Bernie has nothing to gain from telling Dems and their supporters to go to hell.

[DanTex]

Just saying. I mean, since Bernie has been bashing the Democratic Party incessantly, while the Democratic Party has been bending over backwards to accommodate Bernie (who continues to refuse to even join it), might as well be accurate about who is telling who to go to hell.

[bettyellen]

1. I know a lot of people who are just disgusted by the endless bashing.

[All-In]

21. Of Bernie

Yes.

[bettyellen]

22. No, silly!

[Trumpocalypse]

59. Remember this is Democratic Underground,

not Sanders Underground. Too many here seem to forget that.

[kcdoug1]

127. and NO ONE has to be a democratic to participate here..!

[Demsrule86]

167. We support Democrats...why would you be hear if you are not a Democrat?

[Trumpocalypse]

182. True

But bashing of Democrats and the Democratic party is against the rules.

[JTFrog]

62. Yeah, he is much more important than all Democrats and the Democratic Party.

That is what is driving most of us crazy right now. It's all about Bernie.

Stay focused. The only way to beat Trump is to elect more Democrats and unite the party, not by bashing them for fuck's sake. We have suffered enough as a result of this hypocritical nonsense.

His so-called unity tour is a bigger failure than his presidential campaign.

[ehrnst]

100. Bernie could take a few lessons from Perriello, who he endorsed, about how you lose gracefully

and actually promote unity, instead of one's own brand.

Link to tweet

[Me.]

110. He's Not Capable, The Primary Woke A Sleeping Giant

His ego

[bettyellen]

37. Yet those same people have nothing at all to show for all their bluster ...

They dropped out and heckle from the sidelines.

[JI7]

41. and many of them supporting Trump

[Kahuna7]

57. I had one on twitter yesterday. A repub who became a berner....

then voted for trump.

[Sunlei]

98. people lie on twitter and facebook all the time.

[Kahuna7]

166. Nah. She was a real nut job. Was wearing a bernie hat in her profile pic. nt

[Cary]

70. What does that even mean?

Where is written that I can't oppose Democrat bashing?

Vote Democratic.

[NurseJackie]

83. Indeed. Vote Democratic!

[Gothmog]

88. Yes for members of the Democratic Party

[ehrnst]

108. Yeah, let's trash the only effective social and economic justice party, when we can't hijack it.

It's WAY easier than actually doing the work of establishing your own, isn't it?

As I saw on Twitter, Political parties are like apartments. You chip in or you're a visitor. Feel free to bring wine when you drop by but don't tell me how to decorate.

And... I have no intention of participating in ANY WAY in the maintenance of your apartment but how dare you exclude me from the choice!!

[asiliveandbreathe]

2. I should think that Bernie's supporters would just want him to talk about issues

that affect them - this constant poke is never a good thing...Bernie could very well lose credibility by continuing this line of commentary..I respected his ideas, I still do, but this just doesn't do him or anyone any good...

[Kentonio]

58. How often do you actually listen to him speak publicly?

Because if you just went by what you see posted here, you'd think all he does is attack the party. In reality he's out there in the country (and internationally) pushing the same causes he's been fighting for his whole career.

But that doesn't fit the narrative of some of our posters, so they only bother reporting the occasional comment about the party which is then blown up into some vicious attack when in reality its just constructive criticism of an organization he wants to improve.

[ehrnst]

101. Yes, I guess that if someone keeps trashing you, pointing out all the times that they didn't

totally makes it OK.

[Demsrule86]

113. It is the same speech every time...and he attacks the Democratic Party.

[ms liberty]

117. This. n/t

[delisen]

180. Might work better if he couched it in positive terms

He just sounds like a grumpy negative scold to me. Sort of like the type of parent whose negativity makes the child feel like a loser.

I think it works the same way among adults and just serves to empower the opposition.

[Kentonio]

183. I guess it isn't going that poorly

Considering he has the highest favorables of any politician in America.

[delisen]

185. I would rate Sanders favorably also, but rate him as ineffective

Last edited Fri Jun 16, 2017, 10:18 AM - Edit history (1)

in his demands upon the Democratic Party.

Personal favorability and effectiveness are two different things.

His stated desire seems to be to change the official membership of Democratic Party and not primarily directed at the millions of us who tend to vote for Democratic candidates-the message to us is that we have affiliated ourselves with a lousy party that isn't going to win any more elections.

I do not see his method as being effective in tailoring the Democratic Party to his design or effective in promoting the party to the citizenry.

His "outside reformer" method of focusing on seems to me to promote a negative view of the Democratic Party among all citizens.

Who wants to be bothered voting for the candidates of a party that is a bad as he says it is, and which he says won't win any more elections unless.........

