Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

AverageJoe

(2,292 posts)
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 02:09 AM Feb 2020

This is coming from a good place. I hope you will consider it.

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by NancyBlueINOklahoma (a host of the General Discussion forum).

I am sixty years old and have been a registered Democrat my entire adult life. I have voted in every presidential election since 1980. I have voted for the Democratic nominee every time.

I am also an enthusiastic Sanders supporter.

I was a Sanders supporter in 2016. When Clinton won the nomination, however, I voted for her in the general election, as did every Sanders supporter I know who was actually a registered Democrat. It’s no secret that not all Sanders voters did the same.

Since Sanders’s supporters transcend the Democratic Party, there was an unfortunate—yes, catastrophic—bleeding away of some of his voters. Sanders mobilized a lot of otherwise apolitical folks in 2016 who would otherwise not have involved themselves in the process. I think that’s a good thing. We can use every vote we can get to defeat trump and his enablers.

I used to love coming to DU and was a regular here years ago. I find it a lot tougher to enjoy this place now, though, and have since the primaries of the last election cycle. The hard feelings I see almost every time Sanders’s name is mentioned are toxic.

Look, I want to win as much as you do, no matter who your candidate might be. I swear I will vote for that person, should they become the nominee.

I just want you to consider how truly unhelpful to the Democratic cause it is for some of you to belittle people like me, simply because we back different blue candidates.

I want us to win in November, no matter who the candidate might be. I hope you do, too. I am not your enemy, and would be your friend if you returned that friendship. We must be in this together if we want to beat the devil who is defiling the White House.

Okay, the old man has finished his rant.

Peace.

12 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

democratisphere

(17,235 posts)
1. Democrats need to get on the correct side of THIS or we are toast.
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 02:17 AM
Feb 2020

Are we going to allow drumpf to taint our consistant national leader in the polls; the person that always beats drumpf?! Damn, I sure hope not!

Hermit-The-Prog

(33,041 posts)
2. Wrong forum. Tell it to Democratic Primaries.
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 02:26 AM
Feb 2020

AverageJoe

(2,292 posts)
4. I guess I didn't think of this as a primaries issue
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 02:31 AM
Feb 2020

I saw it as more of a let’s all be in this fight together issue. Sorry if I put it in the wrong place.

renate

(13,776 posts)
3. I can't express in words how much I hate all this negativity
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 02:31 AM
Feb 2020

The country is overflowing with hatred and tribalism. And after an amicable start to the primaries, now even my own beloved political party is full of infighting and meanness. It breaks my heart.

Thank you for your wise words. I hope we can all be reunited soon.

wryter2000

(46,016 posts)
5. You're not the enemy
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 02:42 AM
Feb 2020

The Bernie supporters who won’t vote for the Dem if he doesn’t get the nomination are. There are too many of them.

elleng

(130,156 posts)
6. doubt it, but SOMEONE(s) want us to think so.
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 02:56 AM
Feb 2020

Skittles

(152,967 posts)
7. I don't think there are near as many this time
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 02:58 AM
Feb 2020

they see what happened last time

BlueMTexpat

(15,349 posts)
10. This. In spades! eom
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 04:35 AM
Feb 2020

Dem2theMax

(9,595 posts)
8. AverageJoe, I totally agree with you.
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 03:19 AM
Feb 2020

I do not understand how we can't be kind to each other even while we are supporting different candidates.

The end result is the only thing that matters. This country needs to elect a Democratic president.
That is our one and only goal right now. Once we get that Democratic president in place, then we can get into the serious issues of the day.

While the Republicans are tearing this country apart, we need to be bringing it together. And we can't do that if we can't even be civil to each other on a message board.

After the Senate voted to acquit drumpf, I actually noticed a different tone here for about 24 hours. People were actually being nice to each other, no matter who their candidate was. Now it's back to 'normal.'

We can do better than this. We have to do better than this. If we don't, the price we are going to have to pay is one we cannot afford.

mahina

(17,506 posts)
9. Before this gets locked, posting the Indivisible pledge candidates list.
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 03:42 AM
Feb 2020

Last edited Fri Feb 7, 2020, 04:58 AM - Edit history (1)

Yang and Patrick are the only candidates we still need, among the main ones.
https://pledge.indivisible.org/#lp-pom-text-108

Now for the DUers! I guess it’s too much to home for that our dedicated trolls and their socks would agree but the rest of us should. I’m w you Joe.

democrank

(11,052 posts)
11. "It's the primary season" is the standard excuse for the current level of vitriol.
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 05:20 AM
Feb 2020

I’ve been an active Democrat for nearly 60 years and a member of DU since 2003. The current level of vitriol around here is disturbing. The “primary season” excuse is wearing thin as is my patience with hatefulness.

The concept of an Independent voter is no big deal here in Northern New England, so I don’t know anyone who demands a pledge before considering another’s viewpoint. Live and let live is our way.

In my book, you don’t have to be an honored Establishment Democrat to have an opinion with merit. A faux big tent isn’t really that big. Unity is the key to winning, not a demand for lock-step marching.

OKNancy

(41,832 posts)
12. All discussion of the primary or a primary candidate should be in the Primary forum
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 06:39 AM
Feb 2020

Locking

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»This is coming from a goo...