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In reply to the discussion: Bernie speaking on 1st day at Women's conference is a horrible idea & it's easy to show why... [View all]pnwmom
(108,959 posts)and that phrase is divisive and anathema to many activists.
Anyone who claims that feminists or people concerned with racial justice are practicing identity politics is on the wrong side of the issue, no matter how well intentioned in his own mind.
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/bernie-sanders-democrats-identity-politics-231710
Bernie Sanders said Monday that the path to success for Democrats has to be through more than just identity politics, adding that its simply not enough for the party to base its appeals on diversity.
Its not good enough for someone to say, Im a woman! Vote for me! No, thats not good enough. What we need is a woman who has the guts to stand up to Wall Street, to the insurance companies, to the drug companies, to the fossil fuel industry, the Vermont independent senator and former Democratic presidential candidate said in a not-so-subtle rebuke to Hillary Clinton.
SNIP
And one message I do have for Democrats is that a strategy thats just micro-targeting particular, discrete groups in a Democratic coalition sometimes will win you elections, but its not going to win you the broad mandate that you need, Obama told reporters during a joint news conference in Lima, Peru, on Sunday.