Where is my party? We have surrendered

[evertonfc]

As a lifelong Democrat, granted I'm only 47, and veteran of national, state and local campaigns for 25 years in the southeast, my party is at a crossroads that I fear won't recover. Moderates, especially older folks in our party are dismayed. A Democratic Socialist as our nominee, especially one that, along with his raging surrogates, have spent years disparaging our beloved party. We are not fucking Democratic socialists. 2018 and 2019 showed us that moderate candidates win races in the South and Middle America. The party is becoming coastal. Bernie Sanders and his ideas are noble, appealing to some but not realistic. His resume is laughable on a good day. Hes been running for office his entire life becoming a millionaire at the tax payer expense. He literally has no accomplishments outside politics. No career. When he wasn't running for office he was running around supporting actual socialists and being an agitatir. He objected to serving. I'll support him because I loathe Trump. However, has not goung to win a GE. As i talk to fellow operatives from Florida to GA to NC, they agree and are more worried that we will lose Seante and House races.. The over 65 demographic is gone for us. Gone. The sad thing for our party is once a Democratic Socialist is our nominee we become the face of Democratic Socialism. To think, I thought we were Democrats. Forget national polls. Sanders will get a lot of votes on the coasts. He will surrender Florida, GA, NC and AZ to Trump. He will face an immediate 700 million ad blitz that will, using his own words, paint him as an actual socialist and embolden the other side to come out in droves. Ignore my argument. I don't care. My sources are on the ground, in competitive states working thier asses off. Bernie Sanders can not win a GE and watch our Senate chances evaporate and House seats collapse. I'm saving this post and will repost the day following the election- if my party nominates a Democratic Socialist.

[still_one]

1. I think the odds are we are headed to an open convention, and it isn't going to be pretty

[counting]

15. why do you think we are headed to an open convention?

i think its unlikely

[still_one]

27. No one will have sufficient delegates to get the nomination going into the convention

and super delegates will not provide sufficient votes to bring a candidate over the threshold on the second pass

[counting]

37. i think that the candidates will drop out,

if they cant mathematically catch-up with the front runner, i hope it will be over before the convention.

[ehrnst]

46. Yes, that would be preferable to what has happened in previous primaries.

[gab13by13]

57. We need to do away with super delegates,

and Tom Perez needs to lead the DNC.

[ehrnst]

61. Why do we need to do away with Superdelegates?

[still_one]

118. Let me guess, so we would guarantee a brokered convention lol

[still_one]

120. It didn't happen last time, and it won't happen this time.

[Steelrolled]

117. It might be just what we need.

American love reality TV. It would be exciting. I would even watch it.

[RandiFan1290]

2. DOOM AND GLOOM!

[jcmaine72]

14. More like Doom and Gloomberg

I wonder how the OP would feel about OUR beloved party should a man with a well-documented history of racism, civil rights abuses and sexism should become our party's nominee?

[Happy Hoosier]

40. Frankly, both our top choices are just disasters IMO. We're in deep trouble. NT

[joost5]

85. Let's give Amy another look...

Link to tweet

I’m not a Democrat, so I’m not telling Democrats what to do. And I’m not saying any of the other Dem candidates couldn’t beat Trump. Maybe they all could. But here’s what I know FOR CERTAIN:
@amyklobuchar would absolutely kick Trump’s ass in November. She’d beat him. For sure.

If we want to keep the House and take back the Senate, we need Amy.

[jmg257]

71. LOVE that - I may have to steal it!

Doom and Gloomberg

[jcmaine72]

81. Thanks! Knock yourself out (Not literally, of course:P)

[Laura PourMeADrink]

58. How will he win general? Taking emotion out.

1. Rust belt and Southern conservative Dems?

2. Strategy to counteract building popular vote and not electoral vote? Read our candidate could win pop vote by 6 m this time and lose EC

3. Strategy to counteract the impression he gives of an angry person. When I think of him, I think yelling voice repeating same things over and over.

