Hello Hivians! Hivers? (Is that what we're doing?)
I know the world is in a mess right now, but today it got messier, at least for many in the US like myself. Bernie Sanders has dropped out of the Presidential race, assumingly to give VP Biden the best possible chance at winning in November, which honestly, he will probably need all the help he can get.
I don't believe I've ever posted about politics on here before, but I felt the need to share a few thoughts as well as I'd like to once again hear the thoughts from around the world that the Hive community can provide.
A little background on my history with Bernie Sanders. I was following him for quite a few years before he became known worldwide in 2015 by announcing his bid for president. He stood out because he was talking about the important issues that so many others were ignoring, and the more you listened to what he said, the more sense he made. And then the more you dug into his past, the more consistent you found him to be, that these weren't just fad topics he had just adopted to gain attention or win votes, but these were issues he has been fighting most of his life, long before they were ever even close to mainstream in some cases. And consistency like this is extremely rare, especially in American politics. Fast forward a bit, and I went to my first political rally here in Boston to see Bernie Sanders in person, and it was an amazing experience. I phonebanked for him and donated to help as much as I could in 2016, but the deck was stacked against him. I did more this year, I even went to New Hampshire to knock on doors in freezing cold weather to help Bernie win.
With that brief summary out of the way, today as most know, he ended his campaign. I have a mix of emotions, between anger and frustration, sadness and fear. I feel as once again Bernie was sabotaged and weakened by pretty much all sides, but you expect the right wing to push that agenda, but not once again for the DNC to push their agenda. Well, I mean you do kind of expect it at this point, but that doesn't make it any better. And I fear that this will lead to the souring of American Politics even more to those who had already lost hope, but found it again in Bernie, that this will forever prove that an honest man for the people cannot and shall not win the White House, so why bother? Which I also fear will lead to another 4 years of Trump.
And I'll be honest, as I felt in 2016, a small part of me feels that again that if Trump wins, good. You got what you deserve. But at this point, the damage is too much, the risk is too high, for another 4 years of his presidency. There is too much at stake, so I will, and I urge others to vote for Biden, because it's honestly our only chance at this point to stop the incalculable damage another 4 years can and will bring.
With that said, what are your thoughts? Let me know where you're from and what your view of what has been happening in American politics is, let me know if you think it matters much or not, and how you feel that it effects you. And of course I expect this won't be an issue, but just to be on the safe side, let's keep this civil, factual, and intellectual.
Thank you,
Sean Gold