Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumWhy Bernie Sanders was Right to Run as a Democrat (by Ralph Nader)
During a recent town hall in Columbus, Ohio, Sen. Bernie Sanders said the unthinkable. At least, you would have thought he did, judging by the response of several Democratic operatives. Sanders was deemed extremely disgraceful by Donna Brazile, vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, and a political calculating fraud by Brad Woodhouse, a former DNC communications director.
What was his crime? The old-fashioned Rooseveltian New Dealer had answered a question about why he is running as a Democrat, instead of as an independent, with typical candor: In terms of media coverage, you had to run within the Democratic Party, he observed, adding that he couldnt raise money outside the major two-party process.
As one of the more successful third-party presidential candidates in recent U.S. history, I know firsthand the obstacles Sanders might have faced if he had run as an independent. The reality is that Sanders is right, and the backlash against him reflects all too well what two-party tyranny can do to a more-than-nominal third-party challenger. This is especially true of candidates like Sanders, who despite advancing political views similar to the classic Democratic New Deal platform now sits well to the left of the partys corporatist, hawkish establishment.
http://www.commondreams.org/views/2016/03/27/why-bernie-sanders-was-right-run-democrat
What was his crime? The old-fashioned Rooseveltian New Dealer had answered a question about why he is running as a Democrat, instead of as an independent, with typical candor: In terms of media coverage, you had to run within the Democratic Party, he observed, adding that he couldnt raise money outside the major two-party process.
As one of the more successful third-party presidential candidates in recent U.S. history, I know firsthand the obstacles Sanders might have faced if he had run as an independent. The reality is that Sanders is right, and the backlash against him reflects all too well what two-party tyranny can do to a more-than-nominal third-party challenger. This is especially true of candidates like Sanders, who despite advancing political views similar to the classic Democratic New Deal platform now sits well to the left of the partys corporatist, hawkish establishment.
http://www.commondreams.org/views/2016/03/27/why-bernie-sanders-was-right-run-democrat
Interesting piece.
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
3 replies, 636 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (11)
ReplyReply to this post
3 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Why Bernie Sanders was Right to Run as a Democrat (by Ralph Nader) (Original Post)
oberliner
Mar 2016
OP
GeorgiaPeanuts
(2,353 posts)1. Beautiful article K&R
tk2kewl
(18,133 posts)2. He is doing the party a great service
central scrutinizer
(11,637 posts)3. I wish Nader had run as a Democrat
I abandoned Clinton after NAFTA and voted for Nader in 1996.