General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Why?????????? Damn!!!! [View all]pnwmom
(110,251 posts)That's why he's returned to being an Independent. An Independent by definition isn't part of the Democratic party base.
Tom Perez, for example, is part of the party's base, but Independent Bernie isn't.
http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/329418-sanders-i-do-not-consider-myself-a-democrat
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Tuesday night that he still does not consider himself a Democrat despite taking part in a Democratic National Committee (DNC) unity tour with the party's new chairman, Tom Perez.
"No, I'm an Independent," Sanders said when asked by MSNBC's Chris Hayes whether he now identifies as a Democrat.
SNIP
Some establishment Democrats have criticized Sanders for not joining the party, while he has tried to assert his influence on it. But progressives have argued that the Democratic Party needs independents to expand and should open its arms to those new voters who may not fully identify with the party.