The Presidential primaries are effectively over. Both parties have chosen their candidates (and it is worth reminding everyone that primaries are party affairs, not exercises intended for the general/unaffiliated public).
I am reluctant to re-enter the toxic primary debate between the “Bernie bots” and the Hillary supporters, and I will preface this post with a disclaimer that will no doubt be ignored: this is not an “endorsement” of either of them. I tend to agree with most–not all– of Sanders’ positions, and I have never been a particularly enthusiastic supporter of Hillary–not because I consider her corrupt or dishonest (I don’t), but because, despite her resume and formidable policy chops, she is a defensive and not particularly inspiring candidate.
I will support Hillary. Had Bernie emerged as the Democratic candidate, I would have supported him. But that is a far cry from believing that he would be the stronger candidate against The Donald.
A recent article from Slate spells out what most politically active people know: polls at this juncture in the campaign are absolutely meaningless. The reason Hillary’s negatives are high is that everything that the Republicans could possibly throw at her has been thrown (repeatedly) for the past 25 years. There won’t be any surprises.
Bernie, on the other hand, would go into this election facing the national GOP smear machine for the first time–and given that Trump is head of their ticket, that machine would undoubtedly go into overdrive. The Slate article spells out just some of the more obvious attacks (and no, they need not be fair or accurate–just as many of the efforts to bring Hillary down have not been fair or accurate). Just a few examples from the article:
[Sanders] has never been asked to account for his relationship with the Trotskyist Socialist Workers Party, for which he served as a presidential elector in 1980. At the time, the party’s platform called for abolishing the U.S. military budget and proclaimed “solidarity” with revolutionary Iran. (This was in the middle of the Iranian hostage crisis.) There’s been little cable news chatter about Sanders’ 1985 trip to Nicaragua, where he reportedly joined a Sandinista rally with a crowd chanting, “Here, there, everywhere/ The Yankee will die.” It would be nice if this were due to a national consensus on the criminal nature of America’s support for the Contras. More likely, the media’s attention has simply been elsewhere….
Imagine an ad drawing from the old Sanders essay “The Revolution Is Life Versus Death.” First it might quote the candidate mocking taboos on child nudity: “Now, if children go around naked, they are liable to see each others [sic] sexual organs, and maybe even touch them. Terrible thing!” Then it would quote him celebrating girls who defy their mothers and have sex with their boyfriends: “The revolution comes … when a girl pushes aside all that her mother has ‘taught’ her and accepts her boyfriends [sic] love.” Finally, it would remind viewers that Sanders was one of 14 congressmen to vote against the law establishing the Amber Alert system and one of 15 to vote against an amendment criminalizing computer-generated child pornography. The fact that these votes were cast for entirely principled civil libertarian reasons is, in the context of a general-election attack, beside the point…..
As the nominee, Sanders would have to address his former opposition to public schools and praise for parents who believe that it is “better for their children not to go to school at all than for them to attend a normal type of establishment.” He’d have to explain whether he still feels that sexual repression causes cancer, whether he still opposes the concept of private charity, and whether he still supports the public takeover of the television industry.
Anyone who believes that the GOP would not use–and abuse–these currently little-known positions from Sanders’ past, or that such attacks wouldn’t be highly effective, is being willfully naive.
Bernie Sanders has done the Democratic party an enormous service during this primary campaign. He has raised issues that needed to be raised, and he has moved Hillary Clinton from her more cautious and much more incremental positions. His arguments will strongly influence the party platform. He has brought enthusiastic young people into the political process, and I for one believe he will put the issues above his ego and work hard to keep them involved.
As an old political warhorse, I can tell you that winning an election is not the same thing as winning the argument. The “Bernie bots” can console themselves that he has already won that.
Finally, for those still insisting that Bernie can still win the nomination, or in the alternative, that he was somehow cheated out of winning, please read this.
