The « group therapy » of the people of Bernie Sanders: « It is not enough to beat Trump, we must also change »

From our correspondent
Bethlehem (Pennsylvania) – Six thousand people came to see Bernie Sanders in Bethlehem in Pennsylvaniathe largest state in the balance and the first on the eastern coast to be touched by « Fighting oligarchy » tours. He attracted crowds of over thirty thousand people in the city such as Los Angeles and Denver. This It is the city of « Bethlehem Steel », the famous factory from which steel came for the Empire State Building and the other skyscrapers, as well as for the ships of the Second World War, but the factory he closed in 2003 later years of decline.

With the shirt sleeves rolled up and the finger aimed, the 83 -year -old « democratic socialist » senator independent of Vermont, traces his « Greatest Hits »: « When 1% have more wealth than 90%, when those who have the money controls both political parties, Americans live in an oligarchy». Bernie’s message has not changed, but the familiarity of the Americans has changed with the concept of oligarchy, thanks to Trump and Elon Musk. Nevertheless On the use of this same word the democrats have divided. Elissa Slotkin, Michigan’s senator and emerging party of the party who gave the official response to Trump in March after his speech at the congress, says that the term oligarchy should not be used because it does not work in « America of the middle ». Bernie replied that « Americans are not so stupid ».

Some of the strongest applause break out when the senator says that The Democratic Party failed to defend the working class and that Trump is not enoughbut we must « transform ourselves »: « There is no reason why in the richest country in the world over 60% of people barely survive people with the monthly wage ».

In his rally to celebrate The first 100 days at the White House, Trump In his own way he made a compliment to Sanders, competing with him for the dimensions of the respective crowds: «Bernie is probably the best they have (the democrats, editor’s note). I give him credit because he is a moody but he is still quite acute ».

There are things in the language of Trump and Sanders who resemble each other: words like « Fight », accusations to both parties of having chosen commercial agreements that have sold the working class, e Even Bernie does not spare himself some arrows to the media. But the solution offered is different: Sanders speaks of solidarity, of « not being divided ». Many, on the left, these days say that the rallies are useless. People who gathered in Bethlehem don’t know exactly what to do, but want to do something: it is almost a therapeutic experience. They know that Sanders will no longer re -comply with the White House; Outside you can buy the « AOC 2028 » pins.

And it is clear that the New York deputy Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is collecting his legacy of economic populism And it will be the face of the progressive left, but this does not mean that he will apply for the presidency in 2028 (when Trump says now that he does not intend to run for a third term). AOC turned 35 in October but would be considered incredibly young; Kennedy had 43. « The Democratic Party would never allow her to run, » says Tom, 34, who works at Ikea in New Jersey. « We have to wait for the hairy nancy era to end and those of his age all die, » notes Michelle Downing, a nurse. Sanders quotes « The horrenda war of Netanyahu against the people of Gaza »: criticism of Trump but also biden.

« America I love you, but you’re freaking me out » (America I love you, but you are frightening me) sings the punk the Menzingers band, which precedes Sanders: the phrase describes the mood of this crowd. The parents of a girl (with the pacifier and the blow « Feel the Bern ») work for the Johns Hopkins university who has lost federal funds for research and want to remain anonymous. Ashley Walters, 31 years old, therapist in Pennsylvania, says that the cuts affect the programs for early childhood and assistance to drug addicts and alcoholic. « The elderly were raging » when the collapse of the markets touched pensions, says Downing.

But Many Trump voters have not changed their mind, especially on immigration. « People in America live inside bubbles, are not the melting pot, one hour from here, in Weatherly, where I was born, I had never seen a black person up to the high school ». The nurse explains that he voted Kamala Harris « because I knew what would have happened if he had won Trump », but Tom no: « Kamala hadn’t won the primaries. He reminded us how the party did Bernie out, who in 2016 should have been the democratic candidate for the White House ».