Do What You Want:

[BlueMTexpat]

An Open Letter to the Bernie or Bust Movement on Behalf of the Democratic Party

http://www.thepeoplesview.net/main/2016/4/25/do-what-you-want-an-open-letter-to-the-bernie-or-bust-movement-on-behalf-of-the-democratic-party

I apologize in advance if this has already been posted. I hadn't seen it at all until this morning when it was posted in a reply to an item in my feed. It's too good not to share, IMO.

You believe that by withholding your support, you'll cause the Democratic Party to lose in November. You believe that should Hillary Clinton lose, it will be a sign that Bernie Sanders was the better candidate after all. You believe that if someone like Donald Trump wins, it will mean that the Democratic Party will get what it deserves. You believe that by not voting you are making a statement in defense of your candidate and his views. You believe that there is one candidate and one candidate alone in this race that represents you and will fight for you and if that candidate doesn't get his party's nomination then there is no reason to vote come November. And you believe that by making your choice, you are making a statement that you were right all along about your chosen candidate.

But that's not how politics works.

Politics is based off of the idea that you support a candidate either because you believe in both that candidate as well as their message. Were you truly inspired by Bernie Sanders' core messages? If so, it might then surprise you that Bernie Sanders' views are actually closely aligned with those of Hillary Clinton. Not only did Hillary and Bernie vote together 93% of the time in the Senate but Hillary actually agrees with Bernie's key issues of raising the minimum wage, moving us toward universal health care, making college more affordable, creating a plan to take on Wall Street, and declassifying marijuana to study its effects. Like Bernie, she supports marriage equality, wants to overturn Citizens United (the Supreme Court case was, after all, brought forth in an effort to spend money against her) and wants to pursue diplomacy first and foremost when it comes to any potential foreign policy issues.

Oh, but it's not Hillary's policies you don't like but it's the person? Odds are you've come to trust Bernie and not Hillary. Well then you'd be surprised to learn that Hillary is the most honest candidate running according to Pulitzer-prize winning Politifact.org. In fact, journalist Jill Abramson, who has frequently investigated Hillary Clinton for her alleged scandals, reached the conclusions that she is "fundamentally honest." A lot of what you hear about Hillary Clinton is unfortunately based off of twenty-five years of Republican smears. That whole issue of Goldman Sachs speeches? Started by none other than Glenn Greenwald's The Intercept. Hillary's "superpredators" comment? That quote was taken out of context from a speech Hillary gave in Keene, New Hampshire. Her ties to big banks on Wall Street? Contributions for this presidential cycle actually shows that the big banks simply aren't contributing large amounts to her campaign. Her big money fundraisers? That money actually is raised to help elect down-ballot candidates. Her excessive use of super PACs? Members of Hillary's own super PAC are saving $70 million for the general election because they know they will need every single cent to compete with Karl Rove and other big wig Republicans who will stop at nothing to bring her down.

LOTS more good stuff at the link.

[Cha]

1. Thank you, Blue.. I've read it .. it's excellent!

[BlueMTexpat]

2. If it was posted here before,

I must have missed it. Or again, the short-term memory isn't what it used to be ...

Mahalo, Cha! Our girl did us very proud last night!

[Cha]

4. It's all over the place, Blue.. and it can't be posted too many times!

Hillary

[BlueMTexpat]

5. That graphic you posted is SO true, Cha!

Bernie doesn't really "converse" with people and thus never seems to have his single-focus worldview challenged in any way. I'm not even sure whether he would tolerate having it challenged, however, and he seems to be blindly rigid about what others can or should do. If he were as tolerant towards others as he appears to be towards himself - where his own standards are not quite as purist (attracting defense contractors in-state; sending nuclear waste to poor communities; voting for "some" wars, but not others, etc. ...) - he would not only be a better politician, he would be a kinder human being.

Hillary listens and learns. As she learns, she evolves and generally she grows wiser. Yes, she makes mistakes because, like all of us, she isn't perfect. But she IS perfect compared to ANY GOP alternative.

After all, evolution all is NOT a bad thing - unless we all think that we would have been better off as ape-man or Neanderthals. Hmm - perhaps in some ways, we might have been.

[Cha]

8. Yes, it is, Blue~ BS and Hillary couldn't be more diametrically opposed.. and we have

the winner in every sense of the word. Such a grand feeling!

I just saw this..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1107&pid=116309

[BlueMTexpat]

10. Great! Now that one

I did see ... and it also cannot be posted enough.

[sarae]

3. Love this – thank you!

Hard to believe that there are people who don't see this, but it needs to be said.

[SharonClark]

6. Great post and so true

[Walk away]

7. I love this piece and I read it every time I see it!

Trevor and Spandan at The People's View are really becoming the voice of the Democratic party on line. While sites like Kos and DU were held virtual hostage by groups out to destroy the Democratic party, TVP was, and still is, a voice in the wilderness.

Thanks for posting!!!

[BlueMTexpat]

9. Thanks - I saw it

for the first time in a response in my FB feed this am and LOVE it because it says exactly what I feel right now.

Much as I have become disillusioned and disenchanted by Bernie lately, IF he were ahead of Hillary right now by the same margins that Hillary is ahead of him, I would certainly join the Bernie side. It's never been "Hillary or Bust" for me, although I would have been extremely surprised if she had not proven herself to be the better candidate as she has. And is.

I wouldn't be happy about feeling the Bern (I would feel Bernt, in fact), but if Hillary really had NO chance - as is the situation with Sanders now, however he and his supporters want to spin it, I am not insane enough to believe that ANY GOP candidate would be a better option. The slightest prospect of such sends chills down my spine.

We can get along just fine without the "Bernie or Busters," It's very likely that even Bernie wouldn't have had them by the GE anyway. They can do as they like, IMO.