YES! Bernie continues to have my support!
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Thank you for a story giving some human context to the enormous devotion of those Latino voters who are working for a just and green future. Once people listen to Bernie, and understand his history as a lifelong fighter for the underdog and for a fair shake for everyone and for our planet, they get it. He is unique, not a political chimera who will change before every audience and demographic.
Bernie can be trusted to do what he promises, to stick to his core beliefs, and to devote himself to more than his golf game, more than appeasing Wall Street and the energy industry, from day one. Bernie is the only candidate building a movement, and it is wonderful to read a story of one large and vibrant segment of the future of progressive politics.
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I'm glad Bernie is doing so well among Hispanics, who are a sizable portion of our population. He is one of 3 candidates I could get exited about (the others are Warren & Yang), tho I would vote for any of the the Democratic candidates against Trump.
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Sanders' opponents will say anything to discredit him, and in 2016, a lot of effort was spent promulgating the false narrative that he alienated people of color. That's not the case, and you can see the impressive diversity at every level of his campaign operation.
The policies Bernie is proposing are simply the best for Latinx Americans, who are suffering disproportionately under the specter of low wages, poor or nonexistent healthcare, workplace harassment and abuse and systematic Republican efforts to destroy unions, to say nothing of ICE's deportation machine. And had Bernie attained the Presidency earlier in his senatorial career, it's doubtful that we would have meddled in El Salvador and Honduras, provoking the violence and starvation that's driving so many desperate people to the border.
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Kudos on this in-depth and fair feature piece. Sanders is the absolute best, most consistent and authentic candidate for the working class majority of Americans. We need a principled fighter - and Bernie Sanders is it.
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This is our last chance. We need Bernie to have a future worth living.
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I lived in Costa Rica when I was 14 and 15 and visited Nicaragua during their Civil War. I appreciate that, in the 80s, Bernie Sanders argued against the Reagan administration's support of the Contras in Nicaragua. Although the Sandinistas were deeply flawed, they won a reasonably fair election in 1984. The US-backed candidate, Arturo Cruz, who most certainly would have been a better president than Daniel Ortega, boycotted the election. Cruz regretted the decision for the rest of his life. And, as I understand it, Ortega won in a reasonably fair manner. Moreover, the US support for the Contras likely contributed to thousands of people being killed and destroyed the Nicaraguan economy. Sanders opposed the Reagan administration's support of the Contras.
There is no doubt in my mind that Sanders would both sharply criticize Ortega's current violent authoritarianism and support the democratic and anti-Ortega movement inspired by Edmundo Jarquín, defeated twice in presidential elections, and novelist Sergio Ramírez, a vice-president under Ortega in the 1980s.
Moreover, Sanders' immigration plan looks good. It would increase the likelihood of increasing the number of choices that could be made by those impacted who are able to make the fewest choices. For instance, undocumented people from Mexico and Central America could live in the US, which could enable them to help their children.
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Those of us who were early supporters of Bernie always knew that his authenticity, message and track record would resonate with many people, the frustration of the anemic coverage and outright antipathy by the mainstream media notwithstanding.
It’s not going to be easy to squelch it this time around, Bloomberg, Biden, DNC, et al! Sorry.
As we used to say in the 60’s, all power to the people.
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Tío Bernie has my vote, and my monthly donations. I'm 75 and Jewish--but my mother emigrated from Cuba in 1930, and my father's family from Russia in 1910. I don't forget where I came from, and my heart is with all those who seek a better life for themselves and their children.
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If you know anything about South and Central American history, it's not really surprising to find Bernie surging among US Hispanic and Latino voters. Actually, his success makes much more sense than any other candidate you could name.
Yes, Bernie is an old white guy from New England. However, his rhetoric and policies reflect that odd blend of aspirational rebellious socialism found time and again throughout the southern parts of our hemisphere. Oxaca comes to mind.
Did you know Vermont is the original Lone Star State. Vermont was originally an independent republic before becoming admitted as the 14th state. It's details like these that make me see how Bernie can resonate so broadly in a diverse cultural demographic.
Granted, 40 percent of 25 percent is only 10 percent of California. That's not exactly nomination winning margins but hey, you can understand the appeal.
I imagine the major hangups for Bernie are the same hangups an Democrat faces among Latinos. Namely: age, immigration, and religion. Older US Latinos are surprisingly hostile on immigration and you're never going to win the debate on abortion with a practicing Latina Catholic. Sorry, not happening. Birth control, yes. Abortion, no.
The rest of the field is going to run into the same problems,
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@Andy
I'm a practicing Latina Catholic, as are my sisters, my mom and many of my close friends. We are all pro-choice Democrats. There are many of us out here, especially in the educated classes.
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Thank you Ms. Medina for a thoughtful, unbiased and well written article about Senator Bernie Sanders.
Although we may be worried about the moderate Democrat voters, we cannot forget about the millions of Latinos and other minority groups who will be voting in 2020. Don't forget about the independent voters as well.
Although I do hope the moderate voters will vote for whomever the Democrats choose in the primary. We can't have another four years of Trump, he will leave our great country in shambles.
Bernie (or Warren) 2020. Don't be afraid! If we work together, nothing is impossible! We need major changes in America, and these two candidates are the only ones that aren't bought by the billionaires.
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I am so happy to read this. I've been a fan of Bernie's for decades and supported him in the 2016 race. I donated then and I'm donating now, as are several of my Latino friends. To us, Bernie is the most consistent and authentic candidate. He also has a clear understanding of the structural changes needed to improve the lives of average people. For me, it doesn't hurt that he has been outspoken on the issues facing Puerto Rico, and has supported the island's right to self-determination (whatever that may lead to).
Last time around, Bernie's campaign asked me to canvas in Spanish-speaking neighborhoods. I'd be happy to do that again. His message is appealing to our community; we just need to get the people to hear it.
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