Bernie Sanders
Related: About this forumBernie’s valuable lesson:The Democratic Party does not represent the values of progressive Americans
by CONOR LYNCH
Over the past year, the insurgent political campaign of Senator Bernie Sanders has revealed quite a bit about the reasoning of partisan Democrats, and thus separated the progressives from the liberals. As a populist candidate who has refused support from Super PACs and big monied interests, Sanders has shined a light on the unpleasant reality that the Democratic party and its likely presidential nominee is almost as reliant on funding from billionaires and Wall Street as the detested Republican party is.
Now, when it comes to criticizing Republicans, progressives and establishment Democrats generally see eye to eye. The Republican party is shamelessly anti-democratic and under the thumb of special interests; there is no debate about that. However, the other major party in American politics, while less shameless, is certainly no paragon of virtue. This has become increasingly evident as the 2016 primaries have progressed and many Democrats are furious that the Sanders campaign has exposed this truth.
In recent weeks, the Sanders campaign has been increasingly vocal about the Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clintons many troubling positions and her ties to Wall Street and other industries. Sanders has criticized Clintons high-prices speeches for Goldman Sachs (for which she has flatly refused to release the transcripts), the $15 million raised from Wall Street by one of her Super PACs, and the fact that top donors throughout her career have been individuals working at banks like Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, and JP Morgan Chase.
...
This is yet another case of partisan Democrats forgoing principles in the name of party and politician. Sanders has done a great service in exposing some vexing truths about the modern Democratic party: Namely, that it doesnt always practice what it preaches, and that it is more conservative and reactionary than most conservative parties around the world (e.g. the UKs Conservative Party). Still, many Democrats will continue to wear partisan blinders and excuse their team because it is less repugnant than the other team. This is nothing new. Democrats who once strongly condemned the counterterrorism policies of the Bush administration became curiously silent after Obama expanded many of them, like the devastating and counterproductive drone program.
the rest
http://www.salon.com/2016/04/22/bernies_most_valuable_lesson_the_democratic_party_does_not_represent_the_values_of_progressive_americans/
silvershadow
(10,336 posts)Peace Patriot
(24,010 posts)It should say "many Democratic leaders and office holders are furious," cuz I'm a lifelong Democrat and I'm not furious, nor are most other ordinary Democrats, in my view, even ones with a reflexive attachment to Clinton. Most ordinary Democrats are aware that the economic and political systems are rigged against us, and the party leadership is unresponsive, and I think a lot of ordinary Democrats know why: our leaders need to do constant fundraising and thus favor rich donors.
"Partisan blinders" (on Obama drone strikes, for instance)? I don't think there's a lot partisan passion left in the Democratic Party. Its membership has dwindled. Many have fled into independent voter status (now 40% of the electorate have no party). Many have stopped participating and voting. It just ain't the "big tent" party it used to be. Its lessened ordinary membership has little or no say on policy or anything else. Policy is written by lobbyists.
Anyway, I think it's important to recognize the deep divide between leaders and members.
I think that is part of the reason the Democratic Party is dying outside of the city strongholds. Anyone looking at a voting map by district can see this.
The Democratic Party knows this, the Republican Party knows this, the Ruling Class knows this- and they've been astonishingly successful at making sure the Working Class never learns this.
The status quo was rolling along just fine, until Bernie Sanders came along and mucked it up with his crazy ideas about democracy, equality and justice." ~ Anonymous