Can the Establishment Fix Its Bernie Sanders Problem?

[polly7]

By Shamus Cooke

February 11, 2016

An excellent article by Arun Gupta lays bare the machinery of the Party that could be used to decapitate Bernie’s campaign. Yes, the Democratic Party machine could destroy Bernie’s campaign, but it could come at a cost they might not be willing to pay. Most of the Party’s weapons are blunt instruments that leave too much evidence. And millions of people are watching closely.

The first major Party attack misfired badly when the Democrats tried to sabotage Bernie by restricting access to voter data. Hundreds of thousands of people expressed outrage on social media and by signing petitions.

The blowback stunned the Party, which quickly backtracked. They learned a powerful lesson: By destroying Bernie, they could destroy the Party, completely discrediting themselves in front of millions of people.

They didn’t realize how fast the political ground was shifting beneath their feet. Nobody did, and unless an anti-Bernie cryptonite is found soon, the crisis will deepen. Their own electoral game is rigged, yet out of their control.

The trump card of the Party elites is their control of “superdelegates.” But overplaying your best cards is risky too. Imagine Sanders winning the popular vote by wide margins in state after state, only to have the Party machine give the delegates to Clinton. Acting this undemocratically could trigger a deep crisis and destroy the veneer of democracy.

For now the Democrats have opted for a backup plan. It isn’t working. They launched a coordinated pro-Hillary bandwagon campaign, foolishly thinking that Bernie’s populist message could be drowned by a flood of “respected individuals” offering glowing endorsements of Clinton or making cheap attacks against Bernie.

Full article incl. links: https://zcomm.org/znetarticle/can-the-establishment-fix-its-bernie-sanders-problem/

[daleanime]

1. K&R.....

[elleng]

2. 'Most of the Party’s weapons are blunt instruments that leave too much evidence.

And millions of people are watching closely.'

[Kip Humphrey]

3. Hillary Clinton's political casualty report - February 2016.

Step right up.
Who will be next to attempt to take down Bernie Sanders and end up politically diminished and damaged?
Don't be shy.
Join a list of elite luminaries whose political reputations have been sullied by their attempts to destroy Bernie Sanders and promote Hillary Clinton:

Gloria Steinem
Paul Krugman
Bernie Frank
Madeleine Albright
Chelsea Clinton
John Lewis
Howard Dean

am I missing anyone?

[SoLeftIAmRight]

7. here is one

DWS - has been keeping a low profile

[hifiguy]

31. Derpy Watered-down Sharts is down in

the bunker coordinating all this tired eand abysmal horseshit. It's her ass and those of the DINO corporatists that will be grass when Bernie's lawn mower clears the field and they know it.

They will fight like rabid cornered weasels to hang on to the $$$$$ they rake in from influence peddling and dashing through the DC/Wall Street/lobbying/MIC revolving door.

To hell with the lot of them.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

32. wow - looks like I lit the fuse

love that kind of fireworks

BOOM

[Dems to Win]

9. Sen. Barbara Boxer

I'm sad about this, cause I luv Boxer. She's retiring soon, I hate to see her defending Hillary's campaign contributions and paid speeches in her last months in office.

[immoderate]

10. Barbara Boxer

Barb, and the people you mention would all have previously gotten positive ratings from me. Not so much now.

--imm

[pangaia]

21. Al Franken

[99Forever]

33. Agreed.

I use to consider him "my Senator Al." Worked phones for him, canvased for him. Was a Franken delegate all the way to the CD caucus. Spoke with him personally a couple of times. I feel like he backstabbed me. So be it Al.

[pangaia]

40. Hillary gave him a lot of support when he was running..

For what that is worth.

But, me too. I was really surprised. I thought he knew better.

[tokenlib]

37. Trying to bestow the Wellstone blessing on Hillary fron the grave....

..was sickening, and made a lot of us want to throw up in our mouths just a bit. Although it didn't surprise me, it did disgust me.

[pangaia]

41. I wonder if/who got to him.

[Dustlawyer]

22. Shaheen and one other lady that came out first who'se name escapes me, was it Claire McCaskell?

[restorefreedom]

23. bill clintons angry rants

don't seem to be endearing him to ahelluva lot of people, either.

he is starting to embarrass himself.

[Jed28]

28. Who will be next?

Hoping it won't be Obama. If issues like legacy are important anymore.

[tularetom]

29. Claire McCaskill

[cantbeserious]

4. We Us Together - Vs - Me MyBank And I -- The 1% Will Not Be Denied

eom

[99th_Monkey]

17. +99% n/t

[closeupready]

5. If they would all pledge to stop accepting bribes, I think they'd be done

with their "Bernie Sanders Problem". They will never EVER do that however.

