Why it helps Democrats and progressives for Bernie to keep running

[Ken Burch]

1) It makes it harder for the party to push further right on the issues(the party establishment still insists on doing that, even though there is no "center" anymore and there aren't any large groups of voters who would vote Democratic if only they saw the party telling progressives to go to hell);

2) It keeps the young and the idealists engaged, and increases the liklihood that whoever we nominate will make an active and continued effort to reach out to them-which is crucial, because we are doomed to lose if those voters are dissed at the convention;

3) It increases the chance that the false rift between "social justice" and "economic justice" advocates can be healed, as it must be healed if any real change is ever to occur and then be preserved in this country;

4) It makes it more likely that the convention will actually matter, and a convention in which there is real, but respectful debate is the most likely to send people out ready to work hard in the fall for victory;

[CrowCityDem]

1. A convention where the loser is insisting he should be given the nom would be a joke.

[Ken Burch]

2. Then negotiate with him and work something out.

Possible proposal:

A platform that's 50% HRC, 50% Bernie.

And an explicit recognition by the HRC campaign that activism for social and economic change is a crucial component of politics and life.

A pledge that, if elected she will sign anything the Sanders movement can get through Congress.

(I'd also suggest a statement in her acceptance speech that Bernie is and has always been just as committed to fighting institutional bigotry as she is).

Would you object to any of that?

[CrowCityDem]

3. I would, since the precedent set in 08 is that the loser gives their support without making demands.

[Ken Burch]

4. The loser ended up as SoS.

You really think that just happened?

It wouldn't hurt HRC to agree to any of the things I listed there.

And it wouldn't be demands if her campaign proposed those things.

You don't need to make a big show of sending the Sanders people away with nothing. Nobody out there in the electorate is wanting to see that.

[CrowCityDem]

6. You realize using a cabinet post as a bargaining chip is a crime, right?

Do you really want to go down that road of accusing Obama of being a criminal?

[Demsrule86]

8. The Sanders people

will accept nothing more than his nomination...and they can't have that so what is the point?

[libdem4life]

5. that we were aware of.

[Demsrule86]

7. No he lost ...no 50 50 so he can play his sore loser games and destroy the convention.

and needs to go away..he got platform people...that is that. He got the Obama hater West...so now he needs to go away.

[highprincipleswork]

10. I swear you folks are the worst "winners" ever. You will surely know how to snatch defeat out of the

jaws of victory, just as New Dems have been doing in Congress since Bill Clinton's second term. They have held the majority in both houses for only 4 years out of 22 since then

What an ugly, ungraciousness, unseeing, unfeeling, unincluding crowd.

[Demsrule86]

9. It does not help; it hurts our chances in the GE

I don't want a big exciting Bernie brawl at the convention...he needs to concede and endorse well before the convention or no convention goodies...no speech, no platform input ...nothing. I am not waiting around until...Bernie folks are 'healed' sorry that is not what a convention is for...time for it to end...it never did our party any good or Bernie ultimately. Many of us Hillary supporters liked both candidates at one time but not anymore.

[shawn703]

11. Just think of the ratings

A convention with fireworks is going to get a lot of attention for the party, even from the other side.