[Blues Heron]

3. I've never hear so much talk about "the coasts" before - talking point?

I don't know anyone who talks like that or thinks like that.

[lunasun]

13. Neither do I and I live in the Midwest .

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

51. Same here in N. Michigan...

the coastal thing never comes up only online.

[barbtries]

41. it's a republican talking point.

you know the coastal elites and all that. they love a divided country and putting everyone into a box that defines them for the purpose of demonization. it raises their chances of attaining permanent one party rule otherwise known as fascism. this is how they vanquish those who cherish democracy.

[Mister Ed]

4. Gosh, I really hate to have to say this, but:

When you have this much to say, you really have to divide it into paragraphs.

That's not nitpicking or grammar-Nazism on my part. It really makes a screed almost impossible to read if it's all one long paragraph. People end up just skimming the first few sentences, then giving up and moving on. That's not what you want when you really have something you want to communicate, as you clearly do here.

[Butterflylady]

29. Yes, my eyes are not what they used to be.

[Squinch]

5. You are exactly correct. And we can't afford to lose all that.

[NurseJackie]

6. The only thing that could have made that better would have been paragraphs.

[apcalc]

7. And the swing states we need will be lost. Say bye to PA.

[Doremus]

30. The PA that went for Trump in the electoral college in 16?

The PA with a repuke Senator bought and paid for by the oligarch now trying to buy the presidency? That PA?

It seems like you should hope and pray that a democratic socialist candidate can bring the state back into the fold because ‘moderate’ has done a pisspoor job of it.

[apcalc]

32. The PA that is more conservative than you think.No socialist! I have been told.

However, that said, the pre election polling and exit polls in 2016 did not coincide with the final tally.
Hacked baby.

Who did my vote go to? I have no idea. No backup.

[Doremus]

43. Hacked, possibly. More likely blue collar workers were sick to death

of receiving nothing of substance to help them with diminishing jobs, poor health care options, crippling debt and the rest of the ills brought about by 40 years of incrementalism.

If everything was all rosy they wouldn’t have stayed home in droves, or worse yet, voted for trump. Ya think?

[Boulevardier]

111. The RCP average of polls has Bernie beating Trump in MI, PA, and WI.

There is that.

[nobuddy]

8. Whew

Based on your title I thought this was going to be about Bloomberg.

[yardwork]

9. I thought this OP was going to be about Bloomberg.

If Bloomberg is our nominee, the Democratic Party has given up even more than if Bernie is our nominee. Bloomberg could win the GE - but what will we have won?

[UniteFightBack]

17. Clearly you don't care about beating dump 'what will we have won'. Fucking unreal. nt

[apcalc]

34. +1

[yardwork]

79. Nice personal attack there. Geez.

Of course I care about defeating Trump. But then what? If we replace Trump with somebody who competently and effectively dismantles our safety net, in the name of the Democratic Party, what kind of victory is that?

[TheCowsCameHome]

26. Just not having Trump in office is worth EVERYTHING

The "Socialism" thing will do Bernie in.

[Squinch]

28. What will we have won????? Come on. You're smarter than that.

We will have won the continuation of the rule of law and the survival of our democracy.

Jaysus. Is no one seeing what is happening???

[yardwork]

83. What do you think Bloomberg will do with our safety net?

He's on record opposed to family leave, sick leave, and other workplace benefits. He's talked about privatizing social security.

After Trump leaves office we're going to have a hell of a mess to clean up. I'd prefer to have a president who actually cares about the Democratic platform.

[Squinch]

87. Have you looked at his plans for those things?

I lived in New York during his administration. If he says he's going to protect social security on the campaign trail, and if he says he's for $15 minimum wage and full family and sick leave benefits, which he has, he will do that. Even when those things are uncharacteristic for him. If he says he'll do it, he'll do it.

