Why I’m Caucusing for Bernie Sanders
Our country is sick.  It is sick economically, mentally, and physically.  We have to throw off the
parasitic industries, if we are EVER to move towards a genuine social / economic democracy.
We are sick economically in that all the excess wealth and productivity that is produced by our
centuries of labor, collective gathering, research, testing and analysis of information has gone to the top
1/10th of one percent.  Almost all the wealth generated floats to the top. We are spending 20% of our
income on health care expenses and medicine. Based on a Kaiser Foundation report, 25% of Americans
have delayed or forgone a medical procedure they needed because they could not afford to pay for it.
Americans borrowed 88 billion dollars last year to pay for medical procedures. And of course, we are the
only country in the world that has medical bankruptcy. We pay up to 10 times or more than other
countries for the same medicines produced by the same drug makers. Insulin is $70 a month in Canada,
and $700 a month in the USA.
We are sick mentally.  We have been inundated by right-wing and status quo media propaganda
that does not want FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE.  We are constantly told we are “lazy, and don’t work hard
enough”. Yet, despite record profits on Wall St, and living in the country with the highest GNP in the
world, we can’t provide the most basic necessities for our citizens. Why? Because the system is RIGGED!
The social / economic system is based on the MAXIMIZATION of PROFIT at ALL COST.  This is the “bread
and butter” of the messages that we are submerged in EVERY DAY, EVERY HOUR, EVERY MINUTE. The
average full-time salary worker works 47+ hours a week. The average full-time hourly worker works 45+
hours a week. So, for most families that is 12 to 15+ hours of FREE labor every week.
We are told everyday that the economy is doing great. But the REALITY is, with the increase in
health care coverage, housing, car, and utility expenses, most Americans are struggling to survive. Many
full-time workers, live in poverty, and REQUIRE government assistance to make ends meet.  Federal
minimum wage has remained at $7.25 an hour for over 10 years.
Our young people who graduate from college or voc-tech schools are strapped with large
amounts of school debt.  School debt only EXISTS in this country.
We have to move towards a more caring and supportive society.  One that is based on enriching
and developing clean natural energy. One that eliminates school debt, if you graduate college or a voc-
tech school.  We need to have a society that is civil and democratic, that recognizes that when you are
sick, it’s not an option, not a choice, but a right to receive medical care and medicine!!  Bernie has a plan
to fix all of these problems, and that is why I am voting for Sen. Bernie Sanders for President.
Terry Pensel, Guttenberg