Ken Berwitz
Bernie Sanders is carefulnever to blame President Obama directly, but his description of the AmericaObama leaves behind is devastating – a wasteland of stagnant wages, risinginequality, a sinking middle class, young people crushed by debt, the AmericanDream dying.
Take away the Brooklyn accentand the Larry David mannerisms and you would have thought you were listening toa Republican candidate. After all, who\’s been in charge for the last sevenyears?
Donald Trump is evenmore colorfulin describing the current “mess” and more direct in attributingit to the country\’s leadership – most pungently, its stupidity andincompetence. Both candidates are not just anti-establishment but anti-statusquo. The revolt is as much about the Obama legacy as it is about institutions.
Sanders and Trump offer magic.
Take Sanders\’ New Hampshire victoryspeech. It promised the moon: college education, free; universalhealth care, free; world peace, also free because we won\’t be “the policeman ofthe world” (mythical Sunni armies will presumably be doing that for us). Plus aguaranteed $15 minimum wage. All to be achieved by taxing the rich. Who can beagainst a “speculation” tax (whatever that means)?
Sowith Trump. Leave it to him. Jobs will flow back in a rush fromChina, from Japan, from Mexico, from everywhere. Universal health care, withObamacare replaced by “somethingterrific.” Veterans finally taken care of. Drugs stopped cold at theborder. Indeed, an end to drug addiction itself. Victory upon victory of everykind
How? That question never comes up anymore. No one expects ananswer. His will be done, on Earth if not yet in heaven.