I agree 100%! I love Bernie, but to this day still feel Hillary Clinton would have been a better president than Barack Obama. She is whip smart and a battle hardened soldier of politics. I can guarantee you right now that had Hillary been president in 2009 the “put grandma on the death list” that was used to vilify the ACA would have stopped dead in it’s tracks. Hillary realizes full well that politics does not take a vacation and it is a 24/7 365 proposition, something Obama was very remiss to realize. She has the experience. In deciding to back Hillary I looked at it like evaluating any person to fill a job. You get a lot of qualified candidates (hopefully) and then you have to choose the one with the best proven track record and the one that you think will best do the job, and for me that was Hillary. I still love Bernie and think he is a great voice for working people everywhere, and will be proud to vote for him if given the opportunity, but I strongly feel Hillary is more qualified to be president.
Lets not loose sight of the real goal is to get control of congress and the Supreme Court so we can get the country moving and reverse some of the damage done in recent years by both these bodies
Yes. Bernie will NOT be president of the USA. BUT. If Bernie, Hillary, Joe Biden, Bill Clinton, Elizabeth Warren, The Castro Brothers, and thousands of us all come together, we MIGHT be able to put a nail in all this Tea Party Racist Right Wing CRAZY. PLease get involved.
patmcc,
“…..we MIGHT be able to put a nail in all this Tea Party Racist Right Wing CRAZY. Please get involved.”
The only way to bring back the Sanders supporters is to PROVE FACTUALLY how really crazy the Tea Party Racist Right Wing is and THUS how important it is to do everything possible to stop Donald Trump. They won’t come back into the fold with anything less.
We must start with that NOW, not after the convention. Then it will be too late.
I hope Hillary can maintain a professional demeanor in the face of what is going to be a brutal and punishing campaign. She needs to stay focused on policies and issues and let the republicans mire themselves in their own mud.
“Bernie bots”? Not very nice.
Yes, Bernie has his “history.” He also has given hope to old, jaded liberal Democrats like me. The party under Debbie Wasserman Schultz has been a sell-out and a disaster.
Yes, I will vote for Hillary, for the Supreme Court and for a more Democratic Congress, but my heart belongs to Bernie.
Hillary will not be elected, plain and simple. Carrying more baggage than the Queen Mary, she will not appeal to moderate Republicans,and she has lost the progressive Democrats. America is going to get the President it deserves, regardless if it is Clinton or Trump. The next four years are going to be total hell for the poor, the working class, the gappers, and anyone living in the Middle East.
Amen, very well said.
Thanks
Tony
Robert Kennedy nailed it… HRC realized that goal long ago and has worked to bring others to the finish line too. Trump, Sanders, Cruz and several others where not interested (or seldom mentioned it) in doing anything other than electing themselves. No congress, no movement.
Shiela, I disagree. If one is anti-establishment, then clearly one must have positions and opinions which differ from the establishment. For what has been featured as the norm in recent decades, Sanders has broken fertile new ground, more so than the Ralph Nader type. Weigh his views and positions from his earlier days against his views and positions now and one finds his early ones of little consequence. Clearly it is the weight of his current positions which has brought Clinton down a little bit from her establishment high horse. He may not be the ideal candidate, but he deserves real consideration as fresh new voice in our so-called democracy.
1) In agreement with Sally above. Why are you indulging in the game of incendiary labels?
2) Nevertheless this article has gone the farthest to convince me that Clinton has a stronger chance at electability. Even as a Sanders supporter I can see the logic of these arguments. Perhaps if you’d made them earlier..
3) I was happier with this article before I read the comments. I’m tired of the patronizing “If you like Sanders you’re possibly a good person but you’re not very bright” attitude. I don’t need to defend my intelligence, and the fact that I’m not responding with insults of my own should (should) carry weight with deciding who is having the more mature response. Respect it.
4. I agree more with Sanders on more issues than not. I give Clinton the edge on politics; a pragmatic admission that I don’t so much admire as consider necessary.
5. One of the forces keeping me in the Sanders camp now is the unending barrage of Clinton supporters (which, other than the unnecessary label, was thankfully absent in this article; but it resurfaced in the comments). Taken as a whole, the group sure has figured out how to insult a huge minority of the party. I was at the peak of my frustration yesterday when several friends posited that one of the only reasons Bernie supporters exist is because of an undertone of hostility against females. I see. So, I’m a misogynist now? -just like that. Excellent. Well played. No argument could go further faster in alienating her potential supporters. Again, I don’t need to describe my history of work for equality on all fronts, but the insult and hurt was great and it was real.
