Five Things People Should Stop Saying about Bernie Sanders

[imagine2015]

Five Things People Should Stop Saying about Bernie Sanders
Establishment Democrats want him to stop criticizing Clinton, they want him to lay off the party, they want him to drop out. Here’s why they’re utterly wrong
by Trevor Timm
May 20, 2016

It seems to be open season on Bernie Sanders in the Democratic party now that his chances of winning the nomination are dwindling. But the criticism of him is misguided and hypocritical, and he is doing the right thing by largely ignoring it.

Here’s a breakdown of what the party’s establishment is saying and why it makes little sense.

1. Bernie should stop criticizing Clinton!

Around this time in 2008, Clinton was still heavily criticizing the inevitable nominee Barack Obama and making divisive statements that make this primary campaign look like a walk in the park. How quickly everyone forgets (or pretends not to remember.) In fact, some of the issues Clinton once criticized Obama for are now the same issues that Sanders hits Clinton on. Clinton supporters had no problem with it then, but are now feigning being offended now.

2. Bernie should criticize Trump more!

Another common refrain. In reality, Sanders criticizes Trump all the time. In fact, he has continually used as strong or stronger language in doing so than Clinton has. He was one of the first prominent figures to dispense with the pleasantries about Trump and accused him of making racist comments months ago.

3. Stop criticizing the party!

Gee, I can’t believe Sanders isn’t enthused about the Democratic party! Let’s see: the DNC chair is a vocal Clinton supporter who tried to hide Democratic debates on the worst nights possible for exposure, the committee cut Sanders off from its important voter database, various state party representatives have unfairly given Clinton an advantage in delegate selection processes, the party has a sweetheart fundraising deal with Clinton and they recently changed their rules to accept more money from corporate lobbyists – a practice that Sanders deplores.

It’s one thing to say that Sanders should lay off Clinton and focus on Trump. But saying “don’t criticize your party” sounds like something out of Soviet Russia.

4. Bernie should drop out!

Again, let’s look back at the 2008 race: the Clinton camp said she had every right to stay in the race for as long as she wants, even though it was clear that Obama would win. She even said one of her reasons was “we all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California” before the Democratic convention in 1968. If Sanders said something like that he would be raked over the coals (and rightly, I might add).

It’s not politicians who should be dictating when Sanders drops out, that’s the voters’ job. And Sanders, despite finding his mathematical chance increasingly dwindling, continues to win primaries. Last night he won Oregon, for example. So it seems that voters don’t want him to drop out, only the politicians who are tied to the system he is constantly criticizing do.

5. Sanders supporters are out of control!

Certainly the behavior of a few Sanders supporters crossed the line in Nevada last week, which Sanders himself has acknowledged. But the lengths the Clinton camp and the media has gone to turn this election into a referendum on who has the better behaving supporters really has taken away from the important issues the candidates were debating.

The Clinton camp also seems to have conveniently forgotten that the phenomenon known as Pumas, hardcore Clinton supporters who were so intent on not supporting Obama after the 2008 Democratic primaries that they literally named their contingent “Party Unity My Ass.” And surprise, surprise, after a few months that controversy was largely ancient history and Clinton supporters overwhelmingly voted for Obama, because the other general election candidate was much worse.

Read the full article at:
http://www.commondreams.org/views/2016/05/20/five-things-people-should-stop-saying-about-bernie-sanders

[upaloopa]

1. More like 5 truths about the Sanders campaign

[Thinkingabout]

5. Yes, he is $22 million in debt after he tries to pay back the donors contributions over the limit.

The best people who could help him raise this much money is members of the DNC. It will take lots of $27 donations needed to pay off this debt.

[imagine2015]

9. Do you have a link to this info? Some might think it was pulled out of an orifice near you!

That was a joke.

I meant your mouth of course!

Are you laughing or do you have a link?

[rock]

11. I like your joke

I like your style. Some people say I'm crazy.

[seabeyond]

7. +1. Nt

[Henhouse]

16. lol...so true...n/t

[asuhornets]

2. Will you stop saying negative things about Hillary Clinton? What makes Sanders so special?

[imagine2015]

10. Hillary has good hair. Not a gray one in sight.

[Ash_F]

3. "He was one of the first prominent figures to dispense with the pleasantries about Trump"

So true

He has called Trump a pathological liar. Something Clinton is too political to flat out say.

[SheilaT]

4. Thank you for posting.

I'm personally incredibly sick of the demand Bernie drop out. Hillary stayed in until the final primary in 2008, so should he.

[Lil Missy]

6. All 5 things are true. n/t

[seabeyond]

8. +1. Nt

[SpareribSP]

12. How do you disagree with their analysis?

[Lil Missy]

14. Each one is based on a faulty premise and/or lack of OBJECTIVE evidence. n/t

[SpareribSP]

17. Can you give concrete examples?

[Lil Missy]

18. I could, but it's not my objective to debate or convince anyone to my point of view.

Nor am I interested in "being schooled" on why my judgment is not correct, and Bernie supporter's judgement are better.

Quite simply, it's my opinion; it's not negotiable. And finally, I'm accustomed to being treated quite rudely by Bernie supporters on this site. Life is too short to argue with some anonymous person on a chat board.

Nothing personal.

[SpareribSP]

19. Why are you posting on a discussion board if you don't want to discuss?

Though I really can't blame you because the attitude here for the most part is to throw out one-liners that have no real substance on both sides, but clearly the attitude you presented here won't lead to quality discussion?

Not meaning to be rude here, nor am I looking to "school" anyone, just I came to this site in the first place hoping that the discourse would be of higher quality than elsewhere and not just be an echo chamber.

[Frustratedlady]

13. I remember 2008 being a bit on the nasty side on Hillary's part...that she had every right to

stay in the race.

Tit for Tat. Get off his back and let Bernie stay in the race. What's the hurry? California?

[jwirr]

15. And that is 5 things we are NOT going to do. They will just

have to get used to it.