The Plight Of The Modern American Liberal (or Why We Want To 'Bern it up or Burn it Down')

[Fawke Em]

This is from a Twitter "friend" of mine. The DNC should be forced to read this:

The DNC either doesn't realize that the common refrain among the young liberals is "Bern it up or burn it down" or they don't believe it. They seem to be ignoring the possibility that will lose that many voters if Hillary is the nominee, as they still have all their eggs in Hillary's basket. But I have to tell you, they will most likely lose me. Here is why...

As an idealistic 20-something liberal, I am proud to say I have been voting Democrat my whole life. I have been interested in politics since I discovered the Daily Show at 12 years old. Yet, even with all the enthusiasm I had voting for Barack Obama in 2008, I have always longed for a real leftist to run for president. As a young Liberal you learn a lot about JFK and FDR in school and how bold and progressive their views of the world were. When you factor in how popular they were, it's hard to understand why the Democratic party has moved so far away from those ideals. As I got older I understood the need to appeal to the middle and I didn't really question it much, until now.

You see, the DNC has always paid lip-service to the most Liberal of voters. The Moderates have assured Liberals that eventually we will get the change we long for, we just need to be patient and compromise and try to achieve it in small doses. But now, the moment an actual liberal gains real momentum on the National stage and threatens the poster child of the Center-right, Leftist beliefs are disparaged, mocked, ridiculed as childish and labeled as impossible. It has been a wake up call to those who have believed the Democratic party shared our core beliefs!

Senator Sanders isn't running on any outlandish platforms. His policy proposals have all been successfully implemented all over the world and it is the core beliefs of liberal voters that we can achieve these things in America. Yet the moderate-wing, doesn't realize that by insulting Bernie Sanders they have insulted all Liberals. They have mocked the belief system for an entire Liberal-wing that has been so loyal in voting for a constant parade of Moderates that is down right insulting that they expect our vote for a shitty candidate in the General Election. How many times have I heard the phrase 'Party Unity' this cycle? I have lost count, but I do know it is always comes along the lines of 'Oh, Sander's supporters will vote for Hillary, because the stakes are just too high to risk it? Party Unity is important this cycle.' Really? Are you sure about that?

Every day I see more and more people online claiming they WILL. NEVER. VOTE. FOR. HILLARY. And it's easy to understand their reasoning.

http://saloftheearth.com/blogs/

[retrowire]

1. Is it unhealthy that I get angrier everyday regarding her campaign?

I am not relieved by Hillary. I am not enthused by it.

No account of "first woman president" can salve the pain from knowing she's not the right woman. Everyday she just gets worse and I just get angrier.

She'll have my vote if she wins the nomination, it's what Bernie would want. But I really don't want my first presidential vote to be for anyone other than the very candidate who inspired me to get involved for the first time in my life in the first place!

Hillary, you don't earn or deserve my vote if you get it. And if I have to hold my nose to vote for you then it'll be the last time I participate until another Bernie comes along.

[Fawke Em]

2. I don't think it's unhealthy as long as you channel it toward good.

I wish more Americans, particularly on the Democratic side, were MORE angry. Bernie would have this in a lock, if they were, but so many stifle their anger by pasting it within the confines of "first female president," "she's better known," "he can't win (which is crock, as we all know by now)" and so on.

[potone]

3. It may well be unhealthy, but you are not alone.

I am much older than you are, and I have dutifully voted for the Democratic nominee election after election, although it was seldom the candidate I wanted. But we have gotten to such a bad state in this country, and in the world, that we need radical change.

I am a professor at a state university and it saddens and angers me deeply that young persons such as yourself are entering their adult lives and careers in this deeply unjust society that we have built over the last 35 years since Reagan became president. Your generation deserves better–hell the entire country except for a small number of millionaires and billionaires deserves better.

I am deeply afraid of what will happen in Hillary is the nominee. We may well end up with a Trump presidency, and that would be a catastrophe. I have never seen a worse slate of Republican candidates than this lot. None of them should be anywhere near the White House.

I'm sorry if I sound like a Debbie Downer; I am feeling discouraged right now, but I won't give up hope, and you shouldn't either. But please do all that you can to encourage your generation to vote. This election may well hinge on the turnout of young people.

[Dems to Win]

6. I'm right there with you

I'm angry not just at Hillary and her campaign, and the attempt by Democratic elders to kill all hopes and dreams of young activists, but also at the Democratic leadership who unanimously put forth Hillary as the best our party could offer.

They couldn't find anyone who had voted against the biggest catastrophe of our time, the Iraq War. They couldn't find anyone who had refrained from using their public service to enrich their personal pocketbooks, to the tune of $200million for Bill and Hillary together. They couldn't find anyone who supports the Fight for $15/hour minimum wage.

They couldn't find anyone with the political smarts to refrain from giving speeches to Goldman Sachs when when she knew she was going to ask the Occupy Wall Streeters for their votes to become President of the US!!!

They couldn't find a woman to run for president who doesn't come with a husband known to the entire world as the Sexual Harasser in Chief, and if she wins, he'll become the 'First Gentleman' (gag). In a Trump-Clinton race, the clear feminist choice is Jill Stein. How did that happen?

I will fight to the end for Bernie Sanders. Made a contribution last night. The alternative is too dire, too infuriating.

[nashville_brook]

4. Dems lost FL's 2014 gov race largely b/c voters refused to cast that vote

there were huge numbers of ballots that didn't have vote cast for the Gov race when former Republican Charlie Crist — the barely Dem Democrat — was run against Rick Scott. the analysis was that voters couldn't *differentiate* between the two. Republican or Republican-lite. FL Dems have lost 18 out of 20-some consecutive races with this losing strategy: run a repub-lite against a repub. it doesn't work. we keep losing. they keep doing it.

2016 --> voter turnout is down 31% in SC, down 33% in NV, down 28% in Iowa and down 13% in NH. Meanwhile, Republican turnout is soaring. enthusiasm gap, much?

you can tell that in the state where Bernie did the best, the turnout was much improved. if no one had shown up to challenge HRC, imagine how dismal turnout would be, and make no mistake, you have to get primary voters out in order to get general voters out.

SO, when i see young folks with this sentiment, i do not doubt for moment that they're sincere. it's why i'm for Bernie in the first place, I believe HRC can't win a general b/c she can't get this critical vote. believe them when they say they won't turn-out.

[Fawke Em]

5. Oh, I believe them.

And I believe Independents won't turn out, either.

HRC as the nominee would depress Democratic turnout while invigorating Republican voters and that will lead to a disaster.

[in_cog_ni_to]

7. Party unity my ass. We can have "party unity" when Bernie's the nominee and not until.

The Democratic party is so corrupt. The ONLY way I remain a Democrat is if Bernie is the nominee and throws out all the garbage and clears out all the dirty laundry. AND, this is important....I WANT ALL THE CORRUPT POLITICIANS EXPOSED and I want to see perp walks.

Nixon got away with his Watergate crimes - no jail to "heal the country."
Reagan got away with his Iran/Contra arms deals crimes - to "heal the country."
Bush and His puppeteer got away with their WAR CRIMES because Obama wanted to "play nice and move forward - compromise."

Unless and until the Wall St. THIEVES, TPTB and every Corrupt member of Congress pay for their crimes...in REAL PRISONS, they will never stop taking bribes for legislation and favors. And WALL ST. Will never stop bundling sub prime mortgages which will collapse our economy and TPTB will never stop taking millions/billions for their charities in return for military weapons!

PRISON FOR ALL OF THEM.

Bernie is the ONLY politician who will expose their dirty deals and filth.

PEACE
LOVE
BERNIE