6. Shiela, on a personal note which I doubt you’ll respond to, one of the greatest shocks of the season was when I read your statement on this blog: “There’s no way this country is going to elect a seventy-_____ year-old Jew.” You said it right as I was swinging on my decision of which of our candidates to support. Be aware that it was that statement which knocked me into the Sanders camp. It was that statement, and the source, and all that it implied about your ultimate views of the voting populace, and the system, and history and the hopes of healing, that made me say “No. I’m going with the candidate who stops telling me what we can’t do and instead tells me what we can.” Sanders still inspires me. Clinton I’ll vote for. And Shiela.. despite my admissions about this article.. Realize how close you were to being wrong. There WERE ways. Those doors are closing now, but in the right times, and in the right places, the unexpected still happens. And try to remember that there is hope beyond that which politics offer…
Hillary will not be elected plain and simple?
Some Bernie Bros have missed the point. It doesn’t matter how long ago Bernie said what he said, just as it didn’t matter how long ago Obama read Saul Alinsky. When the GOP marketing machine starts beating on a candidate, nothing matters. Bernie would be “swift boated” and it would not be pretty. Remember the swift boaters turned John Kerry into a lying coward and W, who didn’t finished his National Guard commitment, into a hero. They don’t care if they lie. All they care about is that people see the lie.
I will reply. I made that comment–which was that this country will not elect a 74-year-old Jewish socialist– as a 74-year-old Jew myself. I brought to that observation my own, not inconsiderable, experiences with anti-Semitism in this country. Hope is wonderful, and I hope you are right–but if you are wrong, the alternative we risk is Donald Trump (or before his ultimate win, Ted Cruz), loss of the Supreme Court, continued know-nothing domination of the House and Senate, and loss of a secular, inclusive America. Those are scary odds for anyone who cares about this country and its future.
I was going to stay out of this one today because I am sick of the entire mess…and I am talking about both parties and their media coverage. The deciding factor to jump in here is the Facebook post regarding the Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll report that 100% of Bernie’s supporters will vote for him if he runs as an Independent. I was, am and remain a Bernie 2016 supporter – how did they miss me in their 100% count of his supporters? He is far too wise and has too much political experience to do this; knowing it would only split the Democratic party and give the presidency to Trump…or to a surprise nominee if Republicans dump one on us at the last minute.
The same poll reported that 33% of Bernie’s supporters will NOT vote for Hillary. I won’t argue with that statement but have no idea of the actual percentage of those closed-minded but open-mouthed Bernie “supporters”. I do not want to vote for her; will consider my vote is AGAINST TRUMP if she is the nominee…as I am sure Bernie will ask his supporters to do if the convention goes her way.
Sheila,
“I will reply. I made that comment–which was that this country will not elect a 74-year-old Jewish socialist– as a 74-year-old Jew myself. I brought to that observation my own, not inconsiderable, experiences with anti-Semitism in this country.”
As someone from a mixed background of Jewish and Christian, you better believe she is right. That is not Sheila’s opinion, it’s a FACT based comment—–observation and experience.
And I will assure you if you haven’t experienced anti-Semitism before just wait and see what’s in store for the U.S. if Trump is elected.
My two fears: (1) voters will consider Donald’s opponent as a shoo in and will stay home or (2) the anti-Donald ticket gets split. My guess is (1) is more likely than (2). Vote, people.
Remember the “Political Tsunami” I mentioned to you a few days ago, take it for a WARNING that it’s rapidly MOVING closer and closer all the time.
We’ve all seen a lot of online Bernie-bot spanking. And a lot of DNC-blaming and Clinton-blaming in response — and watched it escalate.
I think a lot (though certainly not all) of those who have been online behaving badly on behalf of Bernie are republican shills. I think they’re there to foment discord between Hillary-supporters and Bernie-supporters, and to a great degree, I think they’re succeeding.
Anyone looking at Bernie’s voting record and Hillary’s voting record in the senate will see that they voted the same way 93% of the time. Bernie has vision and experience. Hillary has vision and experience as well. Both are qualified. Democrats had a choice between two great candidates. I’ll happily vote for either this November.
I’m not interested in what’s wrong about the candidate you don’t like — I’m much more interested in what’s right about either candidate.