[kath]

12. THIS.

[cali]

6. They can and they will. Corrupt slimy people.

[Dragonfli]

8. Another blunt instrument has just been pulled out

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511213677

The Democratic National Committee has rolled back restrictions introduced by presidential candidate Barack Obama in 2008 that banned donations from federal lobbyists and political action committees.

The decision was viewed with disappointment Friday morning by good government activists who saw it as a step backward in the effort to limit special interest influence in Washington. Some suggested it could provide an advantage to Hillary Clinton’s fundraising efforts.

“It is a major step in the wrong direction,” said longtime reform advocate Fred Wertheimer. “And it is completely out of touch with the clear public rejection of the role of political money in Washington,” expressed during the 2016 campaign.

[kath]

13. "a major step in the wrong direction" is right.

Sheesh.

[frylock]

25. A major step in the wrong direction is Hillary Clinton-style progressivism.

[SamKnause]

11. Bernie would not take a deal.

He would hold a press conference and tell the American people the truth.

He would never risk his integrity.

[Waiting For Everyman]

14. I think they're going to misjudge Bernie by a mile

like this writer has. He didn't come this far to sell out to the likes of them. But I wouldn't be surprised if he let them think that.

[Shandris]

15. Anyone who hadn't switched to Bernie after the very first bullet point isn't in this for liberalism.

It really is that simple. The moment a DEMOCRAT tried to lessen the influence of it's own voters in a DEMOCRATIC primary was the very moment the Establishment said in a loud voice, "We are no longer liberal, we are no longer Democratic. Please fix us, as we can no longer fix ourselves."

Challenge accepted.

[TIME TO PANIC]

18. Indeed. n/t

[jham123]

16. That headline cracks me up...

Okay, now, I'll go read the article

"They launched a coordinated pro-Hillary bandwagon campaign, foolishly thinking that Bernie’s populist message could be drowned by a flood of “respected individuals” offering glowing endorsements of Clinton or making cheap attacks against Bernie."

Again, in a year when the populace want an anti-establishment candidate, trotting out establishment personality one after the other isn't a winning tactic. If fact it is backfiring

[Arazi]

34. Yeah, these endorsements aren't helping her

It's only solidifying the perception that she's definitely part of the establishment and status quo

[Betty Karlson]

19. K&R for exposure. eom

[TIME TO PANIC]

20. Can the Establishment Fix Its Bernie Sanders Problem?

Not without destroying itself.

[Nanjeanne]

24. And that - I'm afraid - is what will happen. Young people will give up. Older people who had hoped

to see a real change in this country's priorities and vision will go back to sitting out the mid-terms - and we'll just keep plodding along until there really is no middle class left - the working poor will be victims of program cuts - and general malaise will take over Democrats like me.

Of course, the political elite will be just fine . . . and really, isn't that all that matters?

[TIME TO PANIC]

27. A dream come true for the powers that be. n/t

[pangaia]

26. This is all being watched by many of my international friends and colleagues

and millions around the world.


They realize that this is truly a REVOLUTION, not just what we like to call a 'revolution.' In fact, i suspect, being on the outside, they see it even better than we do.

They understand perfectly what is going on and everyone I know outside the US is on our side. They understand that they and we are together and if WE/BERNIE can pull it off, the entire world will benefit.

USA USA USA....

[RiverLover]

38. That's great to know!

Its a global revolution! People & Planet before Profits.

[pangaia]

44. In a couple other posts, I listed the countries in which I know people,

can't find it right now....mostly artistic people,,, maybe 20 off the top of my head... from South Korea to New Zealand to Finland to Brazil to Russia to Oman.

THEY KNOW !!!

My FB page feed has several post from them every day... in 10-15 different languages....

USA USA USA

[Kenjie]

30. The party elites are doing a lot of damage

I'm not sure how they expect the same old threats of the other side is worse to re energize people after they've pulled this crap.

[cherokeeprogressive]

35. Sure. No problem "fixing" it. nt

[OZi]

36. I'm sensing a new trend.

Young shills.

[sadoldgirl]

39. A lot depends on the repug nominee.

If it is Trump (or Cruz) they will support Bernie to
some extent.

If it is Rubio or Kasich, they won't support Bernie
in any way.

Should he make it to the WH he will face a totally
angry Congress. I am not sure that he won't have
to make some concessions then.

[Unknown Beatle]

42. This:

And if Bernie somehow manages to become president without agreeing to a deal, his physical safety would be at risk. It may already be at risk. The U.S. ruling class just doesn’t allow anybody to become president. There is too much money and power at stake.

Scary. Money and power have (historically) eliminated, by any means necessary, those that are willing to disrupt money and power.

[pangaia]

45. Unfortunately true.

I am sure Bernie knows this.

He is one brave dude.. and so is his wife.

[Fearless]

46. +1

[wezl]

47. The whole world is watching...

[Uncle Joe]

43. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, polly.