2016 Postmortem

The Hollywood Ending to that hypothetical is a more monumental win for Sanders. Our gate keepers would be licking their wounds and Sanders would have earned even more credibility as a true game changing Progressive. Bucking the establishment and winning gives you a deeper connection to the voters and more say in drawing up our party's platform.

All hypothetical stuff, it's based on my opinion of why powerful people are often reluctant to show their hand. When that teachers union came out with their early endorsement of HRC, they knew that to be risky, but it offered more potential benefit than waiting. Early endorsements are appreciated more than one after a candidate looks to have an easy win. Though in a close race a late endorsement is very appreciated.

"If the establishment pushes the people too hard, the people gonna rise up somehow."

Great point, and the risk of showing their hand in massively unpopular fashion is the later suppression of our turnout at the polls. Younger voters, more independent minded voters, and serially disillusioned older voters, are less prone to bite the bullet after a bitter and controversial loss.

Either way, if the establishment is seen as having put their thumb on the scales, and that is seen as costing our party dearly at the polls, well, it's a lot more likely then that lots of them are compelled to move on to spending more time with their lobbyist buddies/families.