Senator Sanders,

I don't know if you're following these comments or not but I'd like to make a personal plea. If you don't get the Democratic nomination, would you please run as an independent?

I understand and even empathize with your rational for not doing so. However, I'd like to offer a perspective that you may not have considered.

I'm sure you agree that Clinton has, and will likely continue to, drift to the right as billionaires and corporations in this country continue to push the political climate further and further to an corporatist state ruled by an oligarchy.

While I do not fault her for pivoting in order to achieve her goals, I also believe you and I will agree that letting someone right-of-center run this country for another 4 or 8 years will compound the systemic problems we are facing.

Sure, she'll likely stem off some of the social wedge issues but the real problems, those without catchy phrases which do not fit on a bumper sticker or soundbite will go untouched. Our economy, infrastructure, and environment will continue to erode away while a few will reap the spoils of our Once Great Nation's demise.

As such, if you do not get the nomination I ask that you run as an independent for two reasons: to send a message and to spark the change we so desperately need.

I'm pretty confident that no matter the percentage you take from her (or another Rhino), those numbers will send a clear and undeniable message to the Democratic Party that this country still has people who support progressive ideas and are willing to stand their ground in support of them. It'll let them know that we are fed up with corporate interests taking precedent well above the people. That we are sick and tired of politicians selling out our future in the deregulation for the almighty buck.

Finally, I've come to the conclusion that a neocon as president would be better than Hillary Clinton. As sickening as that is for me to write, I believe our country has fallen into a state of apathy and lethargy.

We either need a hero, an FDR of the 21st century, to rally behind or someone to shock our our systems so severely that we, collectively, wake the hell up and take action.

A great analogy of this is a frog sitting in a pot with water slowly being brought to boil. We either need someone to reach in and pull us out or someone to flip the dial to way-too-fucking-miserable. Otherwise I fear we will slowly be boiled in our own juices until the corporations and those that run them make a meal of us.

I truly hope that you are not forced to make this decision. I hope that my fellow Americans will rip the wool from their eyes to see the state of politics for what it is and what will happen if someone such as yourself, someone that gives a damn about more than their personal interests and legacy, isn't there to defend our interests and future.

Anyway, I sincerely thank you for your even considering running. I can only imagine the difficulty of the task. I just hope that you are able to overcome the insurmountable challenges ahead of you. You'll have my support in donations of both money and time.