He knows the constituency wants them, and for that reason he has promised them. He will uphold that bargain. He will do this because it will free him up to let him address his three pet issues: climate change, gun control and the obliteration of Filthy Donnie.

These things might not be important to him, but he is above all a pragmatist.

[Moderateguy]

119. And how will the Democrats protect benefits if they are not in power

If some fears are realized and the democratic socialist costs us the house and senate seats? Or are you ok with risking republicans having total control for the sake of “purity”?

[Anon-C]

53. No more Donald Trump, keep the House and have a shot at the Senate?

Guess we just are not on the same page.

[Act_of_Reparation]

10. "Beloved party"?

That's one degree removed from "dear leader".

Take a step back and evaluate the nature of your relationship with this political organization.

[True Blue American]

12. For me the doom and gloom

Is coming from Cable News. It is time to turn them off.

I also think the Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire Primaries need to be done away with. They do not represent the Country. Even the Democratic Leader said they are outdated.

[apcalc]

35. Does any caucus represent the party?

No. Only party activists and those with time show up.

[ehrnst]

62. +1000. (nt)

[LexVegas]

11. Wall of Text. nt

[UniteFightBack]

16. Yes where is my party who is committing SUICIDE with a Socialist. BLOOMBERG ANY FUCKING DAY. nt

[rzemanfl]

22. Bookmarking. n/t

[Act_of_Reparation]

25. I doubt you're the only one.

[apcalc]

36. I will vote to save our country, even if it is not for my preferred candidate.

It is my duty, our duty.

[stuntcat]

18. He would not win.

Biden wouldn’t win either.
I wish Warren and Klobuchar would team up.

[honest.abe]

19. It will be very difficult defending Sanders if he is our nominee.

I can imagine discussing the election with my moderate Republican family. Probably my best argument will be something like this..

"Dont worry, if Sanders wins he wont be able to get any of progressive plans passed because the Senate will block anything extreme."

Ugh.

[Turin_C3PO]

63. If these

people you speak of are moderates, then why would they support a far right fascist like Trump? They should hold their nose and vote to save our democracy.

[honest.abe]

90. Generally speaking I would say moderate Republicans may not like Trump but..

they like liberals less. They have been brainwashed by Fox news and RW media to think that way. They will only vote for a Democrat as long as they feel comfortable that Democrat wont push "extreme" liberal policies. Sanders would be the epitome of "extreme" liberal policies to them.

This is just my opinion from growing up with many moderate Republicans in my family and as neighbors and coworkers.

[Natalieb]

72. I think Trump is picking our candidate

I think Trump supporters are voting Democrat because it’s primary and he doesn’t need all his supporters votes. So, I think some Trump supporters/Republicans are voting for who they think will hurt Democrats chances of winning election.

[DENVERPOPS]

86. Perfect way to

game the system. A calculated number of republicans register as Dems so they can vote for the worst dem candidate in the primary, and then vote for the Repub in the election......

Nothing new, I have thought about that distinct possibility since I was twenty.........

[Autumn]

20. At least Bernie is willing to fucking try put some of those "noble ideas" into action for the people

Others not so much. Their reply to people who want healthcare and an even playing filed is "We won't do that." Bernie became a millionaire by writing books. People like me bought those books. Just as I bought books by other politicians that at one time I liked.

I'm saving your post and will repost the day following the election and I hope to god we aren't crying in our beer because Trump won another term.

[RandiFan1290]

23. Awww

Last edited Wed Feb 19, 2020, 10:22 AM - Edit history (1)

Buh Bye
He disrupted poorly

[Nanjeanne]

24. Gee when I read Where Is My Party I thought for sure you were dismayed

over the fact that my party would accept as its leader a man like Bloomberg.

[GanjaGrower]

31. This is why we must get behind Bloomberg

He’s the only one who can unite all the factions of our party and beat Trump. Bernie just has no chance in the general election as shown by virtually every poll.

