Why Does the Liberal, Democratic Establishment Hate Progressives? Seriously

[Hamlette]

48. If you are talking about Bernie, I can tell you, otherwise, I don't hate progressives.

I'm both, liberal and progressive but I was not a Bernie supporter. I expect there would be better arguments but MY Bernie friends are now upset because the Dem party did not support him as much as it supported Hillary and Bernie would have beat Trump.

If you can't see why both of those arguments are bullshit, not sure I can help but I'll try:

1. I supported Hillary because I thought she had a better understanding of the problems facing Americans AND what was possible to help move in the right direction to fixing them. Bernie's interview with the N Y Post is an excellent example. He said he wants to break up the banks. He was asked how he would do that. He said he would tell the Secretary of the Treasury to break them up. When asked of the Sec of Treas had the power to do that he said I don't know but if he doesn't, as president I will have that power and I will do it. This is simply not true. Of course there are things that can be done that might lead to the breakup of the big banks but no one, not even the president can order it. He. Did. Not. Know. That. It was one of his signature issues and he did not know how to even start to do it.

2. Bernie would not commit to support down ballot Dems if he won the nomination. That to me was grounds enough for the party to not support him. Look at Congress. What could Bernie have done with the present Congress? We need a majority in Congress to get anything done, and then it is damned tough. If down ballot candidates are not pure enough for you, explain how you can pass needed legislation with people like Ted Cruz and Mike Lee in the Senate.

3. I worked on my first campaign in 1956. Yep. I was 6 years old and went door to door dropping off campaign literature. I have donated to candidates and the party every election year since I can remember. I've gone to meetings, been a delegate, manned booths at conventions, made more damned phone calls than I can count, I've done my fair share and certainly more than most others. If my party is not good enough for you, don't expect me to knock on doors for you or send you money when you decide to use what I helped build.

It seems to me that so called progressives, and Bernie supporters, think the Dem party is not good enough for them. Of course Dems make me furious at times and believe me, I've voted for tons of them because they truly are the lesser of two evils, but it is not realistic to think you can be president without one of the major parties. Pick one and start working FOR that party, instead of complaining about it when your candidate does not win.