A lot of you showed interest in discussing Bernie Sanders’ new book, “It’s Okay to Be Angry About Capitalism.” Thanks for that! If you ever have suggestions or feedback on content, please shoot me an email (joemayall@gmail.com) or DM me on Twitter. I want to create content you appreciate and enjoy, and the best way to do that is by hearing what you’re interested in.
Alright, let’s get started.
You don’t need to have read the book to participate. I’m not thinking of this as a “book club,” but rather me reading the book and pulling out important passages and themes for us to discuss. For chapters 1-4, here’s what stood out to me.
It’s clear Bernie sees the electoral success of “The Squad” (AOC, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Talib, and Ayanna Pressley) as an indication of the younger generations’ want for change. He cites their 2020 victories as proof that they are not “flukes,” but indicative of a larger appetite for change.
What do you think the election of these Progressives and others like them says about the future state of politics in the United States? Do you think people want Bernie-esque change? Why, or why not?
Please share your thoughts in the comments. I look forward to discussing!
I voted for Bernie in the last two Democratic Primaries for my state. I would vote for him again. No other public figure has done as much to shift the paradigm of human concern to a center of dignity for all than Bernie Sanders.
I think the Squad often engages in theatrics and drama that is unhelpful.
Alright, here are my thoughts on what "The Squad" means for the future of Left politics.
To start, I think we - myself included - put too much stock in their 2018 elections. It was amidst the Trump Presidency, and I'll admit, I took AOC's victory over the establishment incumbent as a sign that the American people were ready to move past the neoliberalism of the Democratic Party in favor of a more Progressive agenda.
So while I've come to realized that none of these 4 Congresswoman will be a savior, it does still signal to me that the there are sizable parts of this country that want something different. I think this is evident in the number of voters who voted for Obama in '08, then Trump in '16, then showed interest in Bernie's '20 campaign.
So now, I don't think any individual will be the next torchbearer after Bernie. But what I do think is the election of more and more left-leaning (though still imperfect) politicians shows that there is the first steps to making a Leftist coalition to advocate for Progressive politics inside the American electoral system.
Clearly some people like what Bernie is selling, but I doubt it will ever be a majority of the electorate. The dems knew he would lose even to as awful candidate as Trump was.
I voted for Bernie in the last two Democratic Primaries for my state. I would vote for him again. No other public figure has done as much to shift the paradigm of human concern to a center of dignity for all than Bernie Sanders.
I think the Squad often engages in theatrics and drama that is unhelpful.
Alright, here are my thoughts on what "The Squad" means for the future of Left politics.
To start, I think we - myself included - put too much stock in their 2018 elections. It was amidst the Trump Presidency, and I'll admit, I took AOC's victory over the establishment incumbent as a sign that the American people were ready to move past the neoliberalism of the Democratic Party in favor of a more Progressive agenda.
So while I've come to realized that none of these 4 Congresswoman will be a savior, it does still signal to me that the there are sizable parts of this country that want something different. I think this is evident in the number of voters who voted for Obama in '08, then Trump in '16, then showed interest in Bernie's '20 campaign.
So now, I don't think any individual will be the next torchbearer after Bernie. But what I do think is the election of more and more left-leaning (though still imperfect) politicians shows that there is the first steps to making a Leftist coalition to advocate for Progressive politics inside the American electoral system.
What do you think?
Clearly some people like what Bernie is selling, but I doubt it will ever be a majority of the electorate. The dems knew he would lose even to as awful candidate as Trump was.