Sanders Urges Supporters: Ditch Identity Politics And Embrace The Working Class

[DonViejo]

Source: Talking Points Memo

In a speech Sunday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) urged attendees to move away from “identity politics” and towards policies aimed at helping the working class.

Sanders spoke to a crowd of more than 1,000 mostly young people at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston, according to a report from WBUR.

"The working class of this country is being decimated — that's why Donald Trump won," Sanders said, according to the same report. "And what we need now are candidates who stand with those working people, who understand that real median family income has gone down." Sanders also urged the crowd to move the party away from what he called “identity politics.”

"It is not good enough for somebody to say, 'I'm a woman, vote for me.' That is not good enough," he said, according to the same report. "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 industries."

-snip-

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/sanders-boston-speech-identity-class-politics

[yallerdawg]

1. "It is not good enough for somebody to say, 'I'm a woman, vote for me...'

It was top-down all along.

[still_one]

3. B.S., and you know it

[yallerdawg]

6. I agree.

If Sanders did not say this, it is BS and I apologize.

If Sanders said this, it makes things perfectly clear. And you know it.

[still_one]

23. It's accurate, and other sources have reported it also, but I am glad sexism has nothing

to do with it

[frazzled]

4. No one did that

I find this call to "ditch identity politics" to be highly offensive, though not surprising. It's a dog whistle to abandon the Democratic Party's commitment to efforts to achieve equality for minorities, to gloss over the very real issues that face African Americans, Latinos, LGBTQ communities, Muslims, and yes, women.

Yes, let's pretend we're all white Christians, and that discrimination, inequalities in criminal justice, inequalities in jobs and pay, and even the right to openly practice one's identity are minor side issues.

Let's just talk about jailing the banksters, and forget about everything else. Let's not put the fight for justice front and center. Only someone who believes that reigning in Wall Street will be enough to fix every other issue that faces minorities--who after all, are the majority--would propose such a thing. Only someone who believes everything else can be solved with outmoded quasi-Marxist economic solutions. In other words, he's saying run campaigns the way I ran mine. I mind remind him, he lost--by some 3 million Democratic votes. Double the number that Donald Trump lost by in the popular vote.

Hillary Clinton never said "vote for me because I'm a woman." She actually downplayed that. It was the Sanders contingency who fed that myth to the public, and in equally dog-whistle mysoginistic ways.

I'm disgusted. This is not liberal. If progressive means writing off minority social issues, I don't want to be called progressive. If appealing to white male blue collar workers is the "identity politics" you wish to adopt, count me out. They have their issues, but so does everybody else.

[DURHAM D]

5. BS still pushing his trickle down economic plan to

"help the white guy first and ignore all those pesky side issues".

[ThirdEye]

10. Hardly

He might be taking the wrong approach, that you can argue, but Bernie just believes that the issue of today is economic justice, and that if you solve the issue for everyone many other issues either a) solve themselves or b) can be more easily solved.

Again, he might be wrong. But this crap about helping white guys first, and that other issues are pesky is either ignorant or dishonest.

[DURHAM D]

11. After all the months you still don't get it. nt

[ThirdEye]

17. "Months"

Yeah because that's how we measure things of this size.

I'd be among the first to ditch Bernie if he said that we need to push social issues to the far background or ignore them completely.

edit: missing a word

[uponit7771]

46. I don't see where the poster is wrong, that was a huge part of Sanders message is to ...

... sideline the social issues and talk about economic justice.

If he's saying something different maybe he should use different words

[frazzled]

19. Exactly what I said (and have long deemed) to be wrong about his approach

No, jailing the banksters and reinstating Glass-Steagle will not magically lead to solutions for the real issues facing immigrants, racial minorities, women, LGBTQ people, or any other of our social issues. It's a way of shunting these issues to the side. Only someone from a tiny white state who is still stuck in Marxist theory from an intro class in the 1970s clings to these notions.

[ThirdEye]

20. I tend to agree with you.

Not on Bernie specifically, but on your larger point about economic justice no solving social justice - or even helping a whole heck of a lot.

I see it in offices I work in or visit on business. People can have great jobs that feed their families, but they still leave room in their hearts and minds for discrimination and hate. Whether it's women, people of other sexual orientations, people from other cultures, etc. It's infuriating.

[Demsrule86]

39. I don't believe that and this is why I didn't support him.

[ThirdEye]

12. Hillary never said it

But TV media, online media, and political forums like DU certainly did.

For some, and they may be a vocal minority, the just the act of supporting Sanders was a sign of misogyny. It was comical if it wasn't so upsetting to see us fighting ourselves like that.

Personally, I see value in voting for a woman because she's a woman. There's a lot of good that could come from that, so personally you can count me into the crowd that was happy to vote for someone because she was a woman. That is, once the GE started.

[Skittles]

31. correct

and btw, WOMEN ARE OVER HALF THE POPULATION, BERNIE - we're not a minority OR an "identity" as he puts it

[Tarheel_Dem]

33. THIS

[Ken Burch]

51. Why can't we do BOTH? Fight social oppression AND economic injustice?

He's saying do both...it doesn't have to be one OR the other.

[uponit7771]

53. delete

Last edited Tue Nov 22, 2016, 02:49 AM - Edit history (1)

[Ken Burch]

58. Bernie didn't SAY "drop identity politics".

That was how the TPM reporter covering his speech falsely characterized Bernie's argument.

[uponit7771]

59. ur rght post edied

[Ken Burch]

60. Thank you.

n/t.

[frazzled]

62. No, not in this article

He reduced Hillary Clinton's entire campaign to a single, false meme: "vote for me, I'm a woman." No, didn't ever happen. She spoke extensively for more than a year about the pain that blue-collar workers have been facing over these past decades, and she put forth a giant slew of policy proposals to address the economic issues for the (former) middle and working classes—proposals that included but went far beyond the shibboleth of Wall Street.

It's clear that Sanders has always shunted aside issues of race and gender in favor of a simplistic, unitary economic answer, except when directly confronted to address such issues in debates or interviews.

What he said was horrible, and you need to really think about it and accept the criticism. Many here are still clinging to Bernie Sanders as some kind of god-hero. He's not; he's just a politician trying to push his long-time agenda, like all the rest.

[uponit7771]

52. 1

[still_one]

2. While the point he is making is a good one, to ignore the fact that trump won because

a good number of people, around 27%, ironically about the same number who thought President Obama wasn't an American, supported trump, and have issues with race, is a factor, and has nothing to do with jobs.

Labor voted against its own interests when Reagan was elected. Those Reagan Democrats came from the working class, and helped elect Reagan, which actually started the whole process of the "decimation" of the working class, by the slow destruction of the unions.

It also ignores another fact, that those who voted third party, or didn't vote at all, effectively voted for trump, though Hillary still won the popular vote, those votes were silenced because of those who voted third party or didn't vote

[ericson00]

7. ironic for a guy who pushