Canary In A Coal Mine

I am sitting here and wondering if there any way that Canadians or other foreign 'Berniecrats' can help support the Brand New Congress (BNC), a movement within the Democratic Party to get grassroots non-establishment non-corporate candidates to shun big money and listen to the people, all of them. We are your closest neighbor, and I believe that Canada and the US will both thrive with a true Liberal Progressive government. I will absolutely not violate any laws or restriction on PAC donations from non-American citizens. I can however donate time and energy - phone banking or getting the word out in other ways. As a Registered Nurse, I am thrilled to see the BNC reaching out to those in the Healthcare field who have seen the problems of the uninsured and underinsured first- hand.

Canada, and much of the allied world, is incensed with the current political climate in the US. Though our elected leaders have to be careful and diplomatic about the words they use, the majority of Canadians chose as their Prime Minister a man with one of the most progressive agendas we have seen on the current political stage. We chose a Populist leader too, but we were very lucky. It is shocking to me that the DNC did not predict this wave of populism, while at the same time it doesn't surprise me at all. The DNC should have paid more attention to what was going on in the 51st State (aka Canada). Justin Trudeau was not an accident, people wanted change. While they are still sorting it all out on the legislature side, no one truly fears our leader and his ability to lead all Canadians, even those who did not want his government.

They stopped listening to the electorate, stopped checking in with their base and were apparently blindsided by the low turnout, anger, and frustration of the people.

I need to find a sort of FAQ with ideas that non-American Progressive advocates can pursue in the hopes of seeing a more decent, honest, informed and worthy candidate in line for the POTUS. I think most Americans will be fixated on having better presidential candidates in the future, regardless of policy or party. Just like the majority of Democrats, I honestly think that voters on both sides were motivated by who they 'didn't like' more than they want to admit at the moment. Buyers remorse will begin to settle in rather quickly when President-elect Trump ignores the very working class that put him in office. He can't bring back jobs that efficient robots have replaced, he will repeal the affordable care act and leave in it's place a gaping vacuum, and he can't force anyone into bringing back foreign assets to be taxed. The Republicans will never punish corporate America or the companies that choose to move their ventures offshore or across borders.

It is going to be brutal for a while and it's going to take some time but we need to move beyond the blame game, it keeps our energy in the past. I am still working through it, it takes time to get over what for many was a shocking outcome. We all need to use our voices to let the DNC know that their reign of elitist corporate puppets is over and the people are ready, able, and willing to take their party and country back from the hands of a man and his Republican Enablers who supported a man who stands for everything and nothing at the same time.

So I ask the corporate media shills, can you see him now?

This horrid election season gives me hope that the DNC and its candidates will smarten up and not allow this to happen again. Superdelegates and the current DNC chosen by the party have to go; they forced Clinton on the voters, not the other way around and that's why they lost. They stopped listening to the electorate, stopped checking in with their base, and were apparently blindsided by the low turnout, anger, and frustration of the people. Progressive got it right all along, and they are still correct in the light of all that's happened.

I am thinking of all my American friends and family constantly, but I have hope that in two years the new Democrats will get this right and begin to flip the House/Senate. In four years the job of the Presidency will be filled by the most popular President America has ever seen, if the DNC does this right. I really believe this will galvanize future voters and generations to take elections more seriously and use their voting privileges regardless of party preference. That is a good thing for a true Democracy. More voices, not less, are needed now and in the future to steer the US in the right direction. The next two years will be a painful cautionary tale, but America will bounce back stronger and better if they learn their lessons and embrace the power of community. Kids growing up today will understand the seriousness of future elections, they have access to information that we never did, they are savvy and will not easily fooled by another hateful conman-in-chief. Just pray and/or protest all decisions that will destroy our climate and environment - that can't be undone. Everything else can be fixed or negotiated. We know better now so we can be better in the future, that is an incredibly important lesson to take away from this election. Bernie Sanders was the "Canary in the Coal Mine" of American politics and the DNC treated him like a joke. Now Americans have a dangerous joke as a president. Way to break America DNC, you couldn't have planned for a worse outcome. So I ask the corporate media shills, CAN YOU SEE HIM NOW?

