From time-to-time politicians try to shed their politician persona and be real people; their real selves. But this is a daunting task for them because many of them have been politicians for so long and worn their politician persona on such a regular basis that it has in essence become their skin.  And because most of them are not snakes in the grass – notwithstanding the fact that the reputation that many politicians’ have earned would suggest otherwise, they cannot shed their skin.

Although inside themselves they might empathize with the everyday American and feel their pain, they cannot completely break free of the ever-present politics that exists between the haves and have nots. No matter how much they squirm and twist and turn they cannot shed their skin; they cannot break free of those mega financiers who contribute to their campaigns so that they can truly feel the pain of those of us who cannot afford to contribute anything at all or only between $5 – $50 dollars.

That’s the real problem right now and even if the majority of America’s politicians recognize this problem the great majority of them are virtually unable to react to it in any way that will fix it. It at least appears that Senator Bernie Sanders and Mr. Donald Trump are in a position to and willing to try.  Obviously Senator Sanders would have to be among those politicians who could shed their politician skin to do this but he has already proven, at least to some degree, that he can do so.  And that is why his message is resonating with voters.

Most politicians are openly pandering to the everyday American during this primary voting season while secretly pandering to big business and other big money constituents. They will likely do this same thing during the 2016 general election.  And, most politicians openly say that they intend to address the enormous wealth gap that exists between rich and everyday Americans.  The difference is that some of them want to address it slowly (whatever that means) and via an indirect approach while others want to attack it head-on and right away.

The bottom line is that it has to be addressed. And it has to be addressed in such a way that everyday Americans will recognize that it is being addressed and begin to feel the effects of that change, if not immediately, in a very short period of time.

It is understandable that there are many Americans who are angry and want to attack this wealth gap head-on and right away despite the political impact that it might have on individual politicians and the negative impact that it might have on how congress functions. If you disagree and believe that this is a haphazard statement with no basis in fact then take a few moments to reflect on the bailout of the big banks in October 2008 under The Troubled Asset Recovery Program (TARP).

Think about how these banks conducted themselves after they were infused with capital using taxpayer dollars. After they received this money from the federal government they refused to make loans to homeowners to prevent them from losing their homes.  Although it was not explicitly stated in their agreement with the government that they would help these beleaguered homeowners, the very nature of this loan implied that they would and there is no doubt that they understood this.

Now, since this financial crisis, the top ten biggest banks in America have grown larger and together hold about $10.1 trillion in assets. They are considered too big to fail because if they did fail, it would be catastrophic for the United States and perhaps even the world.  In light of how these banks conducted themselves during the financial crisis, can you even begin to imagine how powerful this must make those bankers feel who currently control the levers of power in these organizations?  Might they feel completely untouchable and perhaps even invincible?

When it comes to selecting a 2016 Democratic nominee for president it is easy to see why the previously mentioned angry Americans would land in the Bernie Sanders camp. He is the candidate that is adamant about sending a strong message to these big banks and other big money interests that their days of running America as they see fit and abusing everyday Americans at the pleasure of big banks and big money are over no matter their self-image of power and invincibility.

Since the beginning of the 2016 presidential race I have supported Secretary Hillary Clinton to become president because of her personal record and my strong belief that she has the best chance of winning the general election. I have no doubt that she would do everything that she possibly could in the overall best interest of America.

What I am not as sure about is whether she will do everything that she possibly can do in the interest of the everyday American. I do not believe that she would not do her best for the everyday American because she is not a good person, does not have a good heart and is dishonest.  She does not deserve the dishonest label that so many Americans have attached to her.

Secretary Clinton, as she has so often stated, has worked hard on key issues that affect all Americans and has fought hard to assure that all Americans are treated equally. My concern is not that some label her a corrupt, heartless politician who does not want to help the everyday American and is in politics simply because she wants to line her own pockets.  Obviously I do not agree with that assessment of her.  My concern is whether she is capable of shedding her politician skin so that she can completely experience the pain that everyday Americans feel which goes beyond that which her politician skin will allow.

Despite that concern, I still support Secretary Clinton and I still believe that she stands a better chance of winning the general election than does Senator Sanders. But the strength of that support has been steadily chipped away at by Senator Sanders’ compelling message.  I can see why so many Americans are inspired by his message and are supporting him.

Former President Clinton was wrong to belittle Senator Sanders by implying that he was peddling a cure-all message for everyday Americans’ problems that would involve simply shooting every third person on Wall Street. Senator Sanders’ message makes sense and, as previously stated, it resonates with a lot of Americans.  I happen to be one of them.

His message makes sense and resonates with everyday Americans because he is saying what we feel, have experienced everyday for years and still experience today. Powerful people, which by definition includes big banks and other big money interests, have proven time-and-time again that they do not respond in the affirmative to anything that they are requested to do, which they do not agree with unless that request is backed by power.

These same people and entities have demonstrated on numerous occasions that the label, ‘it’s always all about the money’, that they have long been tagged with is not a myth. Power seems to be all that they understand unequivocally and respond to with respect.  And a message thoroughly laced with the threat of the use of power if it is not respectfully received is the kind of message that Senator Sanders wants to send them.  He wants to send them a message that says in no uncertain terms to cut the bullls**t, stop fleecing everyday Americans and carry your fair share of America’s financial burden.  They will understand this.

Those associated with Secretary Clinton’s campaign should not be busy demeaning Senator Sanders by downplaying his message; instead, they should think about how and to what degree to incorporate that message into their own.

Eulus Dennis – author, Operation Rubik’s Cube and Living Between The Line