No matter what Senator Bernie Sanders may say to the contrary, he is a loyal supporter of the American Empire—the wealthiest, most materialistic, most racist, most powerful, most militaristic, and most violent empire of all time. To put it bluntly, Bernie owes his soul to the U.S. government. It provides him with employment, income, retirement benefits, Congressional privileges and perquisites, a bully pulpit, and enormous political clout within Vermont stemming from the influence he wields over the allocation of pork barrel benefits throughout the state. All Vermonters are required to pay taxes to the Empire, but only Bernie and his friends Patrick Leahy and Peter Welch get to decide which of their political friends will be the beneficiaries of the federal largess. It’s called democracy!
As evidence of Bernie’s commitment to the Empire and its policy of full spectrum dominance and imperial overstretch consider the following:
First, although Bernie claims to be opposed to the war in Iraq, he never votes to cut off funding for the war. He still “supports the troops.”
Second, he has rarely uttered even a whimper against the war in Afghanistan.
Third, he consistently maintains a position of stony silence regarding our government’s unconditional support for Israel’s acts of terrorism against the Palestinians.
Fourth, he supports most military spending bills which keep the Pentagon’s war machine running.
Fifth, Sanders is a staunch supporter of President Barack Obama, who continues to implement most of George W. Bush’s domestic economic policies as well as his imperialist foreign policies. Although the style and the political rhetoric have changed, the policies have not. Obama is a technofascist disguised as a political liberal. The fact that he is far more intelligent, charismatic, and articulate than Bush makes him much more dangerous. Under Obama Wall Street is firmly in charge.
Sixth, Bernie is a statist who believes bigger is always better and that only the federal government can solve all of our problems. Unfortunately, the federal government has lost its moral authority, but Bernie doesn’t seem to get it.
If Bernie were a Vermont patriot and not an American imperialist, he would initiate legislation immediately to:
1. Cut off all funding for the illegal wars in Iraq and Afghanistan within six months.
2. Discontinue all economic and military aid to Israel immediately.
3. Shut down NATO.
4. Remove all American troops from Europe, Japan, and South Korea. Close most of the 1,000 American military bases located throughout the world.
5. Not only encourage Iran and North Korea to shelve their nuclear weapons programs but insist that England, France, Israel, China, India, Pakistan, and the United States do the same.
6. Discontinue the so-called missile defense program.
7. Repeal the Patriot Act and the Military Commissions Act.
8. Outlaw the illegal practices of rendition of terrorist suspects, prisoner abuse and torture, and citizen surveillance.
9. Outlaw any form of mandatory public service whether it be military or otherwise.
Finally, if Bernie were truly a Vermont patriot and not an American loyalist, he would resign from the Senate and help lead Vermont out of the Empire. Until that happens, a vote for Bernie is a vote for the Empire.
Rebél
Thomas H. Naylor
July 15, 2009
