Bernie vs. Hillary, Hillary vs. Bernie

Bernie vs. Hillary. Hillary vs. Bernie. I'm for both. Can it be? Yes. I guess it's sort like being both a Stones and a Beatles fan. I like both! It's not impossible. I choose not to choose.

My thing is, a Democrat must be elected President. Which Democrat? Either one is fine with me. But it must be a Democrat. I cannot imagine a GOP dominated government. So all this blood-letting on the Left is a bit disconcerting. Some folks want to be for their candidate, and against the other one. Lots of negativity tossed around.

Maybe it's healthy. Maybe it's not. 

Bernie and Hillary are actually pretty close on the issues. Bernie is a little bit farther on the Left side of the Left. I actually track pretty closely with Bernie. I want healthcare for all, free college for all, a socialist paradise for all. But I also think that just because Bernie tells me what I want to hear, doesn't mean I should vote for him. 

I'm not sure that someone who thinks just like me could actually be elected President. I don't really think we are the kind of country that would let someone like me run the place. So my idealism tracks with Bernie, and my pragmatism tracks with Hillary.

I like the Beatles harmony and melody, and the Stones ramshackle rock & roll.

Then there's this: Bill Clinton tells us that "Bernie Sanders Lives in a Hermetically Sealed Box!" I think, "That's a  pretty good line!" And the Big Dog is right. Bernie does sound like a guy who has lived in a hermetically sealed box for his whole career. He is principled, and consistent, and adheres to a very strict democratic socialist vision.  It is appealing. But it's a clean little box. And who wouldn't want to live in such a box?! (It's kind of like the Beatles living in the hermetically sealed box of Abbey Road, singing "All you need is love," and the Stones tax exiles on Main Street, singing "Love, Sister, is just a kiss away.")

But, you know, it's a big, deeply divided country. And the general election is gonna be dirty, ugly, and bloody, and in order to win, I don't think you can do it from inside a box. I don't think you can do it, do battle with the GOP without playing the money game. So, I'm grooving to Bernie's harmony/melody, but in my heart of hearts, I don't think he's even gonna win the Democratic primary, so I am expecting to rock & roll with Hillary in the general election. But I do like both. Yes, I do.