I recently switched from Mayor Pete to Bloomberg, not because I like him more, but because I know he can beat Trump, and that’s all that matters.

[Turin_C3PO]

38. The polls show Biden, Sanders, and Bloomberg

all beating Trump by close to the same amount in the last poll I saw. That could easily change of course.

[Turin_C3PO]

33. I'm more dismayed about Bloomberg

What you have is an opinion, just like mine, not facts. The fact is that Bloomberg and Sanders, who I have the most reservations about, can beat Trump if we all unite and GOTV. And we don’t need the southeast to win. We just have to get back PA, WI, Mi. The southeast can go screw themselves if they don’t see the danger of a third Trump term.

I still maintain Biden is our best chance at winning the most states.

[Paladin]

39. K&R. (nt)

[ramen]

42. When you say "we are not fucking Democratic Socialists,"

which policies do you have in mind that are not Democratic party policies but are Sanders policies?

[MarianJack]

44. Sanders is a disaster waiting to happen.

No thank you.

Some argue that he'll bring young people in. So did George McGovern and look at how THAT one turned out.

A landslide loss to Tricky Dickie wasn't as bad as a would be a landslide loss to Dolt45. Nixon was a better man than Donald Trump, and in my nearly 65 years of life, I never thought I would EVER say something like THAT!

RESIST!

[maddiemom]

69. I know the feeling!

[world wide wally]

45. Nothing against Bernie, but Biden stands a much better chance of winning in a general election

They will slime Bernie no end like they did to Hillary and tried to do to Biden. They are just good at it with all their "news" outlets and talking heads. Just a fact of life.
I think Bloomberg may fade after people see him in the debate. He is just boring.
Everyone who has an option to vote for Biden knows that he can be trusted just like he was as VP even if he is not their first choice.

[MarianJack]

78. I've always liked VP Joe.

Ever since he won his first Senate election at 29 in 1972.

If he is our nominee I would absolutely support him enthusiastically.

At this point I'm supporting Amy Klobuchar because I strongly believe that a woman needs to be on the ticket this year.

Biden/Klobuchar would be a very strong combo. In the VP debate they could dress her like Mrs. Butterworth so Pence would refuse to be on stage with her.

RESIST!

[DENVERPOPS]

88. when you think about it

Biden is the only one who has any long term experience at the top of the Federal Gov't. He would also be acceptable to any and all Republicans who are sitting on the fence, not wanting to vote for Trump, but not wanting to vote for any seemingly radical fire brand.......

[totodeinhere]

113. Then why didn't Joe do better in Iowa and New Hampshire, and why are his

national poll numbers tanking?

[world wide wally]

115. Trump sliming

He proved it worked on Hillary last time... "almost" worked on Biden this time.
The second one remains to be seen.

[Demsrule86]

123. Please they don't represent our party.

And the promised increase in voters didn't happen.

[IronLionZion]

47. Our party did such a great job winning Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, and PA

last time around when we ran on feel the Bern in the general election. Oh wait...

The people in those states left behind in the Trump economy might be more open to socialism than some may think.

[llmart]

55. I live in Michigan.

Trust me when I say they would not be open to socialism. Our primary is March 10th so we'll see how the votes go, but I don't know anyone over 35 that is excited about Bernie. In addition to that, those of us older than 50 are the ones who get out and vote and they are certainly not going to vote for Bernie.

Historically young people don't vote in high numbers. Do we really want to alienate the older Democratic voters?

[Turin_C3PO]

60. Well,

older Democrats need to suck it up and be team players. For years we’ve been telling, correctly, that progressives need to hold their nose and vote for the moderate. So if Sanders wins, it’s moderates turn to hold their nose. I don’t like Sanders but he could very well be our nominee and we need to be united.

[StevieM]

68. We were going to win all of those states, with only Ohio being close, until Comey intervened.

Attempts to broaden the reasons for Trump's election beyond the fake email scandal are silly. Without that bogus story in the mix, we would have utterly destroyed Trump.