Makes the Democratic Party appear to be a small bunch of self-serving losers that no decent person would want to affiliate with. Heck, Sanders himself doesn't want to identify as a Democrat.

[aikoaiko]

3. Thank you Bernie Sanders for all that you do to help Democrats and the party.

[LiberalLovinLug]

16. + 1000

These hate threads are making me physically ill.

[snowy owl]

32. X 1000 too ... He wants Dems to win

[Foamfollower]

76. HE's NOT a Democrat and he HARMS the Party.

He's been bashing the party more vehemently than he ever bashes Republicans for decades upon decades!

[NurseJackie]

78. I'm seeing the same thing as you.

You are not alone in your observations. I agree with and confirm your analysis and conclusions.

[Gothmog]

89. Same here

[Sunlei]

99. If Sanders ran as an independent, THAT would have harmed 'the party' by splitting the vote.

[ehrnst]

109. How? (nt)

[Sunlei]

112. because he would have been IN the general election.

[Demsrule86]

114. The vote was split...and I believe it would have been better had he run as an independent.

Democrats should never allow anyone to run as a Democrat who is not a Democrat again.

[Sunlei]

118. just the primary, anyone can run in a primary. Hillary wouldn't have won the GE vs the R if

Sanders ran IN the GE. Hillary did win the actual votes by 3 million.

[Demsrule86]

123. I just think some left the Dems and never came back for the election...had he run as an independent

that would not be the case most likely.

[Progressive dog]

158. A distinction without a different outcome.

[ehrnst]

102. This! (nt)

[aikoaiko]

130. Actually, Bernie has been providing very gentle constructive criticism.

But he has very harsh words for Republicans (especially the Trump administration). You must not be paying attention.

And it doesn't matter if he is a Democrat or not.

[Demsrule86]

168. It is far from gentle...and I am sick of it.

[aikoaiko]

169. Fortunately, Democratic party leadership sees the wisdom of having Bernie speak.

I hope your sick feeling passes.

[Demsrule86]

171. They will learn their lesson eventually...that criticism and putting up with it does not attract

voters...quite the opposite.

[Cha]

4. Might as well.. Thank you! Enough of the Orwellian Bullshite

[kcdoug1]

5. When and where did Bernie say that?

[ehrnst]

105. It's in a response by the OP:

Last edited Wed Jun 14, 2017, 11:38 AM - Edit history (1)

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=9191738

"The Democratic party needs fundamental change. What it needs is to open up its doors to working people, and young people, and older people who are prepared to fight for social and economic justice,” Sanders said, according to the Guardian. He added that the party “must understand what side it is on. And that cannot be the side of Wall Street, or the fossil fuel industry, or the drug companies.”

Last weekend in Chicago. Is that clearer?

Bernie has said that the party needs to decide if they are on the "party of the people" (which means not dissenting from him in any way) or the party of "Corporations and Wall Street" (which means dissenting from him in any way).

Yeah, I think that's pretty much synonymous with telling Dems to go to hell.

[QC]

6. Ah, the Pee Wee Gambit. Shrewd debate tactic there.

[R B Garr]

9. You replied with the usual spam, so it obviously

is something you don't want acknowledged.

[NurseJackie]

73. I believe you're correct.

[melman]

7. He's done neither of those things

but whatever. Do your thing I guess.

[R B Garr]

8. Thank you!! Anyone who hesitates to acknowledge that

the entire world would be better off with Democrats in office is just not credible.

[betsuni]

11. +1

[sheshe2]

19. + Infinity

[NurseJackie]

74. Worse than "not credible" IMHO. I'd have to...

... question their judgement and motives. Why would anyone want to do things or say things that cause division and distrust and resentment? Such things weaken the party.

What is gained with a weakened and divided Democratic Party? Who benefits the most?

[brush]

85. Well said. The other party gains form a weakened, divided Dem party

Makes one wonder about motive.

[sheshe2]

10. Kick and Rec!

[elmac]

12. Gee, I must have missed THAT speech

[murielm99]

13. K&R

[chwaliszewski]

14. When has Bernie told Dems and their supporters to go to hell?

Just asking. I'd like some proof of your accusations.

[Demsrule86]

115. Three days ago...

This...

"Standing before a crowd of progressive activists and some of his strongest supporters Sen. Bernie Sanders I-Vt., urged the Democratic Party to seek reform arguing that their “current model and the current strategy” is “an absolute failure.”