Education For All

Those who still see socialism as an image of 'cold war' Soviet Union era government corruption haven't gotten the memo.  In the early eighties we saw images on our televisions of people lining up to buy scarce resources like toilet paper. We confuse socialism' with 'Communism', a regime that was corrupt, closed off from the rest of the world, and hopelessly lacking in all social supports. Real socialism is not about the suppression of capitalism, isolationist nationalism, and it isn't about state controlled media. Nor is socialism it about everyone going without, particularly everyone who is not part of an elite and controlling government regime.

The so-called 'Socialism' seen in the former Soviet Union, North Korea, or Cuba is not the same socialist democracy that US Senator Bernie Sanders has been speaking of as he successfully spread his message of ensuring all member of society to have access to basic Human Rights. Bernie speaks of socialism in terms of some of the most successful social programs in US history.  The right to a living wage, the right to Universal Healthcare, Social Security, the right to a livable environment, and the right to have equal access to education.

Today I want to discuss the notion of Education as a social institution, something that we find perfectly acceptable for the nation's children, but many seem to think must end after public high-school.  Why this arbitrary cut-off occurs as young adults are poised to either continue with higher education, or enter the workforce is telling. Those without post-secondary education are most likely to work in dead-end service jobs, find little to no room for advancement, and are equipped with fewer tools for carving out small business endeavors. This is a widely known connection, I am not telling anyone anything new. So why do we end the socialist education program we credit with making America an educated super-power at the arbitrary cut-off point of high-school?

While Republicans, Regressionists, and Centrist Democrats fail to see the Progressive movement as more than just pie-in-the-sky load of 'free stuff'' for moochers, and laugh off Progressive concepts as more than 'unicorns' and 'rainbow' dreams, no one has discussed the fact that by creating taxpayers and tax-paying jobs, you create a self-funding system. It may take time, but a self-sustaining post-secondary education system is just one of the many benefits of taxpayer funded education initiatives.

Bernie Sanders clarified the issue with no-nonsense practical language. In April 2015, Sanders stated his position thusly, "higher education should be a right".  If an individual is qualified, willing, and able to achieve higher education, that person should have a path to achieve certification or a degree without having to dive into a sea of debt to do it.  No one is suggesting that all applicants should be given a cost-free Ivy League education, but state-run colleges and universities should remain accessible to those willing to put in the time and effort, and that education needs to be of a competitive quality.  This is what socialism really is about, giving everyone the same opportunity to advance, the same empowerment and chance of success, without being penalized for lacking the financial means to do so.

There will always be the cost of administration fees, reading materials, education tools, housing, and food for the socialist post-secondary student. What we need to ensure is that any fees are reasonable, that they are competitive, and that they don't penalize an individual and threaten their future well being by saddling them with endless student debt.

The more educated a person is, the more able they are to participate in the workforce, the more likely they are to have a positive effect on the economy. Other countries, such as Finland, fully cover all education costs for their citizens, and as a result have higher rates of innovation, quality of life, and stable economies. No country has reached the perfect balance of funding all social programs while keeping more money in taxpayer pockets, but there is a great argument to be made that the net gains will always outweigh any losses. Over time, a well educated and engaged population can find ways to better manage the allocation of social resources to eliminate redundancy, and to further improve outcomes. It takes a whole lot of guts to flip the system on it's head and offer more social services to those who have been left out or left behind. It may seem like a losing idea, but Bernie Sanders and other progressive voices are paving the way for enough people to take the 'socialist' plunge.

Are We 'Progressives' or 'Regressives'?

Yesterday I read the actual Republican Party Platform as posted online, just for kicks. As I was reading through an endless list of punchy titles (I actually physically recoiled several times), it struck me just how un-American this document seems. So many barely veiled religious references, the discussion of removing essential resources from those most in need, I actually has a visceral reaction to what I was reading. What shocked me most of all was the negative, narrow, limited vision of what America could be.