[IronLionZion]

82. None of our candidates have an email scandal or Comey to deal with this year

so any of our candidates should be able to utterly destroy Trump, right?

[StevieM]

109. First of all, the email controversy wasn't a real scandal.

Second, I think it is very likely that the eventual Democratic candidate will suddenly find themselves under Justice Department investigation. You can be sure that there will be some type of swift boating operation, some kind of made up mega-scandal.

Third, Trump has one big advantage this time that he didn't have last time--the ability to claim credit for Barack Obama's successes.

Finally, people are far more numb to the danger that Trump poses, and far more willing to normalize his behavior then they were last time. There are plenty of people who think he deserved to be impeached and removed from office who will never-the-less vote to re-elect him.

All that said, we need to unite to defeat Trump, no matter who the ultimate candidate is.

[yaesu]

48. ooooooh myyyyy, time to head to the fallout shelter, the sky is falling, its all over folks

hey, relax, breath, Bernie would kick the orange Nazi's ass from the white House so fast it will make his bad hair plugs shoot out.

[yaesu]

49. Its my party & I'll cry if I want to, cry if I want to, cry if I want to, you would cry too if it

happens to you, well, maybe not.

[Ligyron]

73. "Now it's Biden's turn to cry, Biden's turn to cry..."

Or is it Bernie's or Bloomberger's? IDK...

[tiredtoo]

50. Must have listened to Chris Matthews

and got himself all in a hissy fit. Relax my friend, we got this. VOTE BLUE NO MATTER WHO!

[Stuart G]

52. K and R

[ancianita]

54. What do you think of Trump's financials with Deutsche Bank? His connections to

white supremacy in this and other countries?

His continued laundering of money through his properties?

Who benefits besides Trump and his family?

Just what is the Trump-Deutschebank-Nazi-Russia connection about? It's there. It's exerting a pernicious influence on two-thirds of our government.

Why do you think BOTH a Jewish billionaire and a Jewish Democratic socialist are running against that Nazi, competing to sell the best way to shove the Nazi out the door?

There is more behind this election -- financial connections, international supports -- than just the red and blue 'official' history that we've been told. Doesn't mean what we've been told isn't true. It's just not the whole truth, just political truth.

Yes, red states will write Sanders off. They might write Bloomberg off, too, but Bloomberg will win those states that are unsure of the good faith effort of Sanders, since they would feel more confident that Bloomberg has levels of finance expertise that might be less shady, less vulnerable to black money insurgency in this country's government. Far less kompromat, less sympathetic to Saudis, as well.

Did I forget Elizabeth Warren? No. I trust her more than all of them. Is she equipped to deal with this Nazi in the WH? Yes. Is she a connected insider like Bloomberg? No, however expert she is in finance and rule of law. More than anything, I consider that her life would be in danger as constantly as was Hillary's. Sure, the candidates have Secret Security protection, and I know she's a fighter. Why she's not more prominent, yet, is a story only she can best tell.

I feel you. Hang with this process, maddening as hell as it is, and behind the scenes, evil as hell, too. But we're trying to revive a Republic and rule of law here. I hope we are. So let's see what the Super Tuesday voters think.

[mdelaguna]

67. Excellent post! Wow.

Right when Bernie AND Bloomberg are on the same side against this corrupt regime, that is telling indeed.

[Squinch]

89. Amazing post. And thank you for "hang with this process." You're right.

[ancianita]

94. ...

[johnthewoodworker]

56. The sky is falling.

Quit your bitchin'. Support your candidate. I guess if the wrong democratic candidate wins you can vote for the cat grabber with big tears in your eyes.

Oh, and if independents can't tell the difference between the cat grabber and any of our candidates then we are righteously screwed.

