In 1987, US News and World Report named Bernie one of the 20 best mayors in America. By the time he left office in 1989, Bernie's pragmatic and progressive policies had created 6000 jobs in Burlington. His eight years of innovation had reduced the city's unemployment from the 1980 rate of 5.5% to a stunning low of 1.6% - the lowest in the nation for cities of comparable size.
And, thanks to Bernie's visionary solutions for affordable housing, families in the most poverty-stricken neighborhoods were doing better. This healing contributed to the resurgence of economic vitality throughout the entire city and by the end of the 1980's, Burlington was flourishing.
As I witnessed this tremendous economic and social transformation in Burlington, its remarkable revitalization demonstrated to me that economic prosperity does not trickle from the top down. Despite Republican protestations to the contrary, economic prosperity bubbles from the bottom up.
Our nation's current trickle-down economic model concentrates wealth and power into the hands of a few billionaires and too-big-to-fail corporate CEOs. This model sucks the wealth out of the rest of us.
To maintain their grip on trickle-down economics, the corporate and billionaire-owned media deliberately weakens the fabric of our national unity. These media outlets relentlessly poison our humanity by mis-directing the national conversation on our social, sexual, religious, racial and ideological differences toward fear and hatred of each other. As a nation, we have been suckered into dehumanizing one another instead of solving the problems that We The People have in common.
But, this is a trick. We are being played so we won't recognize that we've been had.
As evidenced by the huge crowds attending Bernie's rallies, we are beginning to see the truth, as Bernie certainly proclaims it: the policies of the politicians, who are owned by rapacious corporations, too-big-to-fail banks and self-aggrandizing multi-billionaires, are siphoning the economic wealth and vitality out of the rest of us.
We will all benefit from recognizing that we are the ones who have allowed the toxic politics of greed and hate to trick us into blaming and despising each other. By understanding this, we are then empowered to choose differently, and we can effect a different outcome.
Bernie is not owned by corporations, by banks or by billionaires. His allegiance is to us - The American People, the 99%. In fact, Bernie even refuses to run attack ads or to engage in negative campaigning. That might be a problem for his campaign staff, but Bernie wants to keep the focus on the real issues that are facing our nation. He is solutions-oriented and he is here to serve the greater good of the people.
People like it when their leaders tell the truth.
Clifford Everette is a long-time Republican, an ex-marine and a minister. He has written this about Bernie: "Have been living in Vermont for many years, have voted for Bernie every time, very proud of him, he tells us what's wrong, and how to fix it, never ran a dirty campaign, so as a Republican, Marine vet, and a Minister, I'm voting for Bernie Sanders."
Clifford Everette's testimonial is a clear indication that leaders who sincerely seek solutions earn a deep respect from their constituents that transcends ideology or party affiliation.
We will all benefit from the truth Bernie is speaking. His vision of prosperity is for all Americans. We are all in this together. And together, whether we are willing to recognize and own it, or not, we actually have the power to heal and transform the economic health and wellbeing of this country for ourselves and our future generations.
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