Are You Sure You Want This Job, Bernie…Liz ?

Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren should wish that the job of President was bifurcated into two positions: the Domestic Policy Prez, and the Foreign Policy Prez. That’s because they both sounded good on domestic policy last night (I am reading and listening to what others are saying because I did not watch it) and I can see them trying to push through a few great things that restore the U.S. on a path to civic society and something more humane and practical. Something like the country looked like when it was moving in that direction under Harry Truman (who pushed hardest for universal health care), and then LBJ who for a minute thought to address poverty.

But we all know our Prez also has to mostly be, Emperor. They have to run this huge behemoth of an empire and make sure the world knows who is in charge. That Prez has to invade other nations, and bomb other nations, and drone people (even U.S. citizens maybe), and support destabilizing other nations, and support other nations, who because of corporate interests, or just plain stupidity, attack other nations. Like how we support Israel right now no matter what it seems. Like how we stand with Saudi Arabia right now no matter what. Like how we stand with Brazil right now, even though that was a coup. But such that it is. Barack Obama was in this boat for 8 years and he did the emperor thing pretty good but perhaps to some not nasty enough. He never blinked from droning people, signing bloated defense budgets, took away our civil liberties quietly, and stood tall with countries doing bad things to other countries or their people.

Ultimately, you are there to run the empire, and be Emperor. If only it was just about restoring a path to a civic society, Sanders and Warren look like pretty good choices. But there is that other stuff. Jimmy Carter hated that stuff. Or did he?

Anyway, enjoy the Rage Against the Machine.