[McKim]

59. I Hear You and Here's an Idea!

I am a 74 year old Sanders/Warren supporter. I hear you! I have an idea. I think our party should take Sander’s platform and promises and shape them into a package that will deliver some relief to struggling families and young people who want to go to college or further education. Build your platform on universal health care, accessible education, higher minimum wage and start a nationalized day care program and you too can win big! This is what people want and it is filling stadiums with supporters. Wake up and smell the coffee. It is useless to keep on with attacking Sander’s personality or his supporters.

[ancianita]

64. +1 I like your Sanders/Warren pick. It's got vote draw on lots of levels.

[Demsrule86]

124. We will lose 35 states and likely the house.

[NJCher]

65. evvvvery day

we get one of these.

Here, this tells about the roots of our party.

[yaesu]

66. FDR & LBJ would have a serious disagreement with those REPUBLICON talking points

Link to tweet

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

103. Neither LBJ nor FDR were socialists - not even close.

FDR always made it clear as gin that he was not a socialist but a pragmatic moderate who was trying to save capitalism by regulating it.

Running for re-election in 1936, Roosevelt said of his big-money critics: “They are unanimous in their hate of me and I welcome their hatred.”

But when Mr. Sanders quotes that line in his stump speech, he doesn’t mention that Roosevelt soon tacked to the center. He rebuffed calls for national health insurance as impractical, backed a balanced budget, insisted that most welfare be connected to work and supported free trade. As World War II approached, he abandoned the New Deal entirely and invited the corporate titans who loathed him to help him win it. With the end of the war in sight, he renewed his liberal domestic agenda with the landmark G.I. Bill, which inspired today’s Democratic focus on affordable education.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/21/opinion/fdr-democrats-2020.html

[JustAnotherGen]

70. We are the same age

I just turned 47 last week.

I will remain undecided until I go to the polls and vote in the Primary in June.

I don't fucking care about the White House anymore.

Eyes on the Prize - Senate and House.

If Trump wins - and we maintain the House and grab a dozen Senate Seats - we can get out both MF45 and Pence.

If Sanders wins - it will put the brakes on potentially harmful implementation of policies.

Easy peasy - I'm out of the Primary.

[peoli]

74. Millennials are rising and a new way is coming!!!!

Better get used to it and embrace HIS NOBLE IDEAS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THEM A REALITY!!!

[Squinch]

91. They didn't rise up in NH. They made up 14% of the electors. Just like they always do.

[peoli]

100. That's 14% that will never vote for Bloomberg

[Squinch]

101. In 2018, the youth vote did turn out in huge numbers. Did they vote for Our Revolution or any

of the candidates Bernie backed.

Why, no. Our Revolution and the farther left candidates fell flat on their asses. The vast majority of them lost.

You know who won big, overturning lots of Repubican held seats? Moderates.

So it seems like the youth vote, when it does show up, doesn't really do what Bernie says it will do.

[Codeine]

114. #bendtheknee

[pamdb]

75. Sanders

I completely agree. I’m 68 and have always voted democratic. I have no problem with sanders as president, I just don’t think he’ll ever get there. I don’t care how excited college kids are ( been there done that with McGovern). Come election there’ll be term papers and mid terms.
I was a chief steward for a union at the library and always got less money in exchange for benefits. Too many unions are not going to give up the their hard won health care. He’s talking about Medicare at age 39! Trump’s going to go right past socialist to call him a communist. It’ll be why did they spend their honeymoon in Russia? What really happened there? Now Sanders says he won’t release his medical records. And I resent that he uses the Democratic Party when
He wants something. And he still hasn’t come out with any finances for his Medicare for all except to say the middle class will pay more. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll vote for him if he’s the nominee, but if Biden is still on the ticket when we have the Michigan primary, I’m voting for him. If he’s not I’ll vote for Amy.

[Perseus]

76. I think you answer your own question, the party supporters are trying to eat their own

You disparage Sanders, and someone else does that to Warren, and someone else to Biden, etc. so WE are creating this internal chaos, we are bashing our own candidates, that is where the party is, where your party is.