From Google...look at the right wing parroting his remarks...Fox ET AL

https://www.google.com/search?q=vBernie+Sanders+says+current+Democratic+Party+strategy+is+%E2%80%9Can+absolute+failure%E2%80%9D&rlz=1C1CHZL_enUS730US730&oq=vBernie+Sanders+says+current+Democratic+Party+strategy+is+%E2%80%9Can+absolute+failure%E2%80%9D&aqs=chrome..69i57.3237j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[chwaliszewski]

134. I don't see 'Go To Hell' in there anywhere...

[Demsrule86]

146. Really? The Democratic Party is a 'failure' so says Sen. Sanders during the speech...you are

surely not serious. For that matter when did you hear the Democratic leaders tell any Sander's supporters to go to hell which was posted earlier? Criticizing the Democratic Party elects Republicans.

[Cha]

137. Thanks for the research, Demsrule!

[Demsrule86]

144. You are welcome. I don't see how folks miss this...all over the internet...we all saw it.

[Tarheel_Dem]

141. When I hear BS talk about "absolute failure", I can't help but chuckle. He hasn't been able to...

push a single one of his handpicked sycophants across the finish line. Seriously, why should we be taking advice from him?

[Demsrule86]

143. Not one...

[betsuni]

15. K&R

[LiberalLovinLug]

17. You might want to talk to Kamala Harris about that

https://mobile.twitter.com/kamalaharris/status/762030515394195456?lang=en

Kamala Harris @KamalaHarris

Bernie Sanders was an important voice in this election, and he’s committed to defeating Donald Trump.

[R B Garr]

24. This just confirms how much he is propped up

by Democrats, yet he badmouths Democrats with false equivalencies. This just confirms the OP.

[LiberalLovinLug]

119. "badmouths"

Can you and others really not tell the difference between constructive criticism and that? Bad-mouthing is done by those that hate the party (like Republicans).
Bernie works with Democrats like Harris. Attacking Bernie is attacking Democrats. Not the other way around.

[R B Garr]

124. It's obviously not constructive criticism. It's an attempt to distinguish himself

from Democrats, so it's not constructive criticism. He doesn't talk about Democrats in any constructive context, for instance, the surplus that Bill Clinton left after 8 years and the very progressive climate policies that Al Gore is responsible for promoting -- decades ago. He only talks about Democrats in a destructive way that props up his own world views, so he's not providing honest criticism.

If someone you provide as a job reference insinuates you are corrupt and out of touch, they are not helping you. So don't call it helping when it's clear as day that it is not helping anyone but himself and his own ideas.

Democrats will continue to prop Bernie up because they need to do that for political purposes and because that's what Democrats do, even to their own detriment. It's funny that Bernie talks about Democrats being feeble because if they were any tougher, they would have rejected his attacks. So he has benefitted from Democrats and that is why it's obvious he's been propped up and continues to be.

[kcdoug1]

128. So it's all Bernie's fault

that Dem's have lost 33 State house's to pubs?
that dem's have lost the House, Senate and the Whitehouse to repubs?
whether you like it or not... Our party has some VERY serious issues, Issues that have to be discussed and debated. It is NOT Bernie or anyone else's fault. It's OUR fault for selling our party to corporations.

[R B Garr]

129. Forcing your own view of reality isn't discussing and debating. It's just more propping

up the Bernie universe view of things, which has been rejected by voters for over a year now. For starters, not smearing Democrats is a great way to start. Looking at the utter depravity and vulgarity of Trump should be reason enough for someone like Bernie to be honest that Democrats in office are far superior. He should be delivering a full-throated defense of Democrats, not the other way around. The fact that he isn't is enough to question the credibility of the rest of his presentation.

[LiberalLovinLug]

164. So you'd like him to praise the Democrats, tell them everything is peachy keen

No work to do. They are perfect as they are. Happy with moral victories instead of actual ones.

This may sound a trivial comparison but as the old adage goes, only your friend would let you know you have spinach in your teeth. The Republicans won't say a word. They are happy with the Democratic leadership spinning their wheels, trying to be a Republican alternative, a corporate conservative who can schmooze with the .1% just as well, but then losing when they go up against a real Republican. Then doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

We need bold brave new policies like the $15 an hour wage proposal, which probably would not have happened if it weren't for Bernie, and Warren and others showing that progressive policies actually can be proposed and you won't be laughed at. We need to separate ourselves from the Republicans with vastly different proposals meant to help working Americans.

[R B Garr]

165. So back to reality. Insinuating Democrats are corrupt

and out of touch is certainly not even remotely close to helping us. It's a way to sell his brand, which relies on a contrived agitation with Democrats.

And talking about "issues" is not how he's framed his presentation. He accuses Democrats of being out of touch. This kind of grandstanding hasn't gone over well as no elections have been won by it. And no one challenges why Vermont doesn't have a $15 minimum wage. At some point you have to have results to base your bias on before you condemn others.