The third paragraph of the GOP platform 'preamble' states in no uncertain terms the "the American dream is at risk." This is followed by reams of positions that seem to be entirely regressive, not just a matter of maintaining the status quo. For instance, the platform seeks to eradicate abortion access, ban pornography, and return to a traditional judeo-christian definition of marriage as that between a man and a woman exclusively. In the same vein it seeks to reduce taxation on corporations as a means of remaining globally competitive, preventing something the GOP refers to as debt explosion, while at the same time suggesting that it is critical that the United States has a highly trained and skilled workforce. I'm not sure if the GOP missed the memo about the state of the student debt crisis, but they apparently think that highly trained and skilled workers evolve in an education vaccum. Does that even resemble the American anyone wants, knows, or loves? I doubt many dictatorships could top this initial 'wish list'. It seems so backwards that I can only say it is the exact opposite of a progressive way of thinking, it is infact a regressive way of thinking and acting.

Out of fairness, I also looked into the Democratic Party Platform. Here the difference are stark just in the choice of words and the broad range of ideas and issues presented. For instance, the Democratic document speaks of "too many being left out or left behind" in the current political climate. I think all Americans can identify with that sentiment, which is why candidates like Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders hold so much appeal as outsiders. The platform focuses more on ways to help America achieve the so-called 'American Dream', as opposed to stressing that the concept is under attack. With the help of Bernie Sanders guiding the platform in a progressive direction, one at least feels somewhat hopeful when coming away from the document, even if they note (rightly so) that it is still not progressive or proactive enough. It's not that I am all about an exclusively progressive outlook for the Democratic Party of the future, but currently I am caught by just the differences in tone. This is not about the presidential candidates, it's just about the ideas and language in the document as presented. While reading this second document, I came away with a very different feeling.

America is not about one side of the aisle or the other, it's about the very best of ideas coming together. I understand the two-party system, the checks and balances, and that no single party has yet managed to achieve an entirely 'utopian' [if we take their platforms to be a model] society. The red team wins some games, sometimes it is the blue team. The balance is what we see today, it is 'western' culture, this mix of ideals and ideas. However, what happens when this system breaks down? 

What if, let's imagine for a moment,  the blue team uses steroids or other performance enhancing drugs, and the red team does not (or vice versa), would we be ok with that? You can easily see these 'influences' as a matter of the moneyed interest driving candidates to vote against their constituents interests. What if it happened for eight years in a row. America would look very different, as it always does, when a two-term President with a majority house and senate leaves office.

Human Beings are fascinating creatures when you think about the way we form societies. For example, the power of the US Supreme Court is pivotal for shaping policy and precedents. We need to recognize our own limitations, but also give ourselves enough credit for having the bravery to reach higher and be better. This wired-in world is so different from the one that I was met with back in the early 1970s. With information comes knowledge, knowledge bringing empowerment, it gives us a more realistic picture of the actual urgency and priority of issues.

So if we have any one party with an eight year stranglehold on government, eventually a lot on their wish list is brought forward for debate. Let's step away from the American two-party system, and open the doors to other parties, independents like Bernie Sanders, and imagine how remarkable these debates would be if instead of just two teams on the field, we see a round-robin tourney of multiple viewpoints representing the nuanced positions that real people, the voters in this case, care about. That is where ideas like the Brand New Congress hold great appeal for those who can see beyond the two-party system. Even if the small handful of independents or third parties in congress can't sway the vote, at least their positions can be heard and evaluated by the people. That is the America I want to see, the America that the people deserve, and the America that is bound in the living breathing document that is the United States Constitution. So the question we should really be asking is not if we are Democrat or Republican, but are we Progressive or Regressive as a society.

