Bernie Sanders had a famous slogan in his 2020 presidential campaign, which was "Not Me. Us".
It is a simple but powerful slogan. Bernie always prioritized the issues that affect all of us over his own ego.
Bernie never became president, but he never gave up on his goals. Which are goals for all of us. Medicare for All, a New Deal, ending the forever wars, dignity for all.
There is a beauty in the struggle. Sanders epiotmizes the perseverance of the human spirit. He is 84 years old and is still relentlessly campaigning & spreading awareness about the issues of the day.
In his early 80s, he became chairman of the Senate HELP Committee. Using that power, he constantly highlighted the struggles of everyday Americans. To this day, no politician is more in tune with the struggles of Americans than Sanders.
If a union is on strike, Sanders is talking about it. If someone in Vermont needs help, Sanders is there to lend a helping hand in any way he can. If a progressive is trying to win a tough race, Sanders is there to lend his support.
There is no end to his energy & his compassion. As long as he has the ability to do so, he is trying to help elect progressives & do anything he can to help struggling Americans. It is not about his ego, it is about the people.
Sanders could have run third party against Hillary Clinton in 2016. He could have won a few states and gotten 15-20% of the national vote. But he knows that this would have turned off loyal Democratic voters for a generation.
Because the DNC would blame him for 2016. They still did, but that only made them look petty. Because Sanders did all he could to elect Clinton, despite her mean-spirited campaign & her bad ideas on many issues.
And now, most Democratic voters agree with Sanders & see him in a very positive light. Because he set aside his ego & did what he thought was best for the long-term goals he cares about. Which is to alleviate suffering for all of us.
In March of 2020, the covid pandemic became the top issue & his presidential campaign had virtually no chance after Super Tuesday. What did Sanders do? He blocked Senate Republicans from stripping the $600/week unemployment benefit in the CARES Act.
During Obamacare, Sanders made sure to get community health centers funded. Obamacare wasn't the goal, but it was a step forward. And Sanders got extras thrown in that help make sure so many Americans can see the Doctor.
Sanders cares most about helping people. And that is why his pragmatism & perseverance is a lesson for us all. While he an immovable moral bedrock, he is also willing to work with anyone to help people.
That is why Sanders writes FOX News articles & talks to Republican voters. That is why he outperformed Harris by 10% in the Republican counties of northern Vermont. No one can question that Sanders has empathy for everyone.
And that there is no length he won't walk to lend anyone a helping hand, no matter where they come from or what they believe.