It's not about Bernie! [View all]

Last edited Wed May 18, 2016, 05:20 PM - Edit history (1)

It's really not.

I know that Hillary supporters may find that hard to believe. Perhaps that's because her candidacy can tend to be so much about identity politics.

But it's seriously not about Bernie. I initially wanted Elizabeth Warren, as many of us did.

It's just that Bernie, once he reluctantly announced, became the leader of a movement. He became the expression of ideas whose time have come, in fact they are well overdue. And that's the reason for his success, even if he doesn't outright win against these formidable odds.

The meaning is in the movement. Would you really care to explain to us what is wrong with the ideas and policies behind the movement he has been leading? If they are so wrong, why have they been borrowed from so heavily by Hillary.

In the end, neither I nor many other Bernie supporters care that Bernie is the one to lead the charge. Even he largely throws the power back onto us, the People.

What we care about is that Progressive/Populist/Liberal/Traditionally Democratic/New Deal style policies are defended and fought for staunchly.

You don't like his "details", or think they are too lofty? I'm not voting for him because he's a policy wonk, nor is that what I want or need in a President. I want a leader with the vision I support. But if that's what you gotta have, I would suggest that the policies on Hillary's website are no more pragmatic and detailed than his, but have at it. Just work with us to make sure she realizes and the party realizes that they can't just veer from those programs in the future, during the general, and expect us to remain happy.

Here's another thing it all is about. THE REAGAN REVOLUTION IS OVER!!!! (notice, by the way, he got to call it a revolution)

DLC and triangulation and so forth came about in response to Reagan, and the Reagan Revolution is over, dead. How do I know? Several large historical events prove this to me.
1. The success of Obama's Progressive-leaning first campaign.
2. The relative strength and impact of the very radical Occupy Wall Street.
3. The surprising success of Bernie's campaign, including raising the money and the consciousness he has.
4. The last straw is the nomination of Donald Trump, who very clearly is not a Reagan Republican.

All these things point to a crucial crossroads in history - where the Democratic Party can reclaim majorities in both houses (yes, even despite the mathematical jerrymandering that still has Democrats shaking in their boots). We can win the White House. We can do great things. We can even unify the warring Democratic factions. But to do it we have to quit taking steps backwards into the 90's (not as great in retrospect as the dot.com bubble made them appear to be) and take steps forward, together, into a Progressive future.

The best thing Hillary supporters can do is to work on building bridges to the Bernie community and to the Bernie ideas they truly love. Of course, if they don't find any, then we really do have a structural problem, and you guys are nowhere near the Progressives you claim to be.

But it's not about Bernie. It's about the Democratic Party coming together around a candidate and creating a NEW NEW DEAL and potentially having majorities in both Houses for decades, just as happened around FDR. It's what the American people want. If you don't label what you ask them, they overwhelmingly support Liberal ideas and policies.

Let's ride that horse right through those Republican enemy lines!!!