Sometimes I think a troll threw a tiny snowball and now it has become an avalanche, and if that is what it takes to move the Democratic party the wrong way then we are in trouble. This passion for your chosen candidate needs to end, let the voters decide and right now the voters may not be choosing your candidate, and if that is so, then come November lets make sure your prediction falls flat on its merit, which unless you can explain how you came to that conclusion (Sanders cannot beat trump), it has no merit at all.

We need to support whomever is elected, for you to say that Sanders will not win the presidency without offering proof is what the republican propaganda machine will do to any Democrat who wins the nomination, and supporters are contributing to that by bashing candidates they don't like.

That is where the Democratic party is at, and unless we stop these posts with "so and so cannot win" then we will not win, people are becoming discouraged, all we are doing with these type of empty assumptions is making Democrats angry and the consequences cannot be good. At least provide your analysis, with facts, that you have done to get you to that conclusion, please share your insights because the polls seem to be saying the contrary, which is that Sanders WILL beat trump.

When Democratic supporters continue to call Sanders a "Socialist" without expanding on their conclusions, that is bad, that is playing for the other team. Sanders is a "Social Democrat" which is very different to "Socialism".

So yes, you have answered your question, that is where we are, eating our own.

Please stop this madness of bashing/eating our own, we have a bigger problem if the creature wins a 2nd term.

[Lonestarblue]

77. I don't know whether Sanders can win or not.

But the same can be said for other candidates. My only observation to add is that I subscribe to the NYT and WaPo and regularly read the comments on political articles. Very few commenters favor Sanders, and some just outright say they will not vote for him. As far as polls go, that is meaningless, but one presumes that the readers of those papers are probably more progressive than other Democrats—so cause for worry. We need ads explaining just what socialism is and is not because far too many people seem to equate it with communism, and thus Bernie is promoting communism. Bernie’s policies are not true socialism and the difference between his policies and real socialism need to be explained many times over.

[BarbD]

80. Just a reminder, Sanders is an Independent not a Democrat

He has never been a registered Democrat. In Vermont he is part of the Progressive Party where he is endorsed by the Democratic Party. In Washington, he caucuses with the Democrats.

[Act_of_Reparation]

95. As long as we're reminding people of things:

Michael Bloomberg held office as a Republican 2001-2007. Then he switched to independent from 2007-2018. Now he's a Democrat for reasons I am sure are totes unrelated to his seeking the presidency.

[HopeAgain]

84. Change is Hard

I understand that.

[Squinch]

92. No it isn't. We know this because we have watched the rule of law be dismantled in only 3 years.

[HopeAgain]

97. This coming from a Bloomberg supporter.

Now that's rich. Maybe back to stop-and-frisk? Harassment based on being Muslim?

[Squinch]

99. BS supporters complaining about stop and frisk is what's rich. Yes, stop and frisk was

immoral and ineffective. No argument there.

But how about that crime bill Bernie voted for? The one that resulted in an enormous increase in incarcerations of young black men?

At least Bloomberg gave something back to the population he wronged. He reduced the skyrocketing murder rate among young black men by 50%. He also reduced the incarceration rate in NYC by 40%.

What did your candidate do to improve the lives of the population he wronged?

And which would you rather? Being stopped and frisked, being murdered or being unfairly incarcerated?

Your candidate's hands are just as dirty on race. None of them are clean. But my candidate also did some very significant things to improve the lives of blacks and latinos, especially young men. Yours never has.

[HopeAgain]

102. That's rediculous

voting for a crime bill 25 years ago that Clinton proposed did have unintended consequences. But you are going to hang that on one Congressman? Stop and frisk, the harassment of Muslims was patently unconstitutional. Have you listened to Republican-lite Bloomberg and what he really says outside of his commercials?

