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Yurovsky

(2,064 posts)
17. I don't want either to win (HRC or Trump), but here's my problem ...
Fri May 20, 2016, 01:26 PM
May 2016

If Bernie were the nominee, the Senate would almost certainly go Democratic, and the House might, or at least shift enough were it could in the 2018 midterms. In 2020, if the growth of the progressive movement continued (which I believe it would, due to demographics as well as effective progressive governance), a Sanders re-election could ensure long-standing Democratic majorities in the House & Senate, and continued support for policies that have worked well in Europe to ease poverty and limit income inequality. Just as importantly, it would re-establish the Democratic Party as the party of the people, and a force that could effectively counter Wall Street/corporate power and influence. Those monied interest might flee to the GOP, but with control over all of the branches of government, effective campaign finance reform could neuter the big money interests that have worked against working-class and poor Americans for generations.

If Hillary were to win, I think we would maintain the social gains won by women, minorities, and LGBT Americans (just as we would under President Sanders), but both the country and the Democratic Party would suffer under the very monied interests that Sen Sanders opposes and HRC embraces (and have bankrolled both her campaign and the Clinton "non-profit" honeypots like the CGI and Presidential library fund). Progressive interests might be purged from the Democratic Party, and the GOP might retain enough support to challenge her and Democrats in both 2018 and 2020. In fact, I think the Senate could remain in GOP hands, and I don't see any scenario under which the GOP loses the House in 2016, 2018, or 2020. Economic justice would be given little more than lip service, and the quality of life for millions of working-class and poor Americans would continue to decline, while the 1% would continue to hoard ever-greater shares of our economic output. She might also spend her Presidency mired in impeachment proceedings, as I doubt the GOP will simply walk away from her email and pay-to-play scandals. And in the face of scandal, she may turn to military adventurism to boost her poll numbers. She's certainly not averse to turning loose the dogs of war.

If Trump were to win, I doubt he would go full-on right wing religious nut on America (it's not who he is). He might toss a few insignificant bones to the mouth-breathers, but nothing that might upset voters enough to endanger Trump politically (think of a modestly more socially conservative Hillary). Economically, he might even be less beholden to Wall Street & corporations than HRC, but I doubt we would see meaningful positive change - he might toss out a bone or two to the working-class populists that support him at present. Militarily I think he's a Fortress America type, so we probably wouldn't be starting any wars intentionally, although his big mouth might start one inadvertently. I have no idea what his election might do WRT party control of Congress, other than if his racist streak takes hold, and a war starts on his watch, it might swing everything back towards Democrats on a timetable that could be months to years in the making. I do think having HRC off the national stage might allow the Democratic Party to continue to embrace progressive policies and candidates. Not that I want to see Trump win, but I have a hard time seeing how much worse a Trump presidency would be compared to Hillary.

Yes, I understand a SCOTUS appointment could go bad on us, but if HRC is one and done or is faced with large GOP majorities, we're not going to see progressive judges nominated or confirmed. In the final analysis I find both a Hillary presidency and a Trump presidency bad for America, but a Hillary Presidency potentially worse for the Democratic Party in the long term. If Goldman Sachs. Walmart, and defense contractors are allowed to run the Denocratic Party, progressives will flee, and without progressives, Democrats are in trouble.

While I know the possibility of a Sanders presidency is the least likely of the 3 scenarios, it far and away offers the best prospects for both America and the Democratic Party. Not to mention the rest of the planet. As long as there is hope, I will fight to keep that hope alive.

Recommendations

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Message deleted by DU the Administrators Autumn May 2016 #1
x 2 n/t Contrary1 May 2016 #3
The revolution is happening regardless casperthegm May 2016 #2
Bullshit-That old smear-Hillary was one of the most liberal Senators in Congress redstateblues May 2016 #8
Let me help you out casperthegm May 2016 #12
Honestly, she's to Nixon's right. Fawke Em May 2016 #15
And don't forget... Yurovsky May 2016 #21
Opposed to college for all? I don't believe I've seen that anywhere redstateblues May 2016 #28
Hillary Clinton does not share Bernie's vision for free college casperthegm May 2016 #35
It's always amazing how BSS casually brush off the bad stuff about Bernie redstateblues May 2016 #38
Come on, you really want to start comparing corporate connections? casperthegm May 2016 #41
"Let's avoid this silliness." dchill May 2016 #42
No she wasn't. All those graphs and assessments give equal weight to a vote cali May 2016 #31
"we want to punish the Democrats, we want to hurt them, wound them" joshcryer May 2016 #4
And your screed there is wrong. Fawke Em May 2016 #18
Nope. joshcryer May 2016 #23
Nader denialism Lives!! redstateblues May 2016 #29
GOLDSTEIN!!! frylock May 2016 #40
trump winning is bad. It is not likely it would help progressives. BillZBubb May 2016 #5
Horrible thought, horrible way to think. thucythucy May 2016 #6
This post is dumb for $500 Alex. nt nc4bo May 2016 #7
I'll take "If Susan Saradon said it, it must be true" for $1,000 Agschmid May 2016 #9
Better Susan than having Henry Kissinger on quick dial. nt nc4bo May 2016 #10
Susan Sarandon: Trump more likely to bring 'revolution' than Clinton workinclasszero May 2016 #11
This message was self-deleted by its author Actor May 2016 #13
This message was self-deleted by its author Actor May 2016 #14
Yall keep flinging poop here. What happened, ran out of room in there? nt nc4bo May 2016 #22
It would work... Orsino May 2016 #16
I don't want either to win (HRC or Trump), but here's my problem ... Yurovsky May 2016 #17
You, me and Asher Edelson are on the same page with this. Fawke Em May 2016 #20
That's a great piece... Yurovsky May 2016 #25
Correct the Propaganda. snort May 2016 #19
This is dumb even by the standards of the Mid-April Club. QC May 2016 #24
Oh stop worrying, Hillary has declared herself to be the nominee, just ignore us hopeless Bernie Todays_Illusion May 2016 #26
Trump is another enabler of our police state. JonathanRackham May 2016 #27
Another day, same stale propaganda. You need some new material. arcane1 May 2016 #30
Oh boy. This is a Democratic website. Aerows May 2016 #32
The revolution is happening. Without Trump. Tierra_y_Libertad May 2016 #33
Bernie's "revolution" is an empty bumper sticker slogan redstateblues May 2016 #37
You're soaking in it. Bluenorthwest May 2016 #34
Read the title and locked my computer ... 1StrongBlackMan May 2016 #36
I'm beginning to think 4 years of Trump may not be such a high price to pay.. frylock May 2016 #39
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