The fanatical bashing back-and-forth plays into the hands of republicans who want to keep the democratic party divided. Republican shills have trolled online communities since before the internet, they were a problem back when I was moderating forums on GEnie and Compuserve with a dial-up modem — they still are. They’re happy to disrupt, because they believe that other Americans are their enemies. It’s dangerous. It’s deliberate divisiveness. And we should be careful not to buy into it.
All of this back-and-forth bashing serves no one but Trump and makes it harder to create unity when we are most going to need it.
I suggest instead that we acknowledge each other’s sincerity, passion, commitment, conviction, and activism — that we not sink into the blame game, that we not get into thoughtless condemnation of the other members of our political and ideological family — that instead, we look for common cause, ways to unite, ways to create partnership and teamwork.
Well said Sheila
I’m with JoAnn on this one. Whether you love Hilary or not, if you vote FOR Bernie, in this election, you are casting a vote for Trump. Nobody in their right mind wants that man in the White House.
If you’re not endorsing either of them in this post,why denigrate Bernie supporters?
When you write disparagingly of his supporters, you’re not doing a service to anyone but perhaps getting the satisfaction of feeling smug.
This is the exact attitude that will come back to bite the Democratic Party if Clinton is the chosen candidate. There’s a media blackout on what happened at the Democratic Nevada Primary. That will come back to haunt the DNC as well.
Why should I and others continue to support a political party/machine that has nothing but contempt for us? I won’t. I will write Bernie in and leave the down ticket blank and let the chips fall where they may. I am not alone.
All Americans should have a photo of Bernie on the bathroom wall.
A Social Democrats, ( a “Socialist”) photo on the wall, would be an
effective laxative …
Oh,one more thing. If this country can elect Obama as President,especially at a time when it seems like a freeforall for LE to fatally shoot black-men in this country with impunity,this country can elect a 74 yr old Jewish man from Brooklyn. This has nothing to do with Trump. This attitude would still be the prevailing attitude of the DNC for the “chosen” candidate (Clinton) no matter who was the frontrunner/candidate for the Republicans.
It’s time the mantra “we can’t” becomes “We Can”. That’s probably what separates bots such as myself from the true believers of the DNC.
When a party has taken your vote for granted for decades and it has nothing but contempt for you and your interests……It’s time to go our separate ways. To do otherwise is insanity. That’s reality.
I can’t really add to Sheila’s lead off.
I find that the debate is endlessly fascinating, I love intellectual sparring and, unlike many today, find it invigorating and a sign of the great awakening and in fact greatly missed it when the GOP made it dirty by removing the “intellectual” part with candidates like Trump and Palin and Rubio.
Bravo Sheila. Bernie’s also my hero. Hillary though is my President as well as the final nail in the conservative coffin.
Insight:
http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/280117-hillarys-unlikely-ally-in-2016-the-media
I appreciate this thoughtful piece, but your calling Sanders supporters “Bernie bots” (while calling equally die-hard Clinton supporters “Clinton supporters”) is dismissive and unnecessarily hostile. And no matter which of Bernie’s (and the majority of the public’s) positions make their way into the Democrats’ platform, there’s no reason to believe that Clinton would promote them in the White House. If my choice comes down to her or Trump, of course I’ll vote for her, but I’m not under any illusions that she’ll be a champion for the 99%. She’ll support the 1%-favored system that’s now in place. She’s one of them, and to deny that would be disingenuous. She’s already done irreparable harm to the Democratic party–okay, not fair; her candidacy has pointed out the unfairness built into the party. After November, “Bernie bots” like me are going to be working on creating a viable alternative to the party of the DNC. (I’ve been a card-carrying, straight-ticket-voting Democrat for over four decades, but the last few months have left me without a party.)
I will stand by Bernie until the end. I will write his name in or vote for another Socialist.
The Democratic Party began to die during Bill Clinton’s regime. Bill Clinton in his own way conducted a regime change of the Democratic Party from Main Street and Unions to Wall Street. The results have not been good:
In 1992 in the Senate there were 57 Democratic Senators and 43 Republicans.
In 2002 in the Senate there were 48 Democratic Senators and 51 Republicans. One Independent.
In 2012 in the Senate the Democrats had 45 Seats vs 53 Republicans, with two Independents.
