Readers React: Vote for Bernie Sanders -- because he probably can’t win

To the editor: I had a hearty chuckle reading Steve Lopez’s column on the presidential campaign. (“The presidential race is so awful you can’t look away,” Feb. 20)

I am an independent voter, but in the last decade or two I have found myself rarely in agreement with the GOP. I was sorely disappointed that in a country of more than 300 million people, the Democrats could only come up with one viable candidate: Hillary Clinton.

So when my husband took notice of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and was impressed by his determination to finance his campaign without the help of big money, we decided to send a small contribution.

Although I agree with Lopez that Sanders’ promises of free college and Medicare for all have no chance in a Republican Congress, that is the very reason I might vote for him. Although his economic policies are overall too far left for me, I am impressed by his social idealism and would hope that his influence might ease us to a more realistic, less utopian social agenda, enabling our legislators to hammer out some compromises on healthcare, education and the minimum wage.

Susan Cosgrove, San Juan Capistrano

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To the editor: Lopez had me laughing and shaking my head. His column on the presidential primary candidates would have been even funnier if it weren’t so true.

Sadly, the campaign craziness is just like when we drive by a car accident — we can’t help but watch.

Jerri Ellen Wheeler, San Juan Capistrano

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