Originally Posted by
Greg Costello
Yeah in 2016 I agree the DNC f*cked all of us, not just Sanders supporters by deciding that it was Hillary's turn from the get go. Now lets talk about the party this year and how we ended up with a likely candidate that may have trouble stringing together a full sentence by November. How about the noisy progressive minority component of the party backing a non-party candidate whose rhetoric, and that of his most vocal supporters either (1) scared off the moderates who don't agree with the ultra progressive agenda or (2) the moderates were convinced that Sanders' agenda would never carry enough independents nor have a chance in hell of moving forward through the legislature in the next 4 years. This year the ultra Ps misread the level of support for their agenda in the Party, and there was no strong moderate able to seize control of the middle, they all ran out of money so here we are.
My two cents on why we keep doing this: Democrats are, bless us, soft, inclusive, idealistic, well-intended and usually don't have a clue how to win once we get outside of our own liberal communities. I mean come on, just look at the map of which states/counties go red vs. blue. The problem with the party is the party is rarely (ever?) unified; can't put aside tribal squabbles and get behind one candidate (like it or not the Rs know the power of getting in line); is populated mostly by city and suburban voters who are out of touch with much of America and don't listen. to or consider what the silent majority may think, including moderate democrats and independents in many states; a party that hasn't delivered for the working class and has taken those voters for granted; whose wide tent is populated by those who don't look like(as we should, and shoudl be proud of), or think like many, many (majority?) of the people in many states in the US, and who the R's do a great job of demonizing as the enemy of god fearing, white Americans. Add to this a US population that is declining in education level, is living from paycheck to paycheck and is going to vote for who they perceive is going to put the most $$ in their pocket next week and a pro-business, christian-focused anti-government song and dance just sounds better than large social constructs that are easily distorted into scary sounding, your gonna take away my $$ and my individual rights tales.
It the progressive side of the party had a hint of pragmatism they could have been smart and thrown their support behind a decent but neither shrill nor cantakerous candidate, but they didn't. Consider how little of Obama's agenda he actually got through, and he was a moderate (although I'm sure that for many American's they viewed him as far left). Hell the progressives could have gotten behind Warren who might then have had a fighting chance.
Personally I'm all in on most of Bernie's ideas and the ideas of the progressive left (we sorta live that locally here in our bucolic progressive, wealthy enclave outside of Seattle (to the extent one is able to do so despite the federal government)), but I never for a millisecond have thought that the ideas being pitched by Sanders had a chance in hell of carrying the day with the swing voters in the swing states in November. And really, in November those are the only votes that make a difference.
I understand the want and need for radical change. I understand that we may well lose much of what we hold dear, much of what life depends on (environment) absent swift radical change. But we (Ds) haven't sold that need, that urgency, to enough Americans to carry the day. Personally I think that by November, if we haven't hit rock bottom given all that is happening, and we don't elect anyone but Trump, then we are truly f*cked. And yeah, my frustration is every bit as much or more with the ultra left as it is with the DNC.
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