I will say it again, Bernie is not my candidate of choice. On March 17th I will be voting for Elizabeth Warren. That being said, I’m fed up with the fear tactics surrounding Bernie and the label Democratic Socialism.
My sons supported Bernie in 2016 and they are supporting him in 2020. I recently shared with them my fear of the boomers historical hatred for anything labeled socialism and how it might lead to another 4 years of Trump. Many boomers equate socialism with communism and growing up in the 40’s and 50’s, communism was the evil of all evils. Just ask Senator McCarthy.
Most millennials associate Democratic Socialism with Nordic countries such as Denmark and Finland. To many of the millennial generation, the strong social safely net provided by these countries is appealing and why wouldn’t it be.
How would you look at the world if getting a college education put you in debt for decades. In 1950, tuition at the University of Pennsylvania was $6,000/year (that is in todays dollars), today tuition at Penn is $55,500/year. A world where unemployment is at a historic low but many people have 3 jobs in order to try to keep their heads above water. Or a world where health care costs take up 20% of your income, student loans take up 20%, and 45% is spent on housing (the dream of owning a home is no longer their reality). Add it up, so far they’ve spent 85% of their income and they haven’t paid for utilities, food, gas, or childcare… let alone saved for retirement or the unexpected emergency. There is certainly not much left over for relaxation and fun.
How would you vote if “big money” and lobbyist created a culture where mass shootings in schools didn’t lead to legislation to protect them. The youngest millennial would have been 2 at the time of the Columbine shootings. There have been 230 school shootings since then (not including shootings at colleges and universities) and the only action that’s been taken is to have “active shooting drills” in school.
How would you vote if investment banks and lobbyists for the fossil fuel industry controlled our politicians and your government agencies at the same time that global warming is a reality. When science is considered evil. Where millions of refugees are fleeing famine, civil war, and violence at the same time nationalism is rearing its ugly head and our (not my) president is building a wall to keep the “other” out.
Boomers, if you do nothing else, just listen to millennials when they tell you about how they view democratic socialism. Look at how they view their future and tell me they are crazy for wanting affordable or free education, health care for all and paid family leave to name a few.
FYI, I am a on the cusp of the boomers and generation X. Maybe that is why I can see it from both sides now. Okay boomers, I’m channeling Joni Mitchell right about now.
Joni Mitchell’s Both Sides Now
A recent Facebook post shows Bernie being arrested for peacefully protesting segregation in Chicago in 1963. Notice the label “commie”.
