THANK YOU BERNIE!

Yep, I voted the first morning of early voting in my community.

Yep, I voted for Bernard Sanders, not because I need access to a free education, I already had that, not because I want free hand outs, certainly not because I am looking for a boyfriend as was claimed early on in the campaign, and not because Bernie is the most charming of them all, although I do find him endearing and find it amazing that he is not more pissed off, but manages to stay civil and on point even during idiotic interviews and irrelevant questioning and unfair coverage through most of his campaign.

I even got to get a peek of the real man when he came to Santa Fe on very short notice and gave a speech in a hall filled to capacity on a Friday afternoon, when most were committed to work, yet still hundreds like me outside the hall that got treated to an impromptu greeting by the couple and not so short of a speech by Bernie. This was my first sighting and attendance of an event of a presidential nominee. 8 years earlier I attempted to attend Barack Obama's event in the evening, but a very long line of cars made it impossible, we were ordered to turn around

I was truly overjoyed when I heard from my friend Amy, the owner and chef of Venus, a farm to table restaurant in Berkley CA, that Bernie Sanders with entourage was on his way to have a bite at her establishment. Amy is an amazingly creative cook and sweet friend that surprised me and my friends with a truly delicious send-off 12 years ago, before I left the bay area for good to return to the City Different in the Land of Enchantment. Guess what Bernie asked for in one of the finest eateries in Berkley. Fish & chips is what he wanted and bless her heart, Amy did not question his order, did not try to  convince him to eat something better and healthier, but gave him what he wanted as she recognized he simply was looking for fuel after another very large and successful rally in Oakland.

THANK YOU BERNIE!

Yesterday's primaries were disappointing for us Bernie supporters. I had hoped New Mexico would feel the bern, he came short last I read 6%. Democratic voter turn out was around 30-something % of eligible voters. Higher then before, but surely nothing to brag about. New Mexico's primaries are closed and I could not convince those Independents I know to switch their allegiance to the Democratic party, if only to give their vote to Bernie. This seemed too much to ask from most Progressives. Main media had declared Hillary the winner, the Presumptive Democratic Presidential Nominee the night before, counting pledged votes unfairly, by delegates, that include lobbyists, committed long before Bernie was even in the running. That is what we call a rigged system.

But Bernie Sanders already won with the millions he mobilized and energized and spoke to their hearts and their minds, with integrity and intelligence and a vision for a better life for Americans, a system that serves the people more then for profit corporations. The profit motive should have no place in education, and basic health care. Prisons should not be run for profit, elections should not be bought. Independents should not have to pay with their tax dollars for elections they can not participate in. There is a lot wrong with our current system. Bernie brought the main issues to the table and proposed sane solutions, I for one am very grateful to Bernie Sanders and his wife, Dr. Jane Sanders for the trouble they have put themselves through for us during this last, long and intense year. They have succeeded beyond expectations. Bernie is spearheading a movement for social justice, it will go on far beyond the elections for US president this  coming November. Bernie Sanders earned the right to carry his message through and in to the democratic convention in July to make the most of it.

So it saddens me to feel no elation about the US having it's first female presumptive presidential nominee in Hillary Clinton. I, a woman of a certain age, close to Hillary's age, am in accord with Naomi Klein in that electing according to gender is a very shallow feminism and just is not good enough. I am a first generation US immigrant, a drop out who did not believe in mainstream culture, including politics, although I always voted in national and most local elections. Over the last year, since I got very excited about Bernie Sander's running with his message straight out of Occupy and of course earlier the civil rights movement, I have been given an education. I devoured most everything written in regard to these primary elections. I learned more about Hillary and the Clintons then I ever wanted to know. I don't believe them to be evil as so many on the far right and far left seem to believe. In fact I do not believe in evil, basta, but consider it an outdated religious concept, I find too often in posts on social media from the extreme sides. We tend to judge people and their intentions too harshly. What I do find though is that Hillary has shown bad judgment, despite her intelligence, again and again and keeps standing on the wrong, the establishment side of issues, on the other side from where I am which is deeply troubling. This can be seen in her statements in regard to Israel and lack of such in regard to Palestine, in her acceptance of the death penalty, her disregard of whistle blowers, her promotion of GMO crop world wide, her lack of stance against Walmart where she was once a board member, her support of TPP and especially her willingness to go to war, to be aggressive as if she needed to prove that as a woman she too could act like a man. Sadly this is not the kind of woman I would like to see in the White House. 

Drumpf, the emotional retard with the vocabulary of a 6 year old, will be worse, I have no doubt, although not all of my facebook contacts share this view with me, very troubling. It may come to a vote of keeping out the unmentionable, we will see, a lot of water yet to flow under the bridge.