dear papa bernie,
it’s looking less likely that you’ll be my president lately (not impossible, i’m still holding out hope) so before we turn our focus to the general election i want to thank you for all that you have done for this nation, for the democratic party and for me. even though you may not win the party’s nomination, you have changed and energized this country, this democratic party and, at least, my children’s generation of voters.
in this most recent crisis, with the whole economy coming to a screeching halt while we try to starve out the coronavirus, there is no question that the bailout bill passed by congress had more focus, concern and directed resources towards working families than anything like that we’ve seen in a generation.
thank you most of all for changing the parameters of the possible, for making it necessary to talk about medicare for all, raising the federal minimum wage to at least $15 an hour, free public education, eliminating student debt and green new deal.
all of these are mainstream issues now in the democratic party. you did that. you inspired us to fight for that.
thank you for energizing a new generation of leaders with your passion, your consistency and your focus on what actually works in most countries of the world.
thank you for your honesty and your courage, for caring more about the working people of this nation than you did being popular.
thank you, if you don’t become our president (and i truly hope you do) staying in the u.s. senate to fight for our rights and to work to get new senators elected who will do so too.
i love you, bernie. you have given me and millions hope this year that we could send an honest populist to trounce this dangerous demagogue in the fall. i call you “papa” because my real papa was a democratic socialist activist who didn’t survive the reagan presidency. if he were alive today, he’d have turned 89 this month. i have no doubt he’d have been one of your most fervent supporters.
love,
sara s. nichols
citizen of the united states of america (and california)