In 2014 in the Senate there are 44 Democratic Senators and 54 Republicans with two Independents.
The House:
In 1992 The Democrats had 258 Seats to the Republicans 176, with one Independent.
In 2002 The Democrats had 205 Seats, to the Republicans 229 Seats and one Independent
In 2012 The Democrats 201 Seats vs 234 Republicans.
In 2014 The Democrats have 188 Seats vs the Republicans 247.
The Democratic Party has also be on the run at the state levels too.
Governors Right now: 31 Republicans, 18 Democrats, and 1 independent.
In 1992 after the elections 30 Democrats 18 Republicans were elected as Governors.
After the 2000 Elections the totals were 29 Republicans and 19 Democrats.
The New Democrats as epitomized by the Clinton’s and the Corporate Establishment DNC has failed to deliver and the results are there for all to see.
The most disappointing post from my favorite sociopolitical commentator.
Idealism vs realism.
Realism starts with acceptance of the status quo. Whatever it is it’s where we are, what we have to work with and within.
Idealism starts with the answer. Here’s what’s right and wrong and applying those specifics to problems will solve them.
Realism can be crippled by a changing environment. It blunts adaptation to changing conditions.
Idealism is latent extremism. It tends to move closer to extremism because of confirmation bias. Prioritization of positive feedback over negative feedback.
Lots of good and bad behind the labels.
IMO we are recovering now from right wing extremism. We’ve recently seen how ineffective knowing the answer before understanding the problem is.
President Obama is known for his pragmatic, realistic acceptance of where and who we are and using that to steer the ship ponderous though that may be.
What’s next? What can we learn from experience to inform action?
My inclination is to avoid the pendulum swing from way right to way left and try for the center as has President Obama. We’ve maintained the wisdom of the business centric as well as the citizen centric. We’ve progressed leaving no realist behind. But we are also as expected still suffering from right wing extremism as evidenced by our failure to keep up, to thrive as the environment that we exist in changes so rapidly.
I’d suggest mating Bernie and Hillary but the mental
Image is off-putting and we don’t have time to wait for the offspring to mature. We have to choose among what’s on the table not in our dreams.
I didn’t ignore “this is not an endorsement of either.” But what followed contradicted that sentence. Calling us Bernie Supporters “Bernie Bots” and the other “Hillary supporters”is dismissive .
Well, like others who have responded to your column today, I really didn’t want to respond. I simply found the article to be unfair. I was involved in my first campaign as a 7 year old going door to door with my dad campaigning for Vance Hartke in our rural township. I’ve always been a Democrat. As a young adult I was a staffer in several political campaigns, managed a Congressional campaign, and Hillary Clinton was my boss on the Carter staff in 1976 in Indiana. All I have to say about that latter experience is this: I am an emphatic supporter of Bernie Sanders. To your column, regardless of anyone’s background the opposition in a presidential campaign will say anything, true or otherwise. Regarding the facts of Bernie’s youth and his public service since then, well, do you really think Hillary and Donald come off better if you believe that sort of ugly stuff potential is a reason that Bernie should not be the Democratic nominee? In terms of reality checks, do you really believe Bernie has not been through these attacks before as a candidate for the U.S. House and later the Senate? The smut attacks will come no matter who is nominated by the Democrats or by the Republicans. There is no point in elevating such gutter politics to significance and no point in going negative regarding the supporters of Bernie Sanders. I support Bernie for three direct reasons: in terms of character I believe he is best suited to be president, I believe he is willing to do his utmost to address the critical issues facing humankind and our planet at this point in time, and he is a person that is bringing people of diverse views together. My god, when you go to a Bernie event his supporters are actually happy. There is something to be said for that.
The problem with political opinions especially is that they ultimately are more right or wrong but the degree of that requires that they be put into practice for a significant time period and the results analyzed. And sometimes what causes them to be successful or to fail is not their inherent right or wrongness but the environmental changes that occur during their trial.
Because of this rightness or wrongness can only be inferred by past application and even then environmental changes in their past application may well have been significantly different from their future environment.
What to do, what to do?
Debate is the best approach.
Bernie and I agree that, and on, the biggest problem facing us. Climate change.
https://berniesanders.com/issues/climate-change/
It turns out the same can be said of Hillary.
https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/climate/
It turns out that Trump’s position on climate change is to deny it.
