We Got 99 Counties and Confusion Has Won

Can you breath? Did you sign up to be a delegate? Then show up.

That's my frustration speaking, can you tell?

On March 12, in Cerro Gordo county, Iowa, what should have been an 11/11 split between Hillary and Bernie ended as Hillary-12, Bernie-10. As many as possibly 80 Bernie delegates and alternates just not showing up was made worse by delegates leaving as frustrations mounted and time dragged on.

This is the day that precinct delegates from each of Iowa's 99 counties choose their district delegates. If all goes properly, the number is already set. We know how many precinct delegates there should be from each county and once at the county convention, the district delegate count is assigned accordingly.

But that is not the case. It comes down to this:

A. How much do you really want it?

and

B. An endurance challenge.

I cannot impress enough that those who sign up to be a precinct delegate must be committed to showing up. We will lose and it may be down to a handful of people who forget how important their involvement truly is.

There is an unsettling number of those in charge of these county conventions who are Hillary supporters. Wasting a lot of time and dragging out counts play out well for the Hillary side. Any observer can see that the Hillary side of the room has more retirees while the Bernie side has more people of age who need to rush out the door and get back to work. This is not a judgement. I was there to observe, but as Quinn Symonds, Bernie Sanders County Captain and owner of @Iowa4Bernie stated, "Anything to win but actual democracy." This was never more apparent than when the time came for realignment, a vote passed unanimously by the now tired and frustrated delegates to change it to one minute rather than the usual one hour. If you are unfamiliar with realignment, it is the time allotted to talk to those on the other side and sometimes, just sometimes your belief, your passion, and your words will bring someone to your side. This is what democracy looks like, talking to each other and sharing your views. Democracy limped home today in the confusion of signing in, being seated, repeated counts, and frustration across Iowa. Bernie supporters in Dubuque, Waterloo, and Polk county among others reported in with concerns similar and much worse.

As we move forward, these mistakes must not be made in any other states. LEARN FROM IOWA. Understand that Hillary has a bag of dirty tricks that include paid delegates, disrupters, those in place whose job it is to throw the counts, and people in high places who run and organize these conventions.

What do we do?

We make sure that those who sign up to be a district delegate understand immediately what they are getting into and the time commitment it involves which may possibly be all day.

understand that we do not depend upon being reminded and if for any reason you cannot make it to the county convention call your Bernie office so they can set up the alternate. If you don't know or have a local Bernie office, get on a Bernie Facebook site and ask for help.

Do not be late. Be early! Mingle. If you are unsure of the time, again reach out.

Make sure you sign in immediately. Get your packet. Sit down.

Monitor, monitor, monitor the situation. Ask names. Get clarifications.

Do not leave until it is over. Don't just take anyone's word for it either. Look for Bernie staffers.

The confusion in Cerro Gordo county was multiplied across Iowa by 99. There are reports from across the state that Bernie delegates did not show up. DO BETTER THAN US. This cannot happen in other states. Learn from this. We must be vigilant. We must stay on top of this situation.

Bernie is in this to be the next President of the United States. We must not let him or ourselves down.

.

Is Bernie Sanders Our Last Chance?

We want what is good for this country.  We may not agree on how we get there or what that looks like, but that is our common ground.

We agree that the health of this nation and the people in it is of vital importance.  What does that look like?  Does a hand-to-mouth existence inspire one to work harder and reach for higher or are we slowly beaten down by the odds stacked against us in this new economy?  Are we stymied by futility in the face corporate greed that employ so many at the expense of worker's health, welfare, and pride?

How is our minimum wage $7.25 per hour in this America?

I am frustrated by conversations implying those who work in retail or food services do not deserve better.  That somehow we can judge how others choose to work and decide they deserve an abusive wage.  I hope the person wiping the table, flipping a burger, or sweeping the floor is paid well.  In this country we should all be making enough money to live reasonably.

I was challenged on this.  What's your definition of reasonable, I was asked?
Well, here's my definition of reasonable:  Enough to pay rent, utilities, food, and a few bucks left over to save.
How about that?
How about if I don't wish ill upon my fellow man?
How about if I want everyone's life to be better?
Hey, what if I said I'd gladly give some of what is "mine" to help others?

Are we so broken as a society that we must guard what is "ours", hard earned yes, with a suspicion and even hostility?  Are we a society living in that much fear?  I sadly think so.

Do you believe that a government that cares about it's people is wrong?
How do we move past that fear?

I came of age in the 80's.  There was a lot of cynicism by then about 1960's idealism.  We laughed as Reaganomics kicked off our country's slow, nearly imperceptible decline and here we are.  I am not laughing now.  We have reached a tipping point. 

We are Feeling The Bern.  Why now?

There are too many of us who have been affected by this stagnating economy where jobs of quality are no longer widely available.  We are talking.  We are connecting.  We are rising together and our voice is Bernie Sanders.

We may have one last chance here.  This is why Bernie Sanders supporters are so passionate.  We can't help but feel we are walking on some sort of edge.  That this income inequality and our lives at the mercy of bought and paid for politicians is at a precarious end-point of no return.
If we continue the politics as usual, our lives will be set.  We will continue this slide towards shorter life spans, struggle, an inability to meet even our most basic needs, and despair.  The American Dream is vanishing as I write this blog.
This time there will be no turning back.

We feel, and I will not apologize, that Hillary and the status quo will be the marker of what this country becomes.
We will be the land of the haves and the have-nots, with nothing in the middle.  You are either the server or are served.

It is un-American to question our right and our ability to make it the American way.
Here is the reality:
You are only worth $7.25 per hour.