General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Richard Painter tweets about Bernie, Clinton, and Putin... [View all]al bupp
(2,175 posts)I think he chooses to remain officially independent because it suits his temperament, background and Vermont politics (where even the Republican governor has to hew pretty far to the left). I think the plain facts of his voting record and that he caucuses w/ Democrats (and is the current Ranking Budget Member) shows that the official affiliation is fairly irrelevant to his practical affiliation.
I think he ran in order to urge the party more towards the progressive end of the political spectrum. To the degree that a split happened, and I very it has been largely over-hyped, and to continue to insist upon on it simply adds to it.
I want to affirm here, that while I did vote for Bernie in the primary, I was an enthusiastic Hillary supporter in the general, and urged everyone I knew to do so as well (which the vast majority did, but at some cost, sadly, to a few relationships). From where I sit, the Bernie voters who were most reluctant to do so, had never been registered Democrats, but rather also unaffiliated, progressive (even radical) independents, not likely to vote for Hillary regardless of whether or not Bernie had ever challenged her for the nomination.
I suggest that the best way to move forward is support the most pragmatic and progressive Democratic candidates possible. I think the evidence is that the US has broad-based public support for progressive ideals, such as equal rights, woman's rights, LGBT rights, health care, policing & prison reform, to name just few.
These are my opinions, and I respect yours, as well. Perhaps we will have to agree to disagree, hopefully, and in the name of unity, amicably, on some things which are probably of much less importance then the huge task in front of us of electing, at all levels of government, as many principled Democrats (and, if appropriate, like here in Vermont, democratic independents) as possible this fall.