“By 2050 there will be $158 trillion in assets at risk from flooding alone — not to mention 1.3 billion people at risk — driven largely by climate change and urbanization.”
“In the United States, up to 31 million people already live in areas that would be inundated in a future that does not curb currently expected sea level rise.”
“In the 30 years between 1976–1985 and 2005–2014, damage from disasters has increased tenfold, now costing more than $140 billion annually (averaged over the 10-year span). Meanwhile, the number of people affected has gone from 60 million a year to more than 170 million.”
“According to another report released at the risk conference, in the past two decades, extreme weather events have affected more than four billion people — killing more than 600,000 and causing $1.9 trillion in economic losses.”
From: http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/05/17/3778880/climate-change-risk-flooding-cost/
Nancy,
“Well said Sheila”
ditto
ALG, OMG, and Andy, see the final comment from Monday. I really appreciate you! Sheila? It goes without saying that I appreciate her. If she were not here, we might all implode…or explode!
Can’t omit the Nancys and Marv. Thanks, y’all!
First, just to get my vote in, Bernie Bots was a low blow and entirely unexpected and uncalled for.
Second, yes Bernie is calling for the revolution, although we all hopefully know that he has known all along that he probably wasn’t going to get, even at best, most of the revolution he was calling for. On the other hand, voting for Hillary, after listening to her, what am I voting for? More of the same, maybe not getting back the senate, probably not getting back the house, more of fighting recalcitrant republicans to get anything done. Hillary totally lacks any inspiration. Why isn’t she aiming higher than she thinks her reach is, instead of aiming to a comfortable place. It isn’t that she isn’t saying that her policies are more progressive than many of us would have though, but she has claimed the inspiring idea that she will be more of, a continuation of Obama. Well, I think Obama has mostly pretty well for his situation, but saying I will be more of Obama doesn’t inspire me that she is intent, for all she is worth, on getting back both the house and the senate. And that is one of the reasons that she isn’t inspiring many of the “Bernie bots” to want to vote for her. More of Obama is not a battle cry to bring change, and we are all tired of the status quo.
Given the situation, if, as looks highly likely, she is the Democratic nominee, I will vote for her. My spouse (we are an LGBT household) is so paranoid about Trump that she wants us to all have passports so we can get out early if things start looking really ugly.
With 45 years of exposure, of course Hillary has her share of political warts and moles, but she is my choice for the presidency. I don’t disagree with what Bernie has to say, having always been a bit left of center, but the problem is in implementation of his ideas, especially with a gerrymandered House likely to remain Republican (though I think we will retake the Senate, which is one reason I want Warren to stay where she is in the race for the majority in the Senate and if close – she has a Republican governor in Massachusetts who would appoint a Republican, of course, and if that one vote gave the Republicans continuing control of the Senate and she is vice president who cuts ribbons and kisses babies, I don’t like the trade off.) Trump has had no political exposure but has a truckload of warts and moles in the conduct of his life and that of his business which, in addition to his terminal narcissism, makes him unfit for dogcatcher.
I do not find Hillary defensive at all. Interesting that you do. I do find Bernie has changed his colors during the campaign and has become strident, misogynistic, and rather hateful in his speech. His refusal to talk down his supporters in Nevada is inexcusable. There are rules for a reason and when his followers don’t like them, they riot. Becoming more like Trump supporters and I don’t like it one bit. Not one bit.
Well said Sheila! Thanks Nancy and Marv. A pretty stark and potentially catastrophic reality for all of us and the World at large if what Sheila described happens, and more importantly, that we let it happen.
GAL, “On the other hand, voting for Hillary, after listening to her, what am I voting for?”
What I’ve found is that if you really want an answer go to her (also Bernie’s) website. She makes it very clear what you will get in my opinion.
We owe Bernie a lot for bringing liberalism and democracy and freedom and government as a solution out of the closet. I think that he’s moved everyone who isn’t a right wing extremist leftish. Good for him.
The Democrat Party will decide on their candidate. That’s our way. Whoever it is represents perhaps our last chance to fully restore the government that got us through the first 250 years.
That’s critical. Taking advantage of the business of sustainable energy is too as are health care, education and infrastructure.
