An Open Response to the Condescending Letter to Bernie Sanders Supporters on Huffington Post

[mother earth]

Published on Jul 9, 2015

Today, Huffington post posted a a blog letter to the Bernie Sanders Supporters from a Hillary Clinton mouthpiece. My response. You can find the letter I am responding to here. The author is having a hard time finding significant differences on Clinton and Bernie. I let him know of a few.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-d-rosenstein/an-open-letter-to-bernie_b_7761360.html?utm_hp_ref=politics&ir=Politics

[tymorial]

1. Republican troll/plant comment...

I have heard this argument many times but she forgot another that I'm starting to hear... people aren't supporting Clinton because they are misogynist. In this woman's case, they will say she is self hating, brainwashed and a gender traitor. I'm really tired of people demanding that others must conform to exact ideology in order for it to be permissible that they identify as liberal and/or progressive. .

[mother earth]

5. I disagree. She pretty much laid out the differences, and there are a few more. More and

more, women are declining a first, we simply don't want a token of democracy, a symbol. There's nothing misogynist about that.

Women fear for this country, as do men, under this oligarchy our country is fast becoming. A corporate candidate cares only about enriching big money interests and is beholding to their big money donors, I think we've had enough of that ilk ad nauseum. That's what got us into the mess we are in.

There is no woman worth her salt that will accept having a woman as president, whilst giving away all we've fought dearly for. There is no substitution for democracy, there is no substitution for representation that takes us out of this hell hole of corporate states of America.

If that translates to misogyny for you, or trolling, your definitions are terribly skewed imho, but to each their own. It is obvious what is permissible to some in keeping their identity as a "liberal" means selling out to and for the corporate interests, pretending everything is business as usual, sorry, I think that is called something else....living in a bubble, perhaps, or third way?

You know what I'm tired of? Women pretending they are liberal, pretending they are progressive, yet taking every stance that tells us otherwise.

[cantbeserious]

10. ^^^ THIS ^^^

eom

[tymorial]

15. You misunderstood my comment.

I have heard this argument many times but she forgot another that I'm starting to hear... people aren't supporting Clinton because they are misogynist. In this woman's case, they will say she is self hating, brainwashed and a gender traitor. I'm really tired of people demanding that others must conform to exact ideology in order for it to be permissible that they identify as liberal and/or progressive. .

I've heard this argument: that people who do not support Clinton are republican

She forgot another (argument) that I'm starting to hear: that people who do not support Clinton are misogynist.

In this woman's case etc etc: they will say she is a gender traitor

[mother earth]

23. Indeed I did, though my words stand for those who have that very stance, this is not misogyny, this

is a stance against oligarchy, and it is crucial at this time to take that stand. It supersedes all.

[tymorial]

32. I couldn't agree more.

[dreamnightwind]

22. From the OP I thought this was your own video

but here you are using the "she" pronoun so I guess not?

Either way, it's wonderful, thanks for posting a link to it.

We really do need to have this fight, in a huge way. The party has lost its soul and we either get it back by finding new leadership or it is no longer a legitimate representative of our interests, and more generally of any worthwhile world view.

In more normal, earlier times, I was sometimes persuaded by centrist arguments of pragmatism, lessor-of-two evils.

In our current situation of systemic decline and impending environmental disaster, that is unacceptable.

Hillary's campaign, and the disingenuousness of it, the shallow lip-service to our desperate pleas, its smug dismissals of the left which supposedly has nowhere else to go, its focus on marketing rather than conviction and leadership, its acceptance of corporate payola as its life blood and its corresponding acceptance of the global corporatist agenda as its own, if that's all we can get from this party, it is truly worthless. That agenda is quite literally, in the long term, killing this planet, and in the short term dooming many of its inhabitants to lives of poverty, insecurity, violence, incarceration, and soullessness.

I won't settle for that anymore. We owe it to ourselves, and to citizens in other countries who face U.S. militarism and the effects of our financial and extraction industries, and most of all to our children to fight for the change that is really needed. Hillary doesn't even begin to do this, she doesn't feel it inside herself, she is part of the problem not part of the solution.

[mother earth]

24. LOL, no, not my video, thought I do love it, I would've added a few more issues where they differ,

for instance, Bernie is the only one to make clear his stance on the IMF, which is unprecedented in itself. Hillary would never come out against the real poison in the well...the one we are dying from globally, in Greece and around the globe, predatory capitalism is class warfare, and as Warren Buffet tells us, they are winning.

[2banon]

39. What you describe is what I refer to as Identity Politics. It's not really about Ideology..

in the sense of Left vs Right or Left Progressive vs Neo-Liberalism (as examples of political ideology distinctions) .

Gender and Race is the common hook underpinning the use of Identity Politics (the actual spectrum is wider and broader of course which includes a myriad of variations to the theme such as religion, etc.) which to me is an extremely flawed criteria to base one's political allegiance, sans any genuine discerning of their political and philosophical point of view or their actual legislative record supporting (say in this case), women's issues of concern including decisions of war and peace.

It would be a kin to A.A.'s voting for Clarence Thomas for President based on his race. Dianne Feinstein, a woman in my mind betrayed women all over the world when she voted for Shock and Awe based on obviously specious claims of self defense vis a vis WMD. Yes, of course I'm pleased she defends women's right to choose. But our issues of concern goes far beyond that. She stops short and often is working against our economic needs.

