June 15, 2016

Before DU enacts its censorship rules...

- Though it looks like the big, established money might win this round, a genuine campaign of the people almost toppled the biggest name in democratic politics from the inside the democratic party.

- Though the democratic party lost this opportunity to go clean and sober, we can hope it caught a glimpse of some of its older ideals, ideals that made it a great party. More than likely though, a part of it will have to calve off and join a more vibrant independent movement.

- Social justice issues are important and we've made significant progress on them during my lifetime. However, economic injustice and the ensuing imbalance of power has gotten much worse during that same time period, and I agree with Senator Sanders that it is our biggest problem.

June 10, 2016

An alternate history...

- What if the Democratic party leadership had recognized early on that Bernie Sanders had tapped into something significant and instead of trying to smear it on their candidate of choice, backed his campaign instead?

- What if the mainstream media had covered the Sanders campaign as the unprecedented phenomena it is?

- What if Hillary Clinton realized the historic prize of becoming the first woman president wasn't really worth bashing a genuine campaign of the people?

Impossible as this may seem, I think the party would be in much better shape than it is right now. This would have convinced a whole group of doubters that the democratic party is more than a puppet organization of the financial sector and actually has the guts to be a party of the people.

June 8, 2016

Bernie Sanders' speech was well executed...

... like it or not, he is the legitimate head of a progressive movement. I'm not sure the democratic party is worthy of the movement, but strategically, electing Hillary Clinton over Trump helps his movement. Fighting for the nomination continues to cement the movements goals and will help decide what should happen in the general election and beyond.

June 8, 2016

Staying in the race does not make Bernie Sanders a sore loser...

... this isn't a sporting event. Bernie Sanders should stay in until the convention because he believes in his agenda. He should take every opportunity he can to give that agenda high visibility, regardless of simple-minded perceptions of his motives. It's a pretty close race and he and his supporters deserve and should demand a hearing. If Hillary Clinton had an agenda that she strongly believed in, she also should have stayed in the race against Obama, but I don't think that was the case. Hillary Clinton wanted to be president and the agenda was the vehicle, not the end in itself.

June 2, 2016

Something that loyal democrats might not understand...

... Many Bernie Sanders supporters see a vote for Hillary Clinton as a vote for big money in politics. Basically a vote for the central "wrong'" in our system of government. Loyal Democrats see "Democrat" policies as superior to the republican counterparts, but Bernie Sanders supporters see the corrupting influence of money as the central "evil", and all other problems with our political system as derivatives of this one overshadowing problem.

I think this is the reason that many Bernie Sanders supporters will sit the election out if Hillary Clinton is the nominee. Agree or disagree with the basic premise as you will... the fact remains that there are many who see it this way.

May 21, 2016

Here's why I still think Bernie Sanders should be the nominee...

It's a tall order for him to become the nominee, but I still think he should be for following reasons:

1. We are coming off of two terms of a democrat. People want something different and unfortunately the bigger-than-life, reality-talk-show-starring, successful businessman would be that. Bernie Sanders can also fill that role.

2. I don't feel like the democratic primary voters have had enough fair exposure to Bernie Sanders message to call the primary representative of the people. Most of his exposure has been on New Media. That may be enough eventually, but not quite yet.

3. Most, if not all, Hillary Clinton voters would vote for Bernie Sanders, but I'm not sure the reverse is true. Sanders would probably bring in some new independents and even republicans.

4. Hillary Clinton, a household name with full backing from all traditional sources has struggled against a no-name, independent, democratic socialist mostly because he is being honest and unapologetic about fielding a platform that pretty much defines progressive goals.

I respect Hillary Clinton and would really like to see the US elect its first woman president, but Bernie Sanders is a unique candidate and this election may also be unique.