[LiberalLovinLug]

172. So back to the peachy keen "reality" it is

And finding any excuse not to listen to criticism. Like.... we don't listen to criticism unless it comes from someone who has attained perfection themselves first. (which is conveniently impossible)

Is everyone now selling a brand? Its trendy to call it that. Was Obama? Hillary? Maybe in the past we just never recognized it. MLK, Mandela, maybe going back to Mahatma Gandhi. Anyone who speaks out in public, and gets on the news?....even it they seeeeeem to be passionate about what they speak of, even if it is purported to be done because of a want to improve and help others. Even if they have been pounding out their message for decades way before 'branding' became a catch phrase to use against others?
Is there anyone left that is not promoting their brand? How do you tell the difference?

[R B Garr]

173. The "reality" is the political reality that has kept Bernie from the following in Vermont:

Vermont does not have single payer -- the governor said it was "burdensome"
Vermont does not have $15/hr minimum wage
Vermont does not have free college
Is pot legal in Vermont? I haven't looked it up.

Al Gore championed climate change over 25 years ago, and he was laughed at and ridiculed. Where was Bernie then? Bill Clinton was laughed at because he didn't have a military record. Family values ruled the day and liberals were laughed at. THOSE kinds of political realities. Obama as a POC would have been completely unheard of, but he persisted and of course has such natural talent that he was inevitable, but he still put in a lot of hard work. It's just disingenuous for Bernie to take potshots at Democrats without acknowledging in context the political realities of the times. That's how it's clear his so-called help is not constructive. That's how you tell the difference.

[LiberalLovinLug]

174. I'm sure you know very well that a whole slew of reasons why single payer never passed in Vermont

And that Sanders was not a dictator of his state.
And that single payer working in a small state is much different than working with the much larger pool of the whole country. It doesn't mean he has given up on it. He is leading the way by introducing it for the entire country now.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/democrats-15-minimum-wage-bernie-sanders_us_59009717e4b081a5c0f9539c

"WASHINGTON ― In a major win for the labor union-backed Fight for $15 movement and the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) are introducing a bill to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour.

Sanders, who caucuses with Democrats, introduced a similar $15 minimum wage bill in July 2015, but it garnered the support of just six senators, including himself.

With a more gradual phase-in period, the new legislation already has the backing of 23 senators, including Murray, the ranking member on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)."


And where was Sanders with Al Gore? right there with him,

I still don't get this game you are playing with having to have Bernie attain some kind of perfection, even in areas where he is not the sole controller, before he can share his opinion on the party he was worked with closely and supported for decades.

Interesting you used Al Gore and his work on increasing awareness on climate change. He is the epitome of the RW's posterboy for dismissing a critic on an important issue by saying he is simply advancing his 'brand'. The idea that because someone sells a few books at the same time (which is an important way to get out the message) and they are only in it to make money and sell their brand and so should be dismissed, is ludicrous.

[R B Garr]

175. The clip about Gore is from 2007. Al Gore championed climate change decades

before. Of course everyone is on board now. But Al Gore did the pioneering part of it and was laughed at.

From your excuses about Bernie, that's how you tell his "help" is not constructive. You're just pointing out what I did -- he had political realities that kept him from achieving what he claims others are "out of touch" about. Thanks for pointing out the political realities that I was referencing. Those apply to others as well, and it would be nice if Bernie acknowledged that for a change instead off criticizing others for things he has not accomplished himself.

[LiberalLovinLug]

176. Running in circles

So Sanders as you saw was right with Gore back in '07. And so he presumably also backed fighting global warming back in the "laughed at " stage as well.

Trump just pulled the US out of the Paris Climate accord. Does that mean Al Gore was foolish to even fight? Was his "help" not constructive enough? Sorry, I am just not following your logic.

[R B Garr]

177. I'm talking about the political realities that all politicians face.

It's not honest or constructive to criticize others for things you have not accomplished yourself. It's really that simple. And that's how it's easy to see his so-called help is self-serving.

[LiberalLovinLug]

178. So how long have your served the American people as a senator?

that you can criticize one?


circles

[R B Garr]

179. It's true, I'm not a senator.

lol

[Tarheel_Dem]

142. After this morning's events, I feel almost certain that Democrats will begin to put distance....

between themselves and Sen. Sanders. I think it speaks volumes about Kamala's character that she doesn't want to badmouth Bernie, but Bernie doesn't return the favor, and that speaks volumes about him.

[Starry Messenger]

152. Well put.

[Still In Wisconsin]

18. And when, exactly, has Bernie "told the Dems and their supporters to go to hell?"

I'll wait...

[denbot]

20. Every time you bitch about Bernie, I wonder if you grasp the meaning of three words..

President Donald Trump.

And yes I don't give a fuck about your alerts!

denbot, DU circa 2001

[LexVegas]

27. ...

