http://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/352632-bernie-sanders-is-not-a-democrat-so-he-should-stop-tearing-us-apart?amp

At some point very soon, supporters of Bernie Sanders have a decision to make. Do they want four more years of Republican majorities, or do they want to be part of implementing policies aimed at helping the poor and working poor? In this political climate, it's a binary choice. Either supporters of Sanders help to elect Democrats who can beat Donald Trump or they contribute to his re-election. Period.

All the talk about a living wage, single-payer health care, and social justice means nothing if Republicans are re-elected in 2018 and 2020. All the talk about building an economy that works for all Americans means nothing if "Bernie bros" attack every Democrat who isn't Sanders. He isn't even a registered Democrat. I would love to hear Sanders's opinion on how the Democratic Party can rebound and rebuild, but it has to be preceded by him actually joining the party, not merely using it as a vessel for his run for president. Democrats are your allies, not your punching bag or your Uber.

It's time for the fantasy to end. Sanders wouldn't have beaten Trump. He couldn't even beat Hillary Clinton. Pretending otherwise is completely illogical and only serves to reopen old wounds that ensure more Republican victories. If supporters of Sanders want an ally on health care, they certainly won't find it in Republicans. It hurts the very people that both Democrats and Sanders supporters are attempting to help his supporters denigrate up and coming Democrats as "corporatists" who are "owned by Wall Street."

I'd love if campaigns didn't have to look for corporate donations, but it's the political reality we live in, not the one we want. Maybe if we had more Democrats in office we could get rid of Citizens United and actually pass campaign finance reform. Then we could get money out of politics and get Congress back to work. You know who I can guarantee won't help you get those things done? Republicans. We don't live in a fantasy land where everyone gets everything that they want. Compromise is a necessity. I wish that with the snap of my fingers we had universal health care and free college, but that's not how our system works. That's not how the framers intended our system to work. The framers intentionally designed our government in a way that makes change incremental.

Attacks from Sanders and his supporters on Democrats aren't helping to rebuild the party, nor are they helping to build a strong economic message. Attacks from Sanders and his supports are an unnecessary Kamikaze mission that will undoubtedly lead to more Republican victories. If Sanders and his supporters want criminal justice reform and financial reform to pass, then maybe they shouldn't burn down the house of the only ally that they have. I'm sure Cory Booker or Kamala Harris would gladly sign onto legislation that repairs our failing penal system or repatriates American funds overseas. They've already joined Sanders's health care bill. I'm not so sure that the same can be said for Ted Cruz or Luther Strange, but feel free to give it a try.

The sole focus of the Sanders wing and the Democratic Party should be to beat Trump in 2020. Trump is the natural evolution of a party that has lost its moral compass. He's the natural evolution of a country quickly losing its grip on reality. He's unfit for the office of the presidency. He's the single most important reason for Sanders and his supporters to put aside their hostility and work hand and hand with the Democratic Party.

Now is not the time to relitigate the primary battle between Clinton and Sanders. Now is not the time to enact arbitrary litmus tests that will create even more chaos within the party. Now is the time to come together and link arms. Now is the time to take attendance and recognize who is with you and who is against you. Now is the time to rebuild our country and ensure it works for every single American. Taking an all or nothing approach to political issues isn't just unhelpful, it poisons the process and prevents meaningful conversation. It mirrors the childish and destructive antics of the Tea Party, not the behavior of well-informed adults.

We have to figure out a way to work together moving forward. The country may literally depend on it. This can't be a battle between the establishment and Sanders because that's exactly what Trump wants. This has to be a battle between right and wrong, a choice between democracy and authoritarianism. Only one side is hell-bent on protecting our democracy and the other isn't. So now Sanders and his supporters must choose a side. Straddling the line won't suffice. Will they work with Democrats to help take back our country or will they stand on the outside and throw stones? I know what Trump hopes that they do.

Source: Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump told several lawmakers on Tuesday that he would work with Democrats in Congress to overhaul the nations healthcare system if Republicans fail to pass a measure to repeal and replace Obamacare, a key lawmaker said.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-healthcare-trump-house/trump-says-he-is-willing-work-with-democrats-on-healthcare-taxes-lawmaker-idUSKCN1C12PP

Source: realclearpolitics


https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=JKhpYlLCRx4

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) took to the House floor Monday night to kneel in solidarity with NFL players who chose defy President Trump and protest police brutality. Jackson Lee said you "cannot deny" that Trump calling players who kneel a 'son of a bitch' is "racism."

"There is no regulation that says these young men cannot stand against the dishonoring of their mothers by you calling for the firing of a son-of-a-B. You tell me which of those children's mothers are a son-of-a-B. That is racism. You cannot deny it, you cannot run for it, and I kneel in honor of them," the Congresswoman said.

"I kneel in honor of them. I kneel in front of the flag and on this floor," Jackson Lee declared.

"I kneel in honor of the First Amendment. I kneel because the flag is a symbol for freedom. I kneel because I'm going to stand against racism. I kneel because I will stand with those young men and I'll stand with our soldiers. And I'll stand with America, because I kneel."

REP. SHEILA JACKSON LEE: We simply ask for the dignity and respect to not call our mothers a son-of-a-B. I heard a young man who is an NFL player say that he will kneel from now on!

The only reason he is doing this is that someone had the lack of judgment to provoke the situation and call their mothers a name. I refuse to accept that as a standard of leadership for the highest office in the world.

Even if you never understand it, sir, if you think you're playing to your base, we will continue to stand in the gap. And racism is going to be under our foot. You know where else it is going to be? Under our knees.

We in the CBC have always stood for what is right. There is no basis in the First Amendment that says you can not kneel in the national anthem.

Read more: https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2017/09/26/rep_sheila_jackson_lee_kneels_on_house_floor_in_support_of_nfl_players.html

http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/clinton-trump-has-no-idea-what-s-in-gop-health-care-bills-1054800963820

Hillary Clinton says Donald Trump has no idea about the specifics of the Republican efforts to repeal Obamacare – but he doesn’t care about the specifics, because he’s just trying to defeat Obama and please his base. Duration: 9:29

http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/clinton-quite-telling-trump-attacks-black-athletes-not-neo-nazis-1054793283877

from 3:10 in the video

http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/clinton-quite-telling-trump-attacks-black-athletes-not-neo-nazis-1054793283877


Hillary Clinton reacts to Donald Trump’s last 72 hours – including criticizing black athletes protesting while ignoring the crisis in Puerto Rico post-Hurricane Maria – and says everything he does is to keep the affections of his hard-core base. Duration: 16:49

http://thehill.com/latino/352417-clinton-im-not-sure-trump-knows-puerto-ricans-are-us-citizens

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/912487929783754755

told u so