According to Wikipedia: “Bernard Sanders (born September 8, 1941) is an American politician who has served as the junior United States Senator from Vermont since 2007 and as U.S. Representative for the state’s at-large congressional district from 1991 to 2007. Sanders is the longest-serving independent in U.S. congressional history, though he has a close relationship with the Democratic Party, having caucused with House and Senate Democrats throughout most of congressional career. Sanders ran unsuccessfully for the 2016 Democratic nomination for president and is running again in 2020. Prior to entering both races, he pledged to serve as a Democrat if elected president. An advocate of social democratic and progressive policies, Sanders is known for his opposition to economic inequality and neoliberalism. On domestic policy, he supports labor rights, universal and single-payer healthcare, paid parental leave, tuition-free tertiary education, and an ambitious Green New Deal to create jobs addressing climate change. On foreign policy, he supports reducing military spending, pursuing more diplomacy and international cooperation, and putting greater emphasis on labor rights and environmental concerns when negotiating international trade agreements. Commentators have described his political philosophy as aligned with the New Deal policies of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Nordic model, noting the strong influence his views have had on Democratic Party politics since his 2016 presidential campaign”.

According todays Guardian report: “Buzz of expectation as Bernie Sanders looks to blow away rivals on Super Tuesday” “On Tuesday, as 14 states go to the polls, Sanders could take a huge step towards the Democratic nomination. Can anyone stop him? Bernie Sanders at event in Spartanburg, South Carolina. This week he ridiculed the idea that he was extreme: ‘I don’t it’s radical for working people to live in dignity and security. Bernie Sanders at event in Spartanburg, South Carolina. This week he ridiculed the idea that he was extreme: ‘I don’t it’s radical for working people to live in dignity and security. Bernie Sanders doesn’t do things by half measures. As he vies to become the 46th president of the United States he is looking to shatter no fewer than three historic records. President Sanders would be the first Jewish incumbent of the most powerful office on Earth. Aged 79 on inauguration day, he would become the oldest president in US history having unseated the current record-holder, Donald Trump, 73. Most striking of all, he would be the first American commander-in-chief describing himself as a “democratic socialist”. Judging by recent attacks from his detractors – Democratic ones, not Trump supporters – that is the political equivalent of carrying the coronavirus. “I’ll tell you what it adds up to,” said Pete Buttigieg, rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, at this week’s TV debate ahead of Saturday’s primary in South Carolina. Buttigieg referenced Sanders’ “radical” policies of universal tax-funded healthcare, debt-free college tuition and a Green New Deal to tackle the climate crisis, then said: “It adds up to four more years of Donald Trump.”

Ever since Trump entered the political stage, I have followed US politics avidly, even more so than the UK, because I found it so fascinating. Four years ago, I knew nothing of Bernie UNTIL I asked an American friend who she favoured in the forthcoming US Presidential election. Her answer was Bernie, which let’s face it has a nice ring about it. As I understand it he matched Hillary, neck and neck, when it came to getting the Democratic nomination for the US Presidential election. It happened Hillary won and the rest is history, although some reckon Bernie was cheated. I have been following the various Democratic front runners vying to be the 2020 Democrat nominee, which I have found frankly depressing, with little to enthuse me about any of them. One of those in contention if Bernie, and if past results and future predictions are anything to go by, it will be Bernie up against the Donald (barring something very unexpected) fighting it out in November.

This post is by way of a stake in the ground and no doubt there will be others to follow, confirming Bernie as the Democrat contended and allowing me to vent my concerns about the Democrats in general and Bernie in particular. There is no doubt that Bernie’s vision for America contrasts vastly with Donald’s and, given his own communist leanings, members of the Democrat Party. I would say he should not be under estimated. The battle between what is worse: the greed of the right and the envy of the left, is a very real one and whatever Trump has done for the good, he has managed to alienate many on the way, who will likely see Bernie (should he be a candidate) as the better of two evils. What I find interesting, is something that casts me back 50 years when I went up to university, and found most students, including from well to do families, left / communist leaning, which from what I can make out is true today regarding American campuses. We live in interesting times!