[Cha]

30. I know right

[NurseJackie]

84. LOL

[Cha]

29. I wonder the same when BS does the same to the Democratic Party

[SMC22307]

23. LOL! The Corbyn-led Labour victories...

have really gotten to a certain DU faction... big increase in the attacks on Bernie.

Democrats fully control only six states... happy with that? I'm not. Better fucking listen to Sanders AND Corbyn.

[R B Garr]

26. LOL! Like seeing a nutjob Trump doesn't have

anything to do with that.

And your 70,000 who decided this election are being exposed by current news about Russian hacking. You should watch current news.

[SMC22307]

31. Six fucking states...

independent of Trump and building before November 2016. Either accept there's a problem with the party or get the fuck out of the way.

[R B Garr]

44. Do you watch current news? You fail to acknowledge reality

in favor of your Bernie universe. You should catch yourself up on how this election was affected.

[StevieM]

34. Labour did not win. And we will see how they do in the next election.

I am not a Bernie-basher, but I don't feel the need to "listen up" to what he tells me. I can make my own conclusions.

[mythology]

72. If Sanders is the only solution, why don't more of his endorsed candidates win?

Also you do realize that even with the recent Parliamentary elections, Labour is still a minority party right?

[NurseJackie]

77. Thank you!

[Cha]

151. How about "Any"?

[seaglass]

75. Lol. Corbyn is a member of his party and actually did the work of gaining support in his party.

Meanwhile Bernie...

[NurseJackie]

80. Exactly. Thank you. It's really ...

... not all that complicated nor difficult to understand.

[Tarheel_Dem]

145. What does that have to do with anything? Bernie is not Labour, and can't claim a single victory....

of one of his handpicked candidates.

[Sunlei]

28. Bernie never bashes democracy. I still think Sanders & Clinton would make a good team NOW.

We need them both together today, their voices combined as a TEAM would make our D party much more powerful --right away---.

Our party and the general public would benefit from some guiding voices of reason. People are flailing/scared because of this crappy bunch of republicans 'steering" America into their corporate "personal wealth builders" dreamland.

[Cha]

35. BS bashes our Democractic Party.. Constantly.

[Sunlei]

43. hehe, I respectively disagree. I love Sanders and think Clinton & Sanders team would have beat the

crap out of Republicans. A fucking landslide of Victory for Ds instead of the 2017 coup of America by the republican nazis.

[Cha]

46. Sorry, it's the reality.. you can deny it all you want.

[brush]

87. I'm a Clinton supporter but I think both she and Sanders should embrace elder statewoman/man...

status within the party and yield to younger potential candidates like Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom, the young Kennedy (his first name escapes me), Villaraigosa, Castro, Brown, Gillibrand, maybe Warren (she did cause a stir though with her unwarranted criticism of Obama).

I'm sure there are others I'm leaving out.

[Sunlei]

92. Obama has mentored some outstanding younger persons for many years.

We'll see more of them soon enough.

IMO, the Warren "unwarranted criticism of Obama" and this news story about Sanders are more media created divisiveness that keep the D party infighting & at the back of the pack.

[brush]

93. Maybe, but to many Dems her criticism of Obama was way out of bounds and could be an issue...

if she runs.

It speaks to judgment. Why the hell critique an out-going, very popular president from your own party?

Wasn't smart, an unforced error.

[Sunlei]

94. Obama will back Warren 100% if she runs for anything. Obama was self critical about the same things.

No one is perfect in this world.

[brush]

95. True, no one is perfect. But many voters remember things like that. Obama will of course back...

our nominee whoever he/she is.

IMO Warren missed her window to run. Sanders did and took over the "progressive" mantle.

Now we have all these new, younger faces emerging, but that's how it goes. You gotta move when the opportunity presents itself.

I do understand her reluctance to run against Hillary though.

[Sunlei]

97. when Warren runs again, Republicans will be doing the "chop" again & creating breaking news stories

thousands & thousands of 'news stories' to make sure Ds "remember" why they 'don't like her' anymore.

Just like Republicans did to Hillary.

[brush]

104. Yep. That's politics. Whoever the nominee is will get that. We have to go back at them even harder.

[Sunlei]

111. she barely won vs the Republican Juggernaut & they're using MUCH more resources these days.

The midterms will be a hell of infighting, I hope a Republican doesn't win her chair.

[brush]

116. Is she up for re-election in 2018?

[Sunlei]

120. I think so, probably because Republicans are mocking her about her family heritage story again and

'pushing' the press reports of her "criticism of Obama". I think Sanders has to run again in 2018.

won't take many voters, just a few % of the 'anyone but Sanders/Warren Ds" to get a Republican in both their seats

Like the couple percent of voters who wasted their votes on Stein because Hillary wasn't pure enough for them or 'likeable' enough.

