The inevitability of Bernie Sanders

Bernie Sanders, toe-to-toe with Hillary Clinton in the New Hampshire debate.

©By Scott Sines

At this point it doesn’t seem to matter who wins the Republican Primary. If America is honest with itself Bernie Sanders will be the next President.

The country is angry and Bernie is angry for many of the same reasons. National polls (leave your Trump jokes out of it) tell us large majorities of Americans think the economy and job creation are the most important election issues. Following are health care and terrorism.

Issues that have proven intractable such as abortion or gun control fall far behind. The nation apparently is resigned to mass shootings because we can’t even talk about gun regulation. Abortion rights will continue to divide us because of the zealotry and litmus tests coming from both sides.

It’s tired. Many Americans want to move on. Reading through the polling data the message is loud and clear. The majority of the country wants to focus on issues they feel they can do something about and have lasting benefits. And only Bernie Sanders can claim to be running a pulse of the nation campaign.

He hammers away with innovative, if unconventional, thoughts on economic development and job growth, the two issues polling data tell us are top of mind in the country. He plans to grow the economy with an infusion of energetic, fresh talent with new ideas.

Imagine the productivity pay equality across gender and race would bring to the economy. If it’s true that when you need something done “… give it to busy woman” then let’s put more them to work. Offer them an even money deal for their talent. If the money is the same families get to choose who is the breadwinner and who is the bread maker. The dynamic can only increase productivity overall. The U.S. wouldn’t be the first to recognize the economic potential of pay equality. New Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has “… proclaimed a goal to fill 30% of leadership positions in Japan with women by 2020.”

Imagine the innovation unleashed by unshackling our highly educated young people from excessive student debt caused by state and federal funding cuts to higher education. The policy decisions that created the debt situation played out high over their heads but no matter our kids are paying the freight for decisions made by the grownups. It’s wrong. Make no mistake young smart people who are paying through the nose for their educations are embracing a grumpy 74 year-old white guy. It’s quite remarkable and we hope they find a booming voice.

It’s a steep hill to climb, the country has never warmed up to any socialist, Democratic or otherwise. Remember the last time the government went after the Commies?

Still, if the Sanders ground game has a strategy to mobilize women and young voters across races Sanders election is inevitable.