Once again the Left are fighting corruption, the media and the establishment. This time it is Bernie’s bid to become the Democratic presidential candidate. He is the only person who has a chance of beating Trump.
For a long time, politics was in a really boring place. Wherever you looked, whether it was on the “left or right”, most politicians held similar ideas and ideologies. It is why people often said, “it doesn’t matter who wins because they’re all the same.” Essentially, they were all the same. They had some small differences in policies, to keep hold of their roots, such as the left would invest more into the public sector. Ultimately, both side believed in neo-liberalism.
To truly understand the hold neo-liberalism had on politics, take a look at votes regarding the Iraq war in Britain and America. In Britain, both the Labour Party and the Tories voted in favour of the Iraq war. Even though the Tories were in opposition, only two Tory MP voted against it. In fact, a considerable number of Labour MPs voted against or abstained from voting. Without the support of the Tories, the Labour government of the time would have lost the vote. It was a similar story in America with many Democrats supporting the Republicans.
Since the 70s, neo-liberalism has had a grip on British and American politics. In that time there has been some highs, but many lows, especially for working class people. Working class people suffered under Thatcher’s Premiership. The lack of regulations placed on major banks, especially by the Labour government of the early 2000s, led to the economic crash and the dreadful housing market ever since. In America it was the same story. Both governments bailed out the banks, but it was the working class that suffered the brute force of the damage due to the incompetence of the governments of the time.
During the early 2010s, both economies stabilised, but the working class continued to suffer. As people continued to fall on hard times, discussions were taking place to find out who is responsible. Whenever people fall on hard times, one group of people will always be blamed. Immigrants once again suffered due to the lack of actions of the government. They have been abused and discriminated against. Many believe they are solely responsible for all the problems each country faces.
Failures of neo-liberalism lead to the electing of Donald Trump and Brexit taking place. People wanted change and that’s what they were being told. Trump and Brexit were going to be the change they have been crying out for. In return their lives will improve. However, that is not true. Trump has changed very little. When he has, he reversed all the good Obama did. Brexit will be the same.
In both instances, centrist failed to tackle the real problem at hand. We’re not Trump is not a policy. Stop Brexit is not a (good) policy. Centrist have an unwavering belief in neo-liberalism. It is why they act like the EU is a great and flawless institution. I think the EU has many positives, but it is not flawless. It has made many mistakes. Centrist support for candidates like Biden is really troubling. How can a man like him, who has no real vision, be the presidential candidate? At least Hillary had something about her. This man has nothing. His two policies are being Obama's vice president and not being Trump. It is not going to end well.
If there’s one lesson the left in America can take from Labour, do not bow down to the will of the centrist. Labour ultimately loss the election in December because of its position on Brexit. That was the only major difference between 2017 and 2019 manifesto. From 2017 onwards, Labour should’ve been showing the country that it can negotiate and put in place a Brexit deal that can help everyone, from the working class born in Britain to working class immigrants. Instead Labour kept flirting with the idea of a second referendum and then supporting it during the election.
It is going to be incredibly hard to win Trump. However, it is possible, with the right candidate. That candidate has to show real change. Bernie is that man. I like Warren and the (early) campaign she ran on. It shows a clear step forward. The reason I support Bernie over her is because he has been talking about these same issues 40+ years ago. He did not need to evolve or get better. He did not need to wait for these ideas to become popular for him to endorse them. He always has and will stand up for the working class and for everyone. He always has and will fight the elites. When people criticise his record, that says more about the failure of American politics. The most powerful country in the world, yet many don’t have basic human rights. He was fighting these same policies by himself 40 years ago. Now he has a whole movement behind him. He doesn’t need to compromise with neo-liberals. They are scared about what he can achieve, should he be successful in his bid to become president. They would rather see Trump win than Bernie, however, the events of the last five years show they are no longer relevant. They are living off the memories of yesteryears. We don’t need their toxic energy.
To defeat Trump, you need to show real change. Change that will have long lasting impact. Not a revert to the ideology of the last 50 years. Bernie is that man that can change the future for the better.
Aleha
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