Take a gander:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287537715

[Squinch]

104. No, Clinton didn't propose it. Biden wrote it. And that's convenient. Bernie is not responsible

for his votes now? I guess it was only a matter of time until that claim was made. I'm sure the people unfairly incarcerated by the law will be happy to hear that.

I lived in NYC during the entirety of Bloomberg's tenure. I've heard what he has said and I've seen what he has done. I don't always agree with him. I see his flaws very clearly. But I am also impressed by many of the things he has done and the things he has achieved.

What has your candidate achieved? And again, how has your candidate HELPED the young men of color he wronged with his crime bill vote? Surely he has done SOMETHING to help them?

[HopeAgain]

105. Oppression is achieved through economics in this Country

Income inequality is the new Jim Crow and that is what Bernie is trying to address. Did you watch the video? Here's what Bloomberg really believes (thinks to Biden camp):

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287538797

[Squinch]

106. Ah yes. The "economics solve racism" nonsense. AKA, if its good for young white kids it must be good

for everyone.

Very disappointing.

I know what Bloomberg has said. I also know what he did. On the whole I like his record a lot more than Bernie's. He made mistakes. He said shitty things. But he also made significant contributions to women's rights and the quality of life of even those he most wronged.

Bernie? He named post offices.

[StevieM]

110. I actually remember the crime bill from 1994.

I remember when it first came up in late 1993 the media referred to that legislative effort as a prime example of congressional government. The bill was first introduced in Congress without a previous push from the White House.

Bill Clinton got involved when he started rounding up votes for the assault weapons ban. And then at the end when he pushed for final passage.

[LanternWaste]

107. Change is easy. Unintended consequences though, can be rather hard.

And of course, only the foolish and irrational will predict the absolute consequences of that which lacks national precedent will be.

Easily understood, as well...

[HopeAgain]

108. What have the moderates brought us?

Oh, that's right we are on the edge of a collapse of our Democracy...

What's that saying about insanity? Doing the same thing and expecting a different result?

[LonePirate]

93. We need to package Sanders' goals into a suburban and 2018 electorate friendly candidate - Warren!

[brutus smith]

96. I agree. Where is my party? Bernie's platform is similar to FDR's and LBJ's

Now it seems the party is OK with moving further to the right. It is use to be the Democratic party was for the poor and the working poor. Social Security, Medicare. What happened?

[redqueen]

98. I could write a post with the same title but it would be about neoliberal economic policy

and how the Dems have left me feeling increasingly alienated from what was once the working man's party.

[thesquanderer]

112. re: "becoming a millionaire at the tax payer expense"

I believe he became a millionaire from his recent book sales.

He's still not nearly among the wealthiest in congress.

[David__77]

116. Delores Huerta, Ron Dellums, John Sweeney- democratic socialists.

Socialists in the Democratic Party is not new. People who cannot tolerate standing in a big tent together with socialists may find the Democratic Party uncomfortable time identify with. I expect that to increase in the future.

[Go Vols]

121. It happend long ago

After the landslide electoral defeats to the Republican Party led by Ronald Reagan in the 1980s, a group of prominent Democrats began to believe their party was out of touch and in need of a radical shift in economic policy and ideas of governance. The Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) was founded in 1985 by Al From and a group of like-minded politicians and strategists. They advocated a political Third Way as an antidote to the electoral successes of Reaganism.

The landslide 1984 presidential election defeat spurred centrist Democrats to action, and the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) was formed. The DLC, an unofficial party organization, played a critical role in moving the Democratic Party's policies to the center of the American political spectrum.

... Many on the left are critical of New Democrats. Left-wingers argue that New Democrats' supposedly ideological centrism and "Third Way" positions were nothing more than neoliberal and right-wing ideologies being re-branded as "moderate". In a 2017 BBC interview, Noam Chomsky contended that "the Democrats gave up on the working class forty years ago"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Democrats

[TomCADem]

122. Amen

To add, Bernie's signature calling card has been to attack Democrats from the "left" while embracing nativist anti-immigration views.