Using Identity Politics in this campaign as a reason d'etre I find highly insulting and offensive. It also speaks to a certain level of stupidity of those engaged in it, imo.

On your point suggesting that we're seeing a lot of this, I agree completely. It sickens me, but not surprised.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

2. If there are no significant differences between the two, then why be a Hillary supporter?

Did the author of the letter simply flip a coin?

[rpannier]

12. I know people who don't see much difference

What it comes down to for them is, who will be better at actually governing
Most of them do choose HRC

[pnwmom]

13. Because she has a strong campaign structure already in place in 50 states,

and she's not going to try to run a race against the Rethugs with her financial hands tied behind her back. Limiting herself to Federal matching funds would be handing over the race to the Rethug, who will get a billion from the Koch's brothers alone.

[NCTraveler]

28. "If there are no significant differences between the two, then why be a Hillary supporter?"

One of my favorite parts of du is when posters ponder.

[rhett o rick]

33. I have been asking "why be a Hillary supporter" and have yet to get more than

pure rhetoric. Issue for issue Sen Sanders beats her IF in favor the 99%. On the other hand, Goldman-Sachs prefers HRC and that should tell you something.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

37. You know, the one place I can see Hillary solidly ahead of Bernie?

Issues traditionally called 'women's and children's issues'. So I'm actually not shocked that HRC got a teacher's union endorsement. I do think it was too early to really poll the membership and make an endorsement, but even if they'd waited another 6-8 months, I think she might have won that endorsement, and in a much more fair way, after Bernie was more than just a name to many of them.

[99Forever]

3. "You want a fight? You got one."

Guess Mr Rosenstein got served, eh?

[swilton]

4. K&R

It takes guts to put this out -

I'm with you - five thumbs up!

[FlatBaroque]

6. This line from his letter

"I have tried to look for areas in which you and she have real disagreements, and they are hard to find."

...has me scratching my head.

[mother earth]

7. Which is why the video...nt

[zeemike]

14. That is an attempt to make Hillary seem to be what Bernie is.

And as this lady points out, that does not jive with the facts that span over decades.

They believe we have short memories...really short.

[jeff47]

20. If you take campaign speeches as truth, then they seem much closer.

If you start asking questions about why these deeply held beliefs didn't inform her past efforts, well then you get called a Republican troll.

[mother earth]

25. Yes, exactly, and all the time. That's coming from fear, fear of the very real rise of rebellion

against this corrupt system, and with Bernie, we see the power to change and end this oligarchy...nothing else is more important.

I'll stand with Bernie Sanders as though my life depends upon it, because it does for all of us...TPP is around the corner & it is on fast track, the bastards are pushing even before the election...

[silenttigersong]

8. Thank you

Cannot sweep tht Irag vote under the carpet.

[Skittles]

18. plenty of DUers have

and it is sickening beyond belief

[Stardust]

9. K&R! I have a new hero! eom

[mother earth]

27. Great sig line, Stardust. Galbraith gets it, thankfully we still have these great minds to help

us put this all into perspective.

[Stardust]

31. Thank you. I remember Mother Theresa once saying that greed is the root of mankind's problems.

I've looked for that quote but haven't been able to find it. Galbraith's quote works for me, as well.

[SoapBox]

11. Bravo!

[jalan48]

16. Wall Street, seems there's a bit of a difference there.

[blackspade]

17. That was a shitty letter.

The letter was doing a victory lap before the victory.
Pathetic

[AlbertCat]

19. I think Mr Rosenstein was looking at the wrong party

So.... can anyone see any differences in the Repug clown car?



Meanwhile, even tho' I'm not following the race very closely right now, I can see some pretty big differences between Hillary and Bernie. Like... oh....Bernie has been an Independent for years...even though he is running as a Dem so he has a chance and won't take votes away form the Dems. That seems like a difference.

[PatrickforO]

21. Yeah how about that Trump?

Great fodder for comedians.

[mother earth]

29. Except, don't kid yourself, Trump actually has people who are stupid enough to think he's viable.

Believe it, it is insanity and comedy at the same time, but he has a following of haters.

[mother earth]

40. Oh it is far more of a difference than that, never underestimate, for if you do, it simply tells the

rest of us you don't really know the man, but you will, and so will everyone else. This is no longer about shifting for the sake of issues, this is about Bernie winning because he is right for we the people, in fact, he is the lone voice of we the people in this race.

[NCTraveler]

26. Playing on blogs.

It's fun. Should be recognized as such.

[mother earth]

30. Please do clarify. nt

[rhett o rick]

34. Never mind. Ad hominem comments seems to be the best they can muster. nm

[mother earth]

35. So fear based it is quite telling...

[rhett o rick]

36. Sen Sanders and HRC were on opposite ends of the spectrum with regard to invading Iraq. We shouldn'

even have to go farther. Sen Sanders was on the end of the spectrum with the 99% and the poor people of Iraq while H. Clinton was on the extreme opposite end with Bush and Cheney and the war profiteers.

I might be able to understand forgiving her that disastrous decision, but it astounds me that people would want her as our president. Her decision clearly showed her lack of integrity.

[bvar22]

38. Righteous!

DURec!

[mother earth]

41. She was that...