Pro-Birth, Pro-Life, or Pro-Choice: My Truth About Abortion

Recently, as I regularly do, I left a comment on a facebook post by Senator Bernie Sanders, a man I admire greatly. In this particular post, Sanders made a very personal statement about his religion and family history. He was likely motivated by the DNC Wikileaks documents that questioned his religion and beliefs, something that should never matter in a country that claims a separation of Church and State. I was disgusted by this cruel 'tactic' to take down a decent man who wants to serve his country in the most selfless way. This post was extremely moving for me. I also identify as culturally Jewish, I was raised that way, and even though I am not religious in my adult life, I still am Jewish in every other way. That's why I felt the need to leave a comment;

My response had me in tears, out of respect for Bernie Sanders and for my own lost heritage, for the man he is and the way he inspires me. I wrote;


Every child and grandchild of the survivors of the Holocaust, and every other act of genocide known to history [and modern times] is proud to stand with you Bernie Sanders and fight for a world where everyone valued for who they are and their right to simply live in peace and raise their children in safety and love. My grandfather was the only survivor of his immediate family too, but for a single cousin who found her home in Michigan. He came to Canada and never heard from his large family of sisters, brothers, their spouses and children, his parents, his whole community again. They lie in a mass grave for simply being Jews, and it still breaks my heart and makes me cry to think of all that lost potential, all the cruelty, humiliation, and the hatred that pitted neighbor against neighbor in the maelstrom of racism, fear and divisive tactics of the Nazi regime. I may not be a practicing Jew in the religious sense, but it is my heritage and my moral compass was set early on when my Zaida, the best man I have ever known, simply loved us and took joy from his grandchildren, never even speaking of the pain and loss, the intolerable cruelty he suffered. He would have loved you Bernie, and I love you, and thank you, for being the very best example of humanity and a true Mensch. You are a blessing to us all.

I didn't actually expect anyone to read it, I am rather verbose. But a few people did comment under mine. The first touched me, the second just pissed me off;

H.A.R. : We all stand with you and within Bernie. We promise we will never let it happen again, never again.

M.A. : If he's such a great guy why is he a supporter of the biggest genocide of our time, that being abortion?

Normally, I do not feed the trolls, but this one was so in my Nursing wheelhouse, I could not stop my fingers, and sarcasm, from flying across my keyboard.

"M.A. He doesn't support 'abortion', pro-abortion is not a thing. No sane person sits around saying, 'damn, there are just not enough abortions happening'. Bernie supports a woman's right to make her own educated decisions about what is right for her person. A decision based on personal religious, ethical, and moral beliefs and what is best for her physical and mental health in the moment. It is called being Pro-Choice. That choice is overwhelming to continue a pregnancy to term. In the rare case where a woman decides that termination of pregnancy is best for her, she will also be given legal access to that medical intervention.

The decision is that of the person in possession of the gravid uterus and any other person(s) she wishes to include, most often a spouse, partner, family member. Very few women make this decision hastily, they are asked to sign explicit consent forms before having any procedure, which include an explanation about any medical risks, future health concerns, and even a very explicit description of the procedure. She can still change her mind at any time until the actual procedure is initiated. Please note, in almost every State, women must be of legal age to obtain an abortion [without the consent of a parent], they must be within the first trimester of the pregnancy.

In Canada, and I suspect it is similar in the US, if a woman is past her first trimester she often cannot end a viable pregnancy without making an application to a medical ethics board that will evaluate her case. No doctors are mandated to perform the various procedures if their religious or ethical beliefs are in conflict with a woman's request or the ethics board."

But this whole issue has been spinning in my mind since I first responded to M.A. [name withheld to protect the ignorant]. What really pisses me off is this extreme anti-abortion position. Firstly, the term Genocide is not to be used lightly, and it certainly has nothing to do with an elective medical procedure. Genocide refers specifically to the deliberate murder of persons from a particular religion or ethnic group. Secondly, men are certainly entitled to their opinions about a woman's right to choose, but until you have a uterus and are in the position of having no options but to carry a pregnancy to term, even if it will be stillborn or unable to live outside the womb, you don't get to tell me what to do with my body. Most rational men understand this is a very personal issue for a woman and her family.

