"Stop the Revolution! I want to get off!" How Bernie is NOT creating a REAL political movement. [View all]

[RBInMaine]

I have said and will continue to say I have always liked Bernie and honestly think his heart has always been in the right place on progressive issues. I think he sincerely wants real political reform, to reverse income inequality, to reverse climate change, and to return political power to ordinary Americans. But I have also always said that as a self-described socialist who came so late to the party that he now wants to lead, he will not be able to win the nomination nor the general election.

I do give Bernie credit for having said some things, VERY GENERALLY, that need saying on the issues, and that these BROAD clarion calls have inspired a lot young people to engage in this primary. People are legitimately angry about a lot of things, and he has tapped into that frustration. However, his platitudes are very VAGUE, he has shown a far too-limited and frankly inexcusable lack of detailed knowledge on the very issues he is trumpeting, and too many of his promises, though noble and inspiring, are not very realistic. Yes, we need inspiring goals, but we also need REALITY.

And here is the big thing. While he says that what he is doing is about more than Bernie Sanders, I truly sense that WAY too many of his supporters are ALL ABOUT BERNIE and NOT about the larger cause of BEATING REPUBLICANS at every level and STAYING IN IT FOR THE LONG HAUL. So many of his supporters are reporting that they are ONLY voting "FOR BERNIE" and NOT because they are inspired by the call for a LONG, HARD, DIFFICULT, SUSTAINED political movement much like the workers rights, women's suffrage, and civil rights movements of the past which required MANY YEARS of SUSTAINED and arduous WORK. Some are already saying that if Bernie doesn't get the nomination, they won't vote at all. HOW IMMATURE! HOW NONSENSICAL! HOW NON-REVOLUTIONARY!!!!

These Bernie folks need to SEE MORE THAN BERNIE. They need to see that Hillary is also PROGRESSIVE. They need to see that we can not allow a TRUMP or CRUZ to get the White House. They need to see that if they are really PROGRESSIVE, that is about PROGRESS and not just one titillating candidate, and you have to STAY ENGAGED for the LONGTERM and VOTE IN EVERY ELECTION, even the ones where there is NO BERNIE!

Some Bernie folks are now complaining about their registration status in NY. The fact is, MANY were never registered as Dems or may not have been registered at all, and THAT is why they can't vote in the primary. If they didn't have the energy to check their registration status according to the rules and deadlines, how do they have the energy to engage in a LONGTERM and REAL political "revolution" movement?

Bernie Folks, my message to you is that if you want PROGRESS, and REAL CHANGE, you have to STAY ENGAGED ALL THE TIME AND IN EVERY ELECTION. Being titillated into the voting booth just one time on promises to shut down big banks and get free tuition isn't nearly enough. Look to American history. Look at what had to be done and sacrificed for MANY YEARS in order for women to get the right to vote, for workers to get rights, for African Americans to get full rights, etc. It didn't happen overnight. People were committed to a CAUSE, not just one person. I am so glad you are engaged in this primary process, but that is NOT ENOUGH. And if Hillary is the nominee, you need to see that she will give you MUCH more of what Bernie is for than Trump or Cruz, and that should be WAY more than enough to KEEP you engaged in this presidential cycle, which is what is needed. STAY ENGAGED NO MATTER WHAT, AND VOTE DEMOCRATIC UP AND DOWN THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER. Then you will get PROGRESS which is what PROGRESSIVENESS is all about. The stakes are too high, and this is election cycle is NOT and can not be just about Bernie.