If Bernie Sanders Is Real, He Will Run as an Independent

As of late I have not been particularly kind to Senator Sanders‘ ability or even intentions to truly fight for what desperately must be done to salvage a vague sense that democracy is not a complete illusion in the United States of America. Early on, when he threw his hat into the election circus ring, we made proper official interview requests to the Senator from Vermont through his Senate staff, and were never granted the courtesy of any sort of response. In several columns we have called him an “Hillary Clinton seat warmer” a “limp candidate” and other unflattering names. As the primary charade is about to end, Bernie Sanders still has a chance to not let his many supporters completely down. Sanders still can be a real contender, but the window of opportunity is closing extremely quickly.

I have a bit of a history with Bernie Sanders and what we thought should have been his bid for the White House back in 2012 to challenge the Clintonite compromised administration of Barack Obama. Indeed we called on what was then a still vibrant Occupy movement to urge Sanders for a run. While Occupy was getting hijacked by pseudo progressives Democratic party operatives, with eminence grise George Soros financing and pulling the strings, our urgent calls fell on deaf ears. The idea was simple: constitute an independent political force combining left and libertarian. At the time, we floated the notion of a ticket Sanders/Paul, as of Ron Paul.

Feel the Bern?

As far as the Democratic Party nomination, let’s face it, it is already a done deal, and as we argue in “Imperial Elections,” it was always Hillary Clinton’s  turn. It would be absurd, for example, to think that Bernie Sanders could win the key state of California from Clinton. The power brokers of the Hollywood machine, and their immense wealth and influence will make sure it doesn’t happen. The likes of Steven Spielberg and Barbara Streisand will “be with her,” as their sociological economic allegiance doesn’t make them much inclined to “feel the Bern.” From time to time, in front of his devoted supporters, Sanders appears to have the political fire of a leader: the ability for a much needed Pit-Bull spirit. Unfortunately, on many other occasions a strange wimpy side of the Senator has percolated.

It was notably the case when he was the guest on Charlie Rose’s show. Rose was clearly in charge, projecting his usual vaguely threatening condescending arrogant confidence on Sanders, including in his dominating forward body language while Sanders was defensively backing away. It was civil of course, but in a psychological and  body language power stand point, Charlie was the predator and Bernie the prey. Sanders was just plainly too mild mannered and nice with the borderline nasty interviewer. A bigger mistake was to say that he considered both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to be friends. Mr Sanders, Hillary Clinton is neither your friend nor the friend of democracy. If you cannot be rude, nasty and ruthless  on occasion and therefore put Charlie Rose in his rightful  place, how can you possibly postulate to the Oval Office? Signs of weakness are never a good option in the trenches of politics, and from time to time Mr. Sanders must project the clear notion that he can himself, and it cannot be done just through surrogates, go to the jugular with the determination displayed by Pit-Bulls in a dog fight. Can respectable Senator Sanders make his political enemies feel the bite?

Sanders supporters will decide the election outcome

Sanders’ power resides in his supporters. Many have been attacking Hillary Clinton with panache. This is helpful but it should be cranked up a few notches by Sanders’ official campaign. For example, the borderline fraudulent or at least opaque financial activities of the Clinton money machine are under intense scrutiny mainly under the impulse of well respected US financial analyst Charles Ortel who is focusing on potential tax fraud  of the Clinton Foundation. A vast amount of money is also allegedly flowing to the Clinton war chest from overseas in what could to be a US political investment of Saudi royals and Qatari sheiks.

Needless to say, Wall Street and especially Goldman Sachs will keep pouring money, openly or not, to insure that their good friend Hillary Clinton is (s)elected. Cash translates into air time on US mainstream media, and that means that if Sanders doesn’t want to get steamrolled, his campaign management must find some very deep pockets to counterbalance the hundreds of millions of Clinton and Trump. That is of course if Bernie Sanders is sincere about winning the election, and run as an independent. Time will tell if Sanders has made a deal with the Clintons. Regardless of where their candidate stands when the dust of the phony primaries settles, the swing vote will belong to his supporters.

Possible case scenarios

Short of a strong left and libertarian ticket led by Sanders, the US election outcome will be a disaster not only for US citizens but globally. Political analysts are making projections that Sanders’ voting block, which is substantial, will not go to Clinton. That is of course if Sanders as part of the fake left, do the unthinkable and endorse Hillary or even worse run on the Clinton ticket as VP. A large chunk could go to Donald Trump. Ultimately, what any serious analyst should extrapolate  is that the Sanders vote will largely boycott the imperial election. While we are running scenarios, let’s pretend for a moment that Mr. Trump is actually a real candidate trying to win. Immediately the question becomes: who will run Trump?

The answer is disgustingly clear, all it takes is to go back 36 years ago when the GOP headed by the Bush clan found their perfect cardboard cutout candidate in the person of Ronald Reagan. Times have changed, Ronald was pleasant didn’t snarl and had good hair. In appearance “The Donald” is the antithesis of Reagan, but, if elected, he will do as he is told. This will not take place in public, but he will be conveyed to a little meeting with the Bush-Clinton mafia usual suspects such as Karl Rove, Dick Cheney, Ronald Rumsfeld, James Baker and perhaps even the man that Don Bush Sr. has called his son: Bill Clinton. Most will not speak much, but Trump knows his place and he will diligently take mental notes, and just like Barack in 2008 do what he is told.

Mr. Sanders, do us all a favor, have an epiphany, find your inner Pit-Bull/Rottweiler mix, fight and run as an independent!

Editor’s Notes: Gilbert Mercier is the author of The Orwellian Empire. Photographs one, three, five and six by Gage Skidmore; composites two and seven by Donkey Hotey; photograph four by Dave Winer; and photograph eight by Lwp Kommunikacio.