Those who profess to be militantly pro-life, or anti-abortion, baffle me in their absolute fervor and even violent protests. I respect everyone's right to their own opinions, moral or religious beliefs, but as a nurse who works in High Risk Obstetrics, I have been in the position where I have cared for a family facing the most difficult decision they may ever have to make, the choice to terminate a pregnancy because of a severe genetic or developmental condition. It is heart wrenching to watch a family both welcome and say goodbye to a life they very much love and want. It is not my place to judge these women, these families of varied cultures, religions, and beliefs; no one has that right. I have held tiny fragile stillborns, made handprints and footprints that will be treasured forever, and cried with families while the hospital chaplain said a blessing for them and the tiny dream that wasn't meant to be. It is emotional work and it is meaningful work, and it is important.

But there is more to the pro-life position that bothers me, and that is the sheer hypocrisy that lies in the name of this so-called 'movement'. If you are truly pro-life, that means all life, not just the un-born, but the living children in your own community. The children living at or below the poverty line, those attending sub-par schools, those who need school lunches because there is no food at home. If you are so very pro-life you should be anti-gun proliferation, anti-war, and fight for the rights of children across the country. You should get actively involved by becoming a foster parent, adopting a child in need of a loving home, or just volunteering your time working with kids in need.

What do we see instead? We see that Conservatives and the GOP, the 'family values' party, those who claim to be 'good' Christians, are the ones who want to make safe medical termination of pregnancy almost non-existent in America. The current Republican Party Nominee for President has said that there should be 'punishment' for those who seek legal abortions. These same political actors are the ones who refuse to stop the sale of guns to those on the Terrorist Watch List. In the US, they are gutting school lunch programs, refusing to consider Parental Leave allowances, actively trying to repeal accessible healthcare, and make radical cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program. In my opinion, this is absolutely not a pro-life position. In truth, it is a pro-birth position.

Pro-birth is a much more accurate name for this system of beliefs. They want all women to carry all pregnancies to term, and once that child is born, they expect it to be raised in a social justice vacuum. These 'good' GOP Christians pass judgement and point fingers, shaming the very families that they have let down, calling them 'Takers', 'Welfare Queens', or worse. Currently there are close to 400,000 children living without permanent families in the foster care system. Over 100,000 of these children are eligible for adoption, but nearly 32% of these children will wait over three years in foster care before being adopted [1].

This by no means applies to all persons who have a religious or moral issue with abortion, it is a very hot button issue, very personal, very private. It does however apply to those who are trying to 'suck' and 'blow' at the same time. In one breath suggesting they are trying to protect the sanctity of life, and with the next cutting the social programs that new mothers and families desperately need to care for that new life. It is not only un-American, it is devoid of any humanity, any sense of propriety, and is absolutely contradictory to the pro-life narrative.

Bernie Sanders Has Brought Us Closer to "One Day"

Bernie Sanders will be talked about by future generations the same way people talk about Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., Eleanor Roosevelt, and other transformative figures in history. I believe this, and I am teaching my young nieces and nephew about how inspiring Bernie is. Bernie Sanders, his delegates, supporters, and each person that donated their time, talents, and passion to get Bernie's message out to the world have started a progressive revolution and reengaged countless numbers of disaffected voters. Our "One Day" will come, I believe in humanity, and Bernie is bringing us closer to that dream because he is such a decent man.

Matisyahu has been a curiosity to me since I first caught a performance on a random late-night show some time in 2006. Here was a man who was clearly comfortable with his personal beliefs, and who wrote songs that reverberated in my heart. It had nothing to do with his religion, he was saying things that I needed to hear, thing that matter to all of us. It is rare for someone coming from a traditionally close-knit Orthodox Jewish upbringing to move into public life, it is more rare when he sings, beatboxes, and has a remarkable reggae sensibility. Whatever personal journey Matisyahu is on at the moment, his music has always been remarkable.

