At my Senatorial District Convention

[sarin]

Last edited Tue Mar 22, 2016, 09:09 AM - Edit history (1)

I do not post here often, as I rarely have anything useful to contribute, but I'd like to offer my observations on what my senatorial district convention was like.

Background: My senatorial district is in and around San Antonio, TX.

Turn out to the convention was about 44% Bernie, 56% Clinton, with a small handful of undecided. Overall, the convention went reasonably well, but there were some very contentious moments that were striking.

Congressman Lloyd Doggett swung by briefly to give a few words, as he has often done in the past. Normally, through unanimous consent, we give candidates and elected officials a chance to speak briefly at the convention, usually during an allotted time. Lloyd has come out as a Clinton support and I believe is a super delegate. This really angered the Sanders supporters in the room who made a big fuss about allowing him to speak, forcing a full on vote with counting and such. It really slowed things down, and really set the tone for the day. Doggett's speech was nice enough and had little to do with the primary so much as just dogging the republican party. Nothing for them to be concerned with.

I think this is a problem within our party now, as the far left wing were being almost obstructionist in their approach to the convention. Even in electing a delegation chair, people were complaining that she was a Hillary supporter and making quite a scene about it.

I was discussing these issues and thoughts with a friend of mine, and we are worried that both parties are moving to their extreme edges right now. Neither party should be run by their extreme elements as I feel that many people are generally centrist in their views as a whole. They may take a side on a particular issue, but many people typically do not have much of an opinion on much of what goes on in politics.

I understand the frustration that has lead to this push from the left and I don't think it's an entirely bad thing, but I worry when there is no debate or discussion or ideas and it's either my way or the highway. That's the Tea Party mindset, and I expected better from my fellow democrats. I myself am a moderate democrat, and I'm finding it very difficult to know where I exist in the world of politics. The right is too extreme, and the left is developing similar elements.

This is why I like Hillary, she's pragmatic, she weighs issues beyond the world of politics and makes decisions accordingly. I don't agree with everything, but then why would I expect to agree with every decision she makes. I don't even agree with my wife when it comes to choosing a place for dinner half the time. Disagreement on approach does not mean the other person is in the wrong, and open the door for an opportunity to better discuss ideas and come to a more amicable solution. When one part of the discussion refuses to listen to any arguments but their own, the process dies. Good policy can not come without good discussion. This is why the Republican party is going through so much troubling times, as the Tea Party elements in the party have taken over and refuse to discuss anything. My experiences at my senatorial convention make me concerned that we may be headed in that direction as well.

To be clear, not all Sanders supporters were in this vein, it was a small minority of people at the convention, but they were brash and really slowed down the entire process, causing us to end nearly 3 hours later than planned.

What is the future of our party? Are moderates no longer allowed?

[SunSeeker]

1. Thanks for the post, sarin.

You speak for the vast majority of Dems. I am really glad you are engaged in the process. Sadly, most moderates don't get involved in Dem party activities. They just live their lives. The extremists, on the other hand, are riled up and more engaged, so they are disproportionately represented at party functions. That causes them to believe they represent a larger percentage of Dems than they do. And it drives away people like you. Kind of like how DU drove away moderate Dems from this site.

I share your worry about the extremes taking over. That will only exacerbate the gridlock we already suffer from in our government.

Thank you for supporting Hillary and not being intimidated by those jerks at your senatorial district convention. Please hang in there. We need you now more than ever.

[sarin]

7. Thank you

Thank you for your words of encouragement

[Treant]

2. If Moderates are no longer allowed

we'll all end up getting kicked out--and then form another party that just so happens to encompass the center and center-left. Which is the largest faction.

Both the Dems and Republicans can go on to become regional or defunct parties.

But I don't think it'll happen. Although noisy, the extremists on our side are losing. And they know it, which is why they're so noisy...

[DemonGoddess]

3. Thank you.

Very well thought out post.

[riversedge]

4. Recall in NV that when Dolores Huerta offered to be the interpreter at

one of the caucus meetings--she was rudely shouted down by Sander supports --and Susan S---all because she was a Clinton supporter and they did not trust her to interpret the words right.--she was biased. I was just appalled. You are right, The Left has their own tea party at the moment in time. And something I have been thinking about for a long time. I do not think it will get much better (if Hillary wins the nomination). Maybe some, but not much.

Thanks for your post. Much appreciated.



.....I think this is a problem within our party now, as the far left wing were being almost obstructionist in their approach to the convention. Even in electing a delegation chair, people were complaining that she was a Hillary supporter and making quite a scene about it. .....

[72DejaVu]

5. The Sanders campaign is nothing more than a hostile takeover

[Cha]

6. A wanabe

[Coolest Ranger]

8. Then its up to us to fight back

We got to show them that they are not the boss of us

[cosmicone]

9. Bernie needs to address his supporters

and make the extremists in them less whacko. He won't do it because whacko has been fueling his campaign. Rational, reasonable and objective people are sorely needed on the Bernie team.

[Walk away]

10. Pretty soon the only Bernie followers left will be here in the Bernie Group, JPR and Reddit!

Everyone else will have moved on with no help from Bernie.

[Lucinda]

11. I love reading posts when people are talking about their experiences

with the voting process. Thank you for sharing this!

It's sad to see that contentious behavior showing up in real life, and not just online. I don't handle that kind of tension well physically, so your district meeting would have been rough for me to attend.

I think the party will be fine. It is a minor, but vocal, subset that is outright hostile to the process of selecting our candidate. I'm not sure if they are new Dems, or just seriously disaffected ones, or both, but they are a minority.