Hope and Bern: In Which I Attempt to Make People Remember 2008

Does this seem familiar to anyone? 

Is it just me or is there something about this election that I've seen before? 

Really, does anyone remember the 2008 primaries? 

Okay, let me back up.

Full disclosure: I voted for Obama in the 2008 primaries. However, I did not buy into the whole Messiah thing that was going on in 2008. I mean seriously, people were RIDICULOUSLY excited about him. And it's good that I wasn't because everyone I know that was ridiculously excited about him were let down hard, because (surprise!) he had to move towards the center once he became president and had to actually do the job. 

And now I see it happening all over again. The same demographic (young, often first-time voters) are getting crazy psyched for one man who is going to change everything and make everything better. In some cases, it's the exact same people who were touting Obama's ineffable perfection in 2008. Did they not learn? 

IF Sanders gets the nomination (which I'm really doubtful of, even if he does win the popular vote) and IF he wins the general election (which I'm also doubtful of because if we got all that "socialist" scare with Obama, just think of how bad it'll be with an actual socialist) he'll either have to move towards the center to get things done or he'll stay firmly planted in his far left of center ways and the government will get less done than it does now. Either way, he'll end up disappointing the liberals who got him elected in the first place, just like Obama. Worse than Obama, actually, since his promises are WAY more out of reach than Obama's were. 

By all means, support Bernie Sanders. Just don't make the mistake of thinking he's the Progressive Savior who will change everything. Or anything, for that matter. Nothing big will change under Sanders. Our Constitution was written specifically to avoid huge changes in the system at once. You won't get your student loans forgiven. You won't get free college. The minimum wage won't jump up to $15/hour. Universal health care is not going to happen. Change may come, but it'll take time. More time than Bernie Sanders will have should he become our next president.