I am not a religious person, I have no problem with people who are, who believe in a god or a higher power, that is the beauty of living in a democracy. I do not find prayer to be an answer to real scientific problems, I don't think it solves financial disasters, nor do I feel it is an absolute good. We know too much of the history of organized religion, and any ''holy scripture' can be manipulated to justify the most vicious and violent atrocities. I believe in the golden rule, that humans are overwhelmingly decent and good, and that we have more in common than not. I believe that positivity can overcome tremendous odds. I believe in the power of inspirational voices. When someone I know is hurting, I send them my most positive energy, my support, and my love, because to me those things are real.

I recently was sent a link to a video of an adorable young musical couple, YoNina, baby in arms, doing an acapella version of Matisyahu's "One Day" in a Carpool Karaoke moment [don't freak out, they were in a parked vehicle]. The words of the song really resonated with me as if I had never heard them before. I heard a song of peace, love, hope, and unity - and I thought of Bernie Sanders. Bernie, I want thank you for bringing us all closer to "One Day". We can get to that day, but only if we continue to make our voices heard. Matisyahu says it succinctly in this song. "One day this all will change, Treat people the same, Stop with the violence, Down with the hate".

Dragonette Talked Me Into It: I'm With Her (I Guess)

I have a number of issues with the slogan "I'm With Her". First, in a largely two-party system, almost everyone is either with the Blue Team or the Red Team. Hillary Clinton is currently with the Purple Team. Also, when you are trying to stop a Neo-Fascist Egomaniac from taking office in any capacity, millions are adding the silent "I Guess" to the end of the slogan. It also seems to be written to give women, the same women who are still not earning equal wages, the guilt trip about daring to vote for anyone other than a 'Her'. Let me be clear, it is long past time that women should have to justify voting for a not 'Her', particularly if the "Her" is a problematic candidate to say the least.

I have a brain that easily gets pulled in tangential thinking. It might start with an image or a voice, something I read, 10 steps later I find myself rushing to sample music the moment some random lyric comes to mind. You know what they say about those songs that get stuck in your head and drive you up one wall and down another. I know if I don't make a point of jotting it down, it may be lost again for a while. Today I caught a whisper of 'I Get Around' by Dragonette.

Dragonette hails from my hometown in Toronto, and have some brilliant electronic music. Their first studio album Galore lent itself to some of my favorite remixes. One in particular is featured below, a digital download remix by Australia's Midnight Juggernauts. The 2007 remix is pure pop and fun, but the song is actually about a woman who 'gets around', unapologetic and comfortable with her sexualtiy, but clearly suggests that she will "say yes when I ought to say no". All I can say is girl, you do you, be safe, you are my sister. I doubt Dragonette ever imagined that this particular song would inspire this response, or if they would even agree to my interpretation of it.

The lyrics that made me finally say "I'm With Her" (I guess) are all through this catchy tune. But in particular, the following;

The radio alarm clock is set for soon, I know your friends and you know mine too. You don't tell on me, I won't tell on you. I get around

Put a little lipstick back on my face. Blow a little kiss to you from the doorway. Walk the hall right past the staircase. Here I come when I better go.

I say "Yes" when I ought to say "No"

I say "Yes" when I ought to say "No"

I say "Yes"

I say "Yes"

I say "Yes"

I say "Yes"

I say "Yes"

Say "Yes"

Say "Yeah"

Allow me to explain. I am not an American citizen, I am not voting in your election, I can't. But if I could, if I had to face the reality of explaining to my child why America allowed Donald J. Trump to become President, I would go and get in line to cast my vote for "Not Donald Trump". Unfortunately, that means electing someone who hardly walks the walk of a Progressive Democrat. That is a hard call for those that do have a vote to cast.

Hillary Clinton, the time has come, the alarm clock is ticking. I know what nasty, unethical, and illegal things some of your 'friends' have done, and you know what the Progressives and Bernie supporters are willing to do to get the right people into office, those are my friends. If you screw Bernie Sanders over, there will be a revolution like you have never seen, if you do the right things by the American people, all of them, even the one who didn't fund your campaign, then we will give you a chance to prove us wrong. 