The country cannot afford to lose this one.
BTW, this is the most rousing debate that I’ve seen here. Good job.
I simply cannot understand why anyone who calls oneself “liberal” or “progressive” likes Hillary. What is there to like about her? Her fomenting of instability in the Middle East? Her cozy relationship with Goldman Sachs? Her presidential campaign that is all about “me, me, me” as opposed to Bernie’s which is about “us”? The fact that her positions change color more than a chameleon in a bowl of Froot Loops? She doesn’t do better than Bernie in head-to-head polls vs. Trump, that’s a FACT. So her line that she’s the “practical” candidate who has the “best chance” of winning the general election is just hogwash propaganda. Unfortunately, she’s repeated it enough times that people believe her.
A vote for Hillary is a vote to continue the slow downward spiral of our country. If there isn’t a good option on the ballot, I’m half tempted just to vote for Trump so we can crash it into the ground already and start the rebuilding of our democracy that we so sorely need.
Briefest of brief follow-ups from yesterday on a topic that deserves more:
Anti-Semitism: yes, I’m aware. I’m not being snarky. So many thoughts on the topics, its corollaries and repetitions and mirrors with other cultures and groups and times and places… There’s no way I can get mere written words to express it, I’ve tried for 40 minutes. I’m gay, I recognize the differences and the similarities.
Point being, nineteen years ago I was ready to kill myself. Today I’m married to a man and live openly. You’ll forgive me if I believe in hope.
I recognize the delicate thread by which such things hang. I know what I have today I might not have tomorrow. And I respect your caution because I know it’s deserved. With age comes wisdom. – but with age can also come an unwarranted refusal to believe in what might happen, what could be.
“Then spoke the thunder
DA
Datta: what have we given?
My friend, blood shaking my heart
The awful daring of a moment’s surrender
Which an age of prudence can never retract
By this, and this only, we have existed
Which is not to be found in our obituaries
Or in memories draped by the beneficent spider
Or under seals broken by the lean solicitor
In our empty rooms”
…I don’t know why this passage came to mind exactly, but it felt right.
Anyway. Outside of your culture or not, I do try to understand.
Whenever anyone lists certain facts about Bernie, Bernie supporters (like the candidate they support) refuse to acknowledge the existence of these facts and instead recite the same parade of horribles about Hillary and the Democratic Party.
Regarding Bernie’s vote against the national Amber Alert system, he was one of only 14 in Congress to do so.
Regarding Bernie’s vote against the PROTECT Act (which strengthened protections against child porn and other related issues), he was one of only 25 in the House to vote against it.
Bernie is also on the record publicly that he does not believe in charities.
These are publicly available facts. America will not elect a president that has voted repeatedly against protecting children. Trump and the GOP will have a field day with Bernie’s record. I am surprised that none of the pro-Hillary super PACs have flooded the airwaves in CA and NJ with these facts.
Shiela, shame on you for calling his supporters “Bernie Bots.” Whatever chance you had of convincing his supporters that he is less electable than Hillary was thrown out the window the moment you typed those words. Both sides need to stop name calling.
You are correct; however, in my defense, I did not intend to suggest that all Sanders’ supporters fell in that category. It was a very
inartful effort to define the hard-core subset that blames every setback on corruption and nefarious actions. But I regret it, for the reason you cite.
During his years in government, Bernie voted on what some of us – including myself – believe was the wrong decision. He at times appeared to be acting against what was/is best for the majority. He is not perfect. Hillary has made her own mistakes, in my opinion they were not Benghazi or opting for that single server, but she has made some. She is not perfect. President Obama did not allow Bush’s lower tax rate on the wealthy to expire on the date Bush himself set for expiration. He also supports the TPP which I believe will further damage this country’s ability to keep businesses and jobs here. He also supports Hillary rather than my choice, Bernie Sanders. He is not perfect. I am disappointed in the actions; not the man, simply because I do not expect perfection. To do so with any human; only causes disappointment and disillusionment for ourselves.
Sheila is not perfect; as she just pointed out to us on her own blog, in her own words. She still has my support and remains my source for information, education and the facts we need to understand the chaotic political situation we wake up to each morning and go to sleep with each night – if we can sleep these nights.