Did you #feelthebern? If so, then you supported a political movement toward the left. You supported a man who believes in free college tuition, single payer health care, combating climate change, fighting for women's equality in pay and women's choice in their own healthcare, and raising the minimum wage to $15.00 an hour. You supported getting rid of Citizen's United, mandating paid family leave, and a fair, progressive immigration policy. You supported change on Wall Street, in order to address income inequality. These issues, including legalization of marijuana, are on the Democratic Party's Platform for Election 2016. Bernie, and those who voted for him, fueled these progressive issues. It is the most progressive platform the Democrats have ever had.
Here's the problem. Too many #FeeltheBern supporters between 18-34 are voting for Johnson. According to a Quinnipiac University Poll 29% of these voters are planning to vote for Johnson or Stein. But voting for Bernie and voting for Johnson are completely opposite votes (and voting for Stein is like voting for a Utopian fantasy world). If you are one of the #Feel the Bern supporters voting for Johnson, or if you know one who is, I ask you to consider the following:
1. Bernie wants environmental consideration before the government takes any action. The effect on climate change has to be considered on all decisions. Johnson wants to abolish all environmental regulations. Yes, ALL.
2. Bernie believes in public education and tuition free college for students from families making less than $125,000 a year. Johnson wants to eliminate public education. Yes, eliminate. His belief is that the free market will take care of education, instead. "We will restore authority to the parents to determine the education of their children." The United States has already fallen far behind other developed nations in education, doing away with education would probably put us dead last.
3. Bernie supports raising taxes on corporations and the top 1% in order to make the wealthy pay their fair share. Johnson wants to repeal income tax and corporate tax. They would not pay taxes, and the IRS will be eliminated. Government, he says, should not be spending money and incurring debt. This means of course, that social security and medicare, supported by Bernie and the Democrats, would be abolished.
The Libertarian Platform is far to the right of the right wing! Even the Republicans, who are "supply side" believers who want low taxes on the rich think that the Libertarian Platform is crazy. Bernie and the Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, favor reforming Wall Street and taking money out of the election process by appointing Supreme Court Justices who will revoke Citizen's United, which gives corporations the rights of individuals.
In other words, a vote for Johnson is not only wasted because he has no chance in hell to win the election, it is diametrically opposed to everything Bernie Sanders believes in and is fighting for. Actually, a vote for Johnson by those who "felt the Bern" is a vote for Trump, who is the very antithesis of Bernie Sanders. Trump is a climate denier who wants to expand coal and oil production, kick out Mexicans and Muslims, and start a war because the Iranians gave a US ship the finger. (Not to mention a million other reasons Trump is unfit to serve as President, and Bernie talks about them all).
Bernie Sanders is on the campaign trail for Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Platform which he had a major part in framing. If you #feelthebern, please follow his lead and vote for Hillary Clinton in order to preserve the ideals and policies you supported with Bernie Sanders. Don't let the United States become a reality show and a joke to the rest of the world. Follow the Bern!
#FollowtheBern!