Historically, a woman putting on her lipstick was her way of saying "this woman is ready to face the world, bring it on". But lipstick isn't just for the gals anymore, anyone can work it. So I am ready to put on my metaphorical lipstick, my kiss from the doorway is my promise to never let Trump win this election if I have any power to stop him, my promise to future generations never to let this piece of history repeat itself.

So I say "Yes" to her I guess, just like in the song, when I ought to say no. When my heart isn't really with "Her", when my trust isn't with "Her" either. I say yes, yeah, I suppose. Because I do not believe Hillary Clinton is a psychopath, because I do not believe she is evil or a racist, and I do not believe every ridiculous conspiracy aimed at her by her Republican opponents. But I do believe she has been so focused on becoming the POTUS, particularly since her 2008 failure to secure the nomination, that she has used every legal and illegal loophole to fund her campaign and that her absolute resolve to become the Democratic Candidate has meant a huge slide towards a centrist agenda and willfully (with the help of 'friends') orchestrating the elimination of any challenger. This is well documented fact, as we learned from the Wikileaks bombshell last weekend, and can be seen in the way Clinton has funded her campaign. We all know where this is headed. So a song has talked me into putting on my big girl pants and fighting for 'Not Trump', which means I say "Yes" even when everything in my being is screaming "No". Wake me up when November comes.

Dear Bernie Sanders Supporters & Progressives Everywhere

Dear America,

As a Canadian looking on, let me first say that I adore Bernie Sanders, he is my conscious and my heart in human form, and it hurts to see that anyone would think he was such a threat to the Democrats and democracy that they had to stoop so low to undermine his campaign. They Democratic Party has destroyed itself, and that is not a bad thing, but in the immediate future, we need to prevent Trump from happening. I say this with full love and respect to all my fellow Bernie supporters, you have been wronged, but your hours of work, your financial investment on behalf of his campaign, and your passion have not been for nothing.

Bernie Sanders has got people woke to a Progressive movement that we need more than ever. While people feel that they cannot in good conscious vote for Hillary Clinton, I fully understand and would be in your same boat. But while the United States of America may survive a Trump presidency, the environment and the disenfranchised can not. Do whatever you need to do to be right with your conscious, yes, but don't hand over the position of the highest office in your country to a man who is divisive, a fraud, a bully, and thinks climate change is a hoax. He will make the world far less safe and livable for future generations around the world.

The so freshly abused and humiliated Bernie Sanders supporters need time to grieve the loss of a beautiful thing that united so many for all the right reasons. Grief is different for each and every one of us, but most importantly, we need to recognise that it takes time to move through the stages of grief when we are ready. Some may never be ready to vote for Hillary Clinton, and that is OK with me. But we must hold the Democrats to their promises to Bernie, his supporters, and to the left-leaning additions in the new Democratic Party Platform. Vote for Progressives you have vetted up and down the ticket, take back the house and senate from those who refuse to represent the people, and never let the movement Bernie Sanders brought to the people of world end until the work is done. We are better than Trump or Clinton, we are better than an out of touch government, but we can't stop now. If those fighting to end segregation had given up after their biggest setbacks, we would still be fighting for the most basic human rights in American today.

So yes, beloved Bernie supporters, you have done amazing things, you have worked harder than others will ever realise, your time and financial investments have not been wasted on me or the millions of people you have reached with your message and movement, in both the US and worldwide. I grieve with you, I stand with you, I still hope with you that real change can happen in my lifetime. I see you, your hopes and dreams, your right to quality affordable health care and debt free education, a sustainable clean environment, to a livable minimum wage, to giving a hand up and not a hand out, to freedom of religion, a right to practise cultural traditions with pride and not fear, to reform your for-profit prisons and to decriminalise addiction, to stop throwing money at a 'military solution' that solves nothing, to give everyone access to automatic voter registration, to bring back the opportunity and promise of the country you are trying really hard to love and make better. 