[brush]

121. I'll donate to her campagin. We don't need to lose her senate seat.

[Sunlei]

122. It will take more then money for any D to win these midterms if only 38% turnout to vote.

like last midterm.

[brush]

125. I'll be voting a straignt Dem ticket. I'm all the way across the country than Warren though.

[Tarheel_Dem]

147. How can you possibly know that "Obama will back Warren 100%"? I doubt it. n/t

[CentralMass]

33. Give it a rest.

[Sunlei]

36. Obama said, "get a grip"

[Cha]

39. President Obama is also into Reality which is what the OP is about

[melman]

42. No it's not

It's totally made up and not based in reality at all.

[Cha]

47. Yes it is.

[melman]

54. Nope

Sorry. Totally made up nonsense.

[Cha]

55. Oh yeah it is.

[NurseJackie]

64. You're correct. Yes... it... IS!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cha]

136. I knew it!

Mahalo, Jackie!lol

[Sunlei]

45. I love Obama too, everything he touches is golden, its a gift of his good heart. IMO :)

[Cha]

48. Yes, and there was no way anyone should have

suggested he be primaried in 2012.

[Sunlei]

49. Republican party would have loved that. Look how hard they worked to fuck-up last D primary.

[Tarheel_Dem]

148. Ding! Ding! Ding! That will NEVER be forgotten or forgiven by many of us. n/t

[Cha]

149. That's what I was just sayin' in another post..

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=9204618

Tarheel

[Cha]

38. You tell 'em, Dan!

[snowy owl]

40. Thanks, bernie, for encouraging DNC to get back to base

[Cha]

50. Our Democratic Base Got out and Voted for Lt Gov

Ralph Northam in Virginia.

Link to tweet

[NurseJackie]

66. Wow! That really says a lot. Very revealing. There's a message in that... but are people listening?

Are people paying attention?

[Cha]

135. I hope so!

our Democratic Base!

[Sunlei]

107. That was just a primary? is he running against anyone for Governer?

[Tarheel_Dem]

153. It's "skepticism", with a dash of distrust. I don't trust that the good of the party is his #1...

priority. My feeling is that the welfare of the Democratic party is the only thing that stands between us and full-on dictatorship.

[Cha]

155. Yeah, you're so correct!

Link to tweet

[hueymahl]

51. Keep it up Bernie

Don't let folks twist your words. You can tell you are hitting the soft spots by how much people like the OP scream and misrepresent you.

Bernie is the best thing for the Democratic party since Obama. They don't call it tough love for nothing.

[Lazy Daisy]

52. These threads

Make a lot of Ds feel very unwelcome here. You may think your statement is truth, but it' your truth, not mine.
What Bernie is doing it trying to wake the party up. We can't run on anti-Trump, and ignoring the people who should really matter, but that's what we seem to be doing.
The things said about those of us who support Bernie sure sound and feel the same as things said about Republicans.

Unity goes both ways. A majority did our part, we dropped our distaste for Hillary as a candidate and supported/voted for her once she became our candidate. But if people insist on pushing us away well, good luck with that.

[SecularMotion]

60. Democrats aren't buying what Bernie is selling

Last edited Wed Jun 14, 2017, 09:13 AM - Edit history (1)

The elections are over and Bernie is still running a smear campaign against the Democratic Party.

He needs to get back to legislating.

[Lazy Daisy]

68. So myself

and everyone else here who agree with Bernie aren't Democrats?

[SecularMotion]

69. I'm not going to play your divisive games

[NurseJackie]

82. Games indeed. You have...

... nailed it. Dangerous games with deadly consequences... All in the name of vanity and pride.

[Trumpocalypse]

61. There is no your truth or my truth.

There is only one truth and you either accept it or not.

[Lazy Daisy]

71. Oh baloney

Some hear Bernie bashing the party, others like myself hear constructive criticism.
The things he says doesn't sound like trashing the party to me and many others. It sounds a lot like what we see going on in our party and aren't happy about it.

[JTFrog]

103. Heard enough of that bullshit for the last year and a half.

That "constructive criticism" has done nothing but result in loss after loss.

Time to focus on getting Democrats elected. That is the only defense we have against the KGOP.

All that wasted wind and finger wagging isn't going to do shit for us.

[Trumpocalypse]

181. Well said!!! nt

[NurseJackie]

67. I'd call that a big FAIL.

Last edited Wed Jun 14, 2017, 08:36 AM - Edit history (1)

//
// The things said about those of us who support Bernie sure sound and feel the same as things said about Republicans.
//
Nobody is doing that! (You've made a broad-brush but blind accusation. What's being said that offends you so much? Can you give some examples? Who is saying these things?)

