No One Thought It Was Possible: 12 Ways the Sanders Revolution Has Transformed Politics

[Rebkeh]

No One Thought It Was Possible: 12 Ways the Sanders Revolution Has Transformed Politics

Sanders' hugely successful campaign might just have a lasting impact.
By Steven Rosenfeld / AlterNet April 23, 2016

snip

1. Revived Democrats' progressive wing

2. Introduced a new generation to progressive politics

3. Stopped socialist from being a dirty word

4. Showed grassroots, small-donor campaigns are viable

5. Showed the public responds to principled politicians

6. Showed it’s possible to run without throwing much mud

7. Shown Democrats what an engaged citizenry looks like

8. Brought America’s progressive organizers together

9. Pushed Hillary Clinton to the left

10. Challenged everyone on free tuition

11. Called out Wall Street’s purpose and business model

12. Showed a Jew can call out Israel

A Revolution or New Normal?

Sanders supporters and political observers will surely cite more examples, but what stands out to progressives about many aspects of Sanders’ campaign and agenda is that what he is calling for isn’t revolutionary at all—it’s sane, and if anything, overdue. The passion and public purpose of his campaign has struck deep and wide notes precisely because of that.

Read in full:
http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/no-one-thought-it-was-possible-12-ways-sanders-revolution-has-transformed-politics

[djean111]

1. Hillary Clinton has not moved one millimeter to the left, and if she is the nominee,

she will move further to the right, and if president, will be a president of war and fracking and ruinous trade deals and means-testing Social Security and squashing any hope of Single payer.

She would be totally Conservative/RW/Republican at that point. Third Way, hawk. And laughing and jeering at us.

[Dragonfli]

2. K&R

[silvershadow]

3. K&R. The Progressive Wing has had a re-birth. I'm keeping my power. nt

[Drahthaardogs]

4. They said a lot of this about Howard Dean.

First it was Howard Dean. The Plutocrats always win. ALWAYS. The rich are very jealous of what they have.

[Robbins]

5. If clinton preveils

then the revolution has been put down.

[Rebkeh]

6. Nope.

The revolution is just getting started.

[me b zola]

7. K&R

[andym]

8. Bernie is the start of a movement back to the left.

I really hope he takes the time to mobilize us, his supporters into a political force for progressive change. He needs to spend some time calling for participation at the local political levels-- that will lay the groundwork for future change regardless of the outcome of this election.

[Rebkeh]

9. It started long before Bernie, actually

It's been building and percolating for a very long time. Once in a while you would see a strong voice but it never held for long, just made a quiet difference in small doses and smaller spaces.

I first noticed it breaking the surface in '08 with the Hope and Change campaign, people showed up.

Then Occupy happened, Elizabeth Warren became a household name, and progressives made some fundamental impacts that continue to this day.

Then Bernie and his amazing successes, despite the actual election stuff. I don't see this as a win/lose situation, it's not a game. It's about cultural change as well as political and I don't see how this past year or so can be undone.

Time cannot go backwards and you can't unring a bell.. these changes are permanent.

I'm telling you, this ain't over yet. It can only go one way, what's variable is how long it will take for people to figure it out.

I agree about the local levels, though it's not where I am at my best. I also live in a state I really don't feel like I am part of. It's not my home, not in my heart, so I find it hard to get motivated.

[andym]

10. I think you're right

Perhaps President Obama and his "hope and change" signaled the beginning of the movement. Even the ACA, as flawed as it is, represented the first significant new social program in decades.

I really hope that Bernie's campaign can be something more-- there's a real struggle in American culture, over the balance between freedom, which is wonderful, but too much of which allows the rich and powerful to accrue too much power and influence and equality of opportunity, which requires sacrifice from the more most successful. The pendulum has swung so much toward freedom (and removal of rules protecting us from undue corporate influence), that it really is time for it to swing back to provide opportunity and basic human rights like healthcare for everyone. I hope he has helped push the pendulum irreversibly leftwards.

Not everyone can work at the local level, but some people progressives should or the movement will never really take off and the political power will not be there to get anything done. The Right started their push toward power in 1964 -- it took them 16 years before they gained control through Reagan and ushered in our current era. I really hope that President Obama's terms and Bernie's campaign has helped finally end that era.

[Rebkeh]

11. I don't follow

Let me be sure I understand you correctly, are you suggesting that freedom and prosperity are opposed? On two ends of a scale?

If so, I completely, emphatically, 1000% disagree with you. That's a conservative way of looking at things.

You can have full freedom and full propsperity.

[andym]

12. No, not freedom and prosperity, but absolute freedom and equality can be opposed.

Complete freedom means no rules, so bullies and monopolists can achieve unmitigated power. Complete liberty can even lead to anarchy, like in Liberia. Equal opportunity (and equality in general) means creating regulations-- things like preventing corporations from poisoning the environment without penalties or providing free elementary school for everyone. Each regulation or law does limit individual/corporate freedom to do anything they want in order to guarantee the rights of the many. Collective action by its very nature places limits on individual freedom for the common good. Many conservatives don't want to pay taxes to help others, because they are selfish and use the idea of freedom as their justification, but really they are denying the rights of the group to work for the common good.

That is the nature of the American system, the founders and all those who have come after have tried to balance the rights of individuals to do as they please with the rights of the many and basic human rights.

There is actually a lot written about this topic by social historians and political philosophers for quite some time.

[Rebkeh]

13. Okay, thanks for clearing that up

I agree that's how the country functions and I do think a new era is coming. It will be interesting to see what we do with that question of balance.

I have to say though, for me personally, there's no distinction between the rights (or interests in my case) of individuals and the rights/interests of many/basic human rights. They are fundamentally the same thing, we just haven't figured that out. We will, though. In the meantime, I want justice and equality. I want people fed, clothed, educated with a roof over every head, among many, many other things.

That's why we need someone like Bernie as President.

[andym]

14. There has been a recent movement toward increased human rights

For example, the rights of LBGT couples have been officially recognized in recent years. Basic human rights also should include healthcare-- that is one reason that Bernie should be President. We need him to use the bully pulpit to advance these ideas. That way they can eventually be implemented, although it will take time, given the gerrymandering of the House of Representatives.