Bernie Sanders’ Amazing Parallels to John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy

By Michael Sainato | 07/22/15 11:00am

“There is nothing in the record of the past two years when both houses of Congress have been controlled by the Republican Party, which can lead any person to believe that those promises will be fulfilled in the future. They follow the Hitler line—no matter how big the lie; repeat it often enough and the masses will regard it as truth.”

President John F. Kennedy stated the quote above, but it could very well be a quote on one of the many memes floating around the Internet of Bernie Sanders. Just as the 1960s needed a president like John F. Kennedy to push forth progress on the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 from the conservative stronghold at the time that held firm on their power and prejudices, America needs a president like Bernie Sanders to mitigate the civil wrongs being perpetuated today by a government being increasingly influenced by enormously wealthy interests. John F. Kennedy defended his liberal views in his 1960 presidential party nomination acceptance speech by declaring, “If by a ‘Liberal’ they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people—their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties—someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a ‘Liberal,’ then I’m proud to say I’m a ‘Liberal.’ ”

The substance of the Bernie Sanders campaign has focused on the welfare of the people and the big issues that they care about. The similar reforms that John F. Kennedy so eloquently fought for that helped him win the Democratic Presidential nomination in 1960 are what is catapulting Bernie Sanders to seriously contend for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination. In a recent interview with the Boston Herald, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren said, “Bernie’s out talking about the issues that the American people want to hear about.” She added about his supporters, “these are people who care about these issues, and that’s who Bernie’s reaching. I love what Bernie is talking about. I think all the presidential candidates should be out talking about the big issues.”

Mr. Sanders’ rising popularity is indicative of the pervasive inequalities that hinder our country’s progress. He is a voice for those suffering in pain and poverty. John F. Kennedy stated in his inaugural address, “If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.” It is because of this fact that we need a president not only elected by the people, but one whose campaign is funded and run by the people, not dictated by a small handful of wealthy interests that tie strings between their donations and the candidate they fund...


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