Open Letter to Bernie Sanders

Dear Bernie,
Congratulations on your recent reelection as Senator from Vermont. I see that you were elected as an Independent and that you purposely chose to not run as a Democrat even though the Vermont Democratic Party nominated you. That is your right and I applaud you for your independence (big and little “I” in this case).
I do have a problem with this though. You stated emphatically that you would remain a Democrat during your 2016 campaign for President. One of your cornerstones was openness and honesty. Well, just another politician I see.
In the overall picture that is not a large issue except that when one revisits many of your campaign promises and platform issues, they seem to be as hollow as your promise to remain a Democrat. Of course, everyone focuses on your famous $15/hour minimum wage. The sad fact was that you promised to increase the Federal Minimum Wage over a period of years (yes years) but you conveniently failed to mention that on the campaign trail now didn’t you. This brought the young, underpaid, and disenfranchised to you in droves and they did not have a clue what you were not promising. Heck, you even admitted as much in various talk shows that your young backers were not in the habit of watching. In fact, I have often thought your popularity on this particular “talk show circuit” is what enticed you to run in the first place.
If that were not enough, as a presidential candidate you needed to have a full platform. A full domestic and foreign policy. To give it the benefit of the doubt, I did like the general look and feel of it in the main. I did find fault with some of the direction, but then again I do not totally agree with anyone. Like the Land of Oz, it did not take long to see behind the curtain and discover that there was little or no substance behind the position paper. To bring up an old chestnut, “There was no there there!”
This would seemingly be a harsh criticism on my part but it really is not. It is more a recognition of the reality of your campaign. I for one realize, as you do unless you are completely delusional, that your campaign was a campaign that was waged without any plan of success. Therefore, much like similar campaigns by such other candidates as Jerry Brown, your campaign did not have to have any real substance beyond your key platform issue. Your campaign was solely to present the one or two issues you really cared about. It was only when some felt you were a viable candidate did you have to scramble to create a complete platform.
You were supposedly a viable candidate for a few reasons. One, the ongoing pseudo-scandals that were being perpetuated against your opponent. Second, the honest dislike of many of the electorate towards your opponent and her husband. Third, you surprising showings in the caucuses.
That and your supposed mistreatment in some of the caucuses and primaries may lead you to believe that you would be a viable candidate in the next election cycle. I would suggest that you consider the cold, hard, facts on this.
First, you have deserted the Democratic Party when you said you would not. Second, you will likely not be facing a candidate that will be facing outside issues like those that Hillary Clinton was so that the opponent can focus totally on you. Third, there was something strange about the caucuses. Everyone knows that. It was too darned convenient. Do you think no one will look next time? Even if there were nothing nefarious, someone will follow the blueprint.
Oh, and before I forget. There were some primaries and caucuses that you felt you did not get a fair treatment on. You are right in Nevada, but you were also trying to stack the deck in Nevada, weren’t you and you got caught. But, fair is somewhat fair and you should have got away with it. I will grant you that. The rest of the so-called slights; Give me and everyone else a break. Even if they were true, it would not have made a difference now would it.
But you know the worst of it is Bernie? Some of your followers abandoned the process. They did not vote or they voted for third party candidates. Why? Because of the truculent way you acted when you would not concede like an adult.
So if you decide to run do us a favor and run as an Independent. Then you will be an afterthought like you should be. I like some of your suggestions. I like some of your ideas. I am just not sure I like some of your ethics. I just do not think we can afford you. You helped make Trump president and I do not think we can allow you that much leverage next time around. An Independent run is so much better. It makes you totally redundant.

Sincerely,

Robert Boynton