Failure to connect the dots... [View all]

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

Bernie Sanders is a "new flavor" for young people and Indies. Hillary wins big with DEMOCRATS.
What happened in MI, where Bernie won by 1.7 points in this open primary, was that Indies and young people who are responding to a BROAD and VAGUE message about the evils of Wall Street and an offer of free college tuition came out to vote in large numbers. Hillary won DEMOCRATS. Bernie is a new flavor and a lightening rod for anger and frustration at Washington and wanting big things that aren't going to appear anytime soon, like free tuition and Medicare for all.

Before I logged in today, I cruised various places I've got trashed atm, curious as to reactions to yesterday. I saw similar ideas a number of times, along with anger at 'open primaries' allowing independents to 'take over a party's nominee'.

But no dot connecting. Bernie is popular with young people (notoriously fickle voters) and independents (a LARGER group than Democrats these days).

Both groups we WANT to be voting Democratic in the general. I might even say NEED. Because we don't win the general without Indies, and young people certainly help as well.

Instead, we see anger that they dared to show up and vote in the primary. Here's a hint. We need a candidate that brings them over to check that 'Democratic' box in the general. And that means they should be welcome in the primary, so that we can get a candidate that CAN win in the general, and not just one approved of by an ever shrinking party 'base' that is out of touch with reality on the ground and simply trying to cruise along on loyalty to a party that has changed dramatically since that loyalty was earned.