//
// What Bernie is doing it trying to wake the party up.
//
Yet it only succeeds in creating division and resentment and distrust. I'm afraid that I must tell you that what he's doing... his methods... his words... it's just not working. It's not having a positive effect. In fact, the division and infighting only WEAKENS the party. Why would anyone CONTINUE to do things that WEAKEN the Democratic Party?

I mean, if this was his first "go" and wanted to "try something new"... and "give it a shot" just to see... well, perhaps nobody could fault someone for that. But now, it's the same thing: attack, smear, denigrate... attack, smear, denigrate... over and over.

After so many attempts, using the same technique, the results HAVE NOT CHANGED... the negative and resentful responses HAVE NOT CHANGED... the distrust CONTINUES TO GROW. So... the big question now is: why does he continue down this path that causes so much division within the party?

I think we can both agree that a divided party is a weakened party. Reasonable people can also agree that the responses to his attacks and smears are easily anticipated and predictable. Therefore, WHY DOES HE CONTINUE with this same failed tactic? It's not working. And it's actually HURTING the party, dividing us, weakening us.

How does that benefit anyone?

[larry budwell]

56. Not a Bernie fan.

Hope he goes away, the Democratic Party needs to move on.

[NurseJackie]

65. :-)

[NurseJackie]

63. Amen! Constant attacks and smears and denigrating the party serves no useful purpose. It...

... stokes anger and resentment. It creates division. It weakens the party.

The same thing applies whenever someone makes excuses for the attacks and smears. The same thing applies whenever anyone tries to justify the lies.

I mean, come ON already. We're almost HALFWAY finished with 2017!

In a mere SEVEN MONTHS it will be 2018!

The lies and attacks and smears and insults on the Democratic Party and Democrats and Democratic candidates needs to STOP.

[mcar]

79. In case people are wondering why your OP

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/13/opinion/bernie-sanders-how-democrats-can-stop-losing-elections.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-right-region&region=opinion-c-col-right-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-right-region&_r=0

[Sunlei]

96. Sanders wrote an excellent opinion piece and I agree with him on all those points.

midterms will be really bad when turnout remains as horrid as it is.

Not many Ds are doing much of anything about the voters the Republican party has ----successfully blocked--- from voting.

Way to many are still divisive about our partys fewer & fewer elected & watching the Republicans 1%ers trump freak show ruin middle America one step at a time.

[Hortensis]

159. Actually, Bernie reminds me of the anti-New Deal progressives

who ended up opposing FDR with everything they had. Check THIS Bernie statement out again:

"A vast majority of Americans understand that our current economic model is a dismal failure. Who can honestly defend the current grotesque level of inequality in which the top 1 percent owns more than the bottom 90 percent?"

What?!

Our grandparents in the New Deal reversed this same situation by a mixture of regulation on capitalism and of socialization, each where it worked best, and built the most prosperous nation on the planet, with the greatest middle class any nation has seen and in the process shrinking both poverty and the power of the wealthy dramatically.

We SHOULD have continued on. We were doing great. Instead, WE, and by those I mean all who were of voting age by the time the 1980s-2000s rolled round, failed to protect the systems left to their care and now our entire nation is suffering from OUR inexcusable, shameful negligence.

But what was once done, we can do again. Unlike our forebears, we won't have to be pioneers. Many other nations have also shown the way. Our mixed systems are no longer based on new, but proven economic theory. There is absolutely no need to, shockingly, tear down systems proven to work -- against the will of at least 150 million Americans -- that mostly need some major adjustments, remodeling and advancing here and there, to instead embark on some giant experiment with the lives of over 300 million people.

That Bernie would even suggest such a thing suggests he suffers from exactly the same kind of tunnel-visioned zealotry that caused 1930s progressives to try to block FDR and the New Deal, and then fall away in angry, uninvolved despair when they couldn't destroy capitalism and force a socialist experiment on a nation that didn't want it. FDR tried to include them, but they had the usual problem of radical zealots with compromise. Very fortunately, then as now, they were a minority who lacked widespread support. And by fortunately, you might ask yourself, just where DID what they wanted work?

[Cha]

150. Oh JHC.. maybe he should look in the mirror.

[Cha]

154. Tweets on this.. BS attacks Dems..

Link to tweet

[mcar]

156. Thanks Cha!

[Cha]

157. ..

[asuhornets]

81. I agree, but why is he telling Dems to go to hell? I don't get him...n/t

[Gothmog]

86. Great thread

[dlk]

90. What Does Bernie Hope to Accomplish with His Democratic Party Bashing?

I'm not sure what Bernie hopes to accomplish with his ongoing Democratic Party bashing. Given what Dems are up against, it seems counterproductive, at the very least. His comments make him look petty and small.

[nini]

106. Sure he does.. it keeps us fighting about him

Which is what he wants - fracture and destroy the party. he's always done that from way back.

And it keeps him in the spotlight.

[JCanete]

126. He hasn't done that, because we have nothing to gain from that. If he were telling the party to

go to hell he wouldn't be constructively criticizing it. He knows we need the Democratic party, but we need it to be unequivocally, the party of the people.

[Gothmog]

133. Black Voters Will Be Democratic Kingmakers in 2020

The base of the party spoke in the Virginia primary https://politicalwire.com/2017/06/14/black-voters-will-democratic-kingmakers-2020/

“For all the talk about the power of pro­gress­ives in the Demo­crat­ic Party, one sig­ni­fic­ant part of the Demo­crat­ic co­ali­tion has been over­looked in the run-up to the next pres­id­en­tial elec­tion: Afric­an-Amer­ic­ans. Black voters made up at least 20 per­cent of the Demo­crat­ic vote in at least 15 states dur­ing the 2016 pres­id­en­tial primar­ies (and com­prise that share in three oth­er states without exit polling: Louisi­ana, New Jer­sey, and Delaware). Without Afric­an-Amer­ic­ans, who gave 76 per­cent of their vote in the primar­ies to Hil­lary Clin­ton, Bernie Sanders eas­ily could have been the Demo­crat­ic nom­in­ee. Sanders won 49.1 per­cent of the Demo­crat­ic white vote to Clin­ton’s 48.9 per­cent.”

“Black voters have his­tor­ic­ally ral­lied be­hind one Demo­crat­ic can­did­ate… Since 1976, the can­did­ate backed by black voters be­came the Demo­crat­ic nom­in­ee in sev­en of the nine con­tested nom­in­a­tion battles.”

[Cha]

138. Mahalo for this article, Goth!

The base of the party spoke in the Virginia primary https://politicalwire.com/2017/06/14/black-voters-will-democratic-kingmakers-2020/

“For all the talk about the power of pro­gress­ives in the Demo­crat­ic Party, one sig­ni­fic­ant part of the Demo­crat­ic co­ali­tion has been over­looked in the run-up to the next pres­id­en­tial elec­tion: Afric­an-Amer­ic­ans. Black voters made up at least 20 per­cent of the Demo­crat­ic vote in at least 15 states dur­ing the 2016 pres­id­en­tial primar­ies (and com­prise that share in three oth­er states without exit polling: Louisi­ana, New Jer­sey, and Delaware). Without Afric­an-Amer­ic­ans, who gave 76 per­cent of their vote in the primar­ies to Hil­lary Clin­ton, Bernie Sanders eas­ily could have been the Demo­crat­ic nom­in­ee. Sanders won 49.1 per­cent of the Demo­crat­ic white vote to Clin­ton’s 48.9 per­cent.”

“Black voters have his­tor­ic­ally ral­lied be­hind one Demo­crat­ic can­did­ate… Since 1976, the can­did­ate backed by black voters be­came the Demo­crat­ic nom­in­ee in sev­en of the nine con­tested nom­in­a­tion battles.”

[Gothmog]

160. I was pleased to see the base of the party turn out so strongly

Turnout was 170% of 2009 turnout which is a great sign for Democrats

[Cha]

162. It's very Encouraging! Like Lt Gov Ralph Northam

said..

"Donald Trump is a narcissistic maniac, and I will do all I can to keep his hate out of Virginia. When I saw how he treated Khizr and Ghazala Khan, a Gold Star family, and how he mocked a disabled reporter—as a veteran and a doctor, that’s all I needed to know. So I campaigned across Virginia against Donald Trump and his disrespectful, divisive rhetoric and policies."

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2017/03/virginia_gubernatorial_candidate_ralph_northam_says_donald_trump_is_a_narcissistic.html

[Gothmog]

132. I love the results of the Virginia primary

The base of the party is supporting the winning candidate

[Tarheel_Dem]

139. Yes!

[LanternWaste]

140. Just as I have nothing to gain from pretending he told anyone to go to hell.

Just as I have nothing to gain from pretending he told anyone to go to hell. Nor do I have anything to gain by pretending criticism and "go to hell" carry the same meaning.

I infer that you have much to gain from that particular pretense though. Just saying, part two.*








*Just saying: "Top definition... a term coined to be used in insulting or offensive phrase to take the heat off you when you say it."

Bless your little heart... I get it. I really do.

[NastyRiffraff]

161. I hope the Democratic Party stops enabling Bernie

I mean, if someone consistently bashed you publicly, after you helped him, what is the normal reaction to that? Mine would be "go to hell, make your own way and if you end up standing in line in a soup kitchen, fine."

The worst mistake the party made was allowing Sanders to run as a Democrat, when he wasn't one.

[Cha]

170. I know... worst mistake ever.

[Arazi]

163. You're right. That means he's telling truth despite the personal consequences

He's a patriot