as a home of their own – not the power to exploit others, or to become billionaires, but enough resources to look after their children and achieve a little more than their parents had.

These dreams are personal, but the way to achieve them is political. Sanders reminded us this weekend of why he struggles, and why we should struggle with him.


https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/mar/06/bernie-sanders-personal-story

This is a good read.

[CrossingTheRubicon]

1. Bernie Sanders personal message:

“I came from a family who knew all too well the frightening power employers can have over everyday workers.”

What was his takeaway from the frightening prospect of working for a living?

That dog won't hunt.

[bahrbearian]

2. "Give me a break"