I see the pain you are in, the abuse you have taken, and the humiliation of the very best example of true humanity, Bernie Sanders. Grieve this moment, the world grieves with you, and then get mad as heck, and never accept anything less than your conscious will allow. The time for making bargains with the DNC is over, a new movement has been born, and you need to raise this Progressive baby to be a part of the American political landscape from this point forward. Be it Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Green Party, or a new Progressive party founded on the movement a truly great man, Bernie Sanders, has sacrificed and fought for his whole life. 

When the grief and despair ends, and you are ready to fight once more, do it for Bernie, for all his supporters, for future generations, for those who cannot fight for themselves, for the Progressives around the world that Bernie has inspired, and for those not yet awake.

Sincerely,
The International Progressive Community You Have Inspired

Trump vs Clinton: A Democratic Disaster

Myles Dyer breaks down the "Democratic Disaster" that is the current political scene in America. This is a must-watch video that will give you a moment of clarity. Myles recognizes that we all have been disenfranchised, and that it is absolutely essential that Bernie Sanders supporters are treated with respect and understanding, not derision and dismissal.

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Lisa Ann Magerman

Debbie Wasserman Schultz is 'Stepping Down', Eventually

Image: truthinmedia.com

It's the eve of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, PA and as the sane world awaits any indication that the American two-party political system is still relevant, the chickens have come home to roost for one unlucky Democrat. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the Democratic National Committee chair and Congressperson from the state of Florida, has finally amazed all her many critics, those from within the Democratic Party, and those looking on, by doing the only thing she could to attempt to mend the shattered image of DNC. Wasserman Schultz is 'stepping down' as the DNC Chair at the end of this week's DNC Convention.

Wasserman Schultz has been exposed as having some degree of dishonorable participation in the Democratic Primary process that appeared to highly favor former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the coveted Presidential ticket. This is hardly a bombshell bit of news for the Clinton campaign, as Wasserman Schultz was perhaps best known as the Co-Chair of Hillary Clinton's failed 2008 run for the Presidential Nomination. After the release of over 20,000 private documents regarding the committee's activities in the lead up to, and during, the 2016 Primaries, particularly with an eye to discrediting former Clinton opponent Senator Bernie Sanders, Wasserman Schultz could no longer shrug off the accusation that many Sanders supporters have been alleging since his campaign began in April of 2015. The so called "DNCLeaks" scandal was precisely the last thing the Democrats needed on the eve of convention, and that is precisely why the documents were released just this past week after the fear mongering paranoia show called the Republican National Convention.

Already, the Republican Nominee, Donald J. Trump has come out blasting Wasserman Schultz, Clinton, and the DNC for it's 'rigged' game against Bernie Sanders as he again tries to swoop in on Bernie Sanders supporters. While no sane progressive would actually vote for Trump in this election, the man does know how to capitalize on a good dead horse beating when he finds one. Always happy to chip in his negative take on any number of issues, Trump was is good spirits this weekend when interviewed by CNN's regarding the document leak.

What will be most important in the week to come will be the ability of the DNC to put aside ego, put aside finger pointing and hurt feelings, acknowledge where they did a great disservice to Bernie Sanders, the Committee, and the voters. The Clinton Campaign will have to woo many voters back to their cause, to make citizens believe that there is a moral compass within the party. As has been said before, there is perhaps nothing more important that preventing a Trump Presidency, but will the party be able to sway an abused membership, the disenfranchised, and independents alike? It remains to be seen.

The weight is now squarely on the shoulders of the Clinton Campaign, the DNC, and those speaking at this week's Convention in Philly, to unite this deeply fractured party if they expect to have any positive momentum to carry them into the polls in November of this year. While this win for Bernie Sanders supporters is cold comfort after the fact, it does throw the Democratic Party's nomination and primary process into question, questions that will need to be addressed in the very near future.  For now, Wasserman Schultz will no longer have her coveted speaking slot at the Convention, which begins tomorrow and will run through till Thursday, July 28th.