Bernie Sanders’s Gift to His Party
nyt editorial
'The Democratic Party and Mrs. Clinton are better off for Mr. Sanderss presence in this race. His criticism, as Winston Churchill might say, was not agreeable. But it called necessary attention to unhealthy developments in the Democratic Party, including its at-times obliviousness to the lingering economic pain of the middle class and the young, and its drift toward political caution over aspiration.
I like the idea of saying, We can do much more, because we can, Vice President Joseph Biden Jr., who deferred his own presidential hopes this year, said about Mr. Sanders recently. I dont think any Democrats ever won saying, We cant think that big.
To this day, Mr. Sanderss rallies are lit up by people who say he is the candidate most focused on their struggle for jobs, better health care and debt relief, and most interested in taking action against those who profited while wages for the working class stagnated and their hopes diminished.
As President Obama said, Mr. Sanders had the luxury of being a complete long shot and just letting loose. Unrealistic, short on details, the populist Mr. Sanders is a wildly gesticulating reminder of how far the Democratic Party, once champion of the underdog, has strayed. He points out the degree to which the party has become captive to economic elites whose agendas dont necessarily represent the rest of Americas. Mr. Sanders, who raised more than $200 million through small donations, even cast doubt on Democrats claims that they need big-money backers to succeed. . .
Mr. Sanders has exposed a broad vein of discontent that Democrats cannot ignore. Predictions that Mr. Sanderss supporters could migrate to Donald Trump in the fall are overstated, despite Mr. Trumps cynical efforts to woo them. Its more likely that some simply wont vote. Mrs. Clinton is betting that many Democrats will be motivated to get to the polls if Mr. Trump is the Republican nominee. But to truly unify the party, Mrs. Clinton and party leaders must work to incorporate Mr. Sanders and what he stands for in the partys approach to the general election. It would also help to acknowledge that the party has strayed at times from its more aspirational path.
Unlike the voices on the Republican side, Mr. Sanderss has elevated this campaign. The Democratic Party should listen.'
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/03/opinion/bernie-sanderss-gift-to-his-party.html?
HassleCat
(6,409 posts)To a time when Democrats, and some in the other party, thought we could go to the moon, wage war on poverty, etc. These were big ideas, and some of them worked better than others, but we were not scared of big ideas. Those days are behind us, huh? Now we're scared of everything and everyone. If anyone gives us any flak, we appoint them to a government post.
tonyt53
(5,737 posts)Plus, he has always called himself a Democratic Socialist.
TexasBushwhacker
(20,044 posts)I think there are some DINOs with worse records.
scscholar
(2,902 posts)He only just recently parachuted in.
lmbradford
(517 posts)Labels are useless. He has been upholding the principles of FDR and caucusing with the Dems for longer than Hillary has been a Dem. She used to be registered Republican, he used to be registered Independent. Not much to argue about there.
Thanks
stopbush
(24,378 posts)Hillary has been a Dem since 1968. She supported Eugene McCarthy.
Sanders didn't enter the House until 1991, so he couldn't have "caucused with the Dems" before then.
Sanders has been a D for one year. Hillary has been a D for 48 years.
You are so off base it's laughable.
Is that what passes for "the truth" among Sanders supporters? Sad.
tomm2thumbs
(13,297 posts)thanks, I'll take Sanders any day
SunSeeker
(51,378 posts)Sanders' hero is socialist presidential candidate Eugene Debbs. That is who he has a picture of hanging in his office, not FDR. The Socialist Party ran candidates AGAINST FDR.
AND please provided the link to your assertion that Hillary "used to be registered Republican." She never was as far as I am aware. As soon as she was old enough to vote, she worked for and voted for the Democratic candidate at the time, George McGovern.
Meanwhile, Sanders has been trashing the Democratic Party for decades.
She then volunteered to campaign for Republican candidate Barry Goldwater in the U.S. presidential election of 1964.
....
In 1965, Rodham enrolled at Wellesley College, where she majored in political science. During her freshman year, she served as president of the Wellesley Young Republicans; with this Rockefeller Republican-oriented group, she supported the elections to mayor of John Lindsay (New York City) and to U.S. senator of Edward Brooke (Massachusetts). She later stepped down from this position, as her views changed regarding the American Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War. In a letter to her youth minister at this time, she described herself as "a mind conservative and a heart liberal".
SunSeeker
(51,378 posts)In high school (1964) she was volunteered for Goldwater, influenced by her Republican father. So did Bernie's BFF Thom Hartmann. People develop their own beliefs once they become adults. Once Hillary was old enough to vote, she VOTED DEMOCRATIC.
Qutzupalotl
(14,230 posts)That's some fatherly influence.
I never said she was a registered Republican. That was the other poster. This was just to enlighten you as to her background and thinking.
SunSeeker
(51,378 posts)I am well aware of Hillarys background. Spare me your paternalism.
Qutzupalotl
(14,230 posts)So maybe get off your high horse about this.
SunSeeker
(51,378 posts)So I suggest you get off your high horse about this.
Qutzupalotl
(14,230 posts)SunSeeker
(51,378 posts)Qutzupalotl
(14,230 posts)But at least she had the decency to change her positions.
SunSeeker
(51,378 posts)Funny how when Elizabeth Warren changes her mind about her entire political affiliation as a middle-aged adult, it is a sign of "decency," but when Hillary changes her mind about one issue it is a sign of depravity.
Qutzupalotl
(14,230 posts)and don't have to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century. Warren is a leader, Clinton a follower.
SunSeeker
(51,378 posts)Sanders OPPOSED same-sex marriage --even as a Senate candidate in ultra-blue Vermont in 2006--arguing civil unions were enough.
http://www.c-span.org/video/?c4550754/sanders-opposed-federal-marriage-equality-2006
Qutzupalotl
(14,230 posts)Sanders supported equal rights under the law, which is what civil unions means.
SunSeeker
(51,378 posts)Qutzupalotl
(14,230 posts)Fair treatment in taxation, adoption, inheritance...everything except marriage, which is controlled by the states.
SunSeeker
(51,378 posts)All to prop up your candidate's purity, eh?
No, treating gay people as second class citizens by not giving their union the dignity of the name "marriage" is anything but "fair" or and "equal treatment." Indeed, the 2015 Supreme Court case, Obergefell v. Hodges, that did away with your bullshit argument and established marriage equality as a right, was based on the Constitution's EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE.
Qutzupalotl
(14,230 posts)Civil unions were created to grant as much equality as was allowed while DOMA was still on the books.
You'll notice that marriage parity was eventually granted NOT BY FEDERAL LEGISLATION, which would be an overreach, but by the Supreme Court overturning the DISASTROUS and UNEQUAL "Defense of Marriage Act" supported by the CLINTONS.
SunSeeker
(51,378 posts)Qutzupalotl
(14,230 posts)SunSeeker
(51,378 posts)Sanders said he favored Civil Unions because marriage equality would be too divisive--that Vermont had been through "too much" in just granting civil unions.
Qutzupalotl
(14,230 posts)Civil unions would not have been necessary without same-sex marriage bans like DOMA.
SunSeeker
(51,378 posts)Nitram
(22,671 posts)States' rights has long been a RW issue.
afertal
(148 posts)..the party has grown further away from democratic principles while Bernie has remained consistently 'for the people.'
SunSeeker
(51,378 posts)And is certainly more progressive than the days of the Dixiecrats.
Earth_First
(14,910 posts)So we're gonna put up another 'same shit; different day' candidate and call it a day...
Gotcha.
tomm2thumbs
(13,297 posts)truth wins!