I am a medically disabled 60 year old woman and longtime passionate follower of Daily Kos. I listen to many cable news shows (MSNBC) and read all I can online. It is very moving to listen to Bernie Sanders’ promises of social revolution involving breaking up Wall Street Banks and getting trading fees to pay for free college educations. But I don’t see how he can do any of it without a Democratic majority in both Houses of Congress. Even then there would be substantial resistance. I admire his record and I hope to see him continue to politically agitate until his advanced age renders it undoable.
I had to stop working in 2008 and was put on Social Security Disability. As a result I have limited resources for a much longer life. I am not able to work, and even blogging takes a lot out of me.
I can’t afford to lose my Disability benefits, and it is very clear (unless you live in an unbelievably blind state of denial) that any newly elected Republican president would proceed to dismantle Social Security as per the directive of their corporate masters. The 11 million of us on Social Security Disability would be sitting ducks and not sorely missed. Hundreds of Americans in need cannot get SS Disability benefits because the rules are so draconian. Contrary to urban myth it is very difficult to get Social Security Disability. And the younger the age at which you start, the harder it is to be kept on it. Tens of thousands pass away in anonymity because they couldn’t get the benefits and they had no family to help. I would not like to end up like that.
That’s why I need to vote for Hillary Clinton to be president. Bernie is a great motivational speaker, but if I want to continue to eat I need someone who has a fighting chance to protect Social Security by actually getting successfully elected and then also by successfully fencing with a perpetually divided Congress. Like I said, if a Republican gets elected it’s over for us on disability. Political success is largely determined by influence and leverage. Even if large numbers of people want to vote for Bernie Sanders’ ideas, they need to understand that ideas need real power to manifest. Just because presidential candidates promise to do this or that, it’s mostly hot air. Presidents have little power on their own and are not high priests who can ensure an entirely new paradigm will be successfully accepted by Congress. Are these idealistic voters going to work hard to get a majority Democratic House of Reps and Senate? I kind of doubt it. Americans like to vote for Messiahs. It feels cleaner and more self-righteous. Did those feelings last with Obama?
I feel comfortable with Hillary Clinton’s experience and professional leverage. I can find a certain portion of hope for a longer life with her leadership. Not because she has titillating charisma or messianic impetus, but because she is a real politician with impressive professional leverage and has a voting record I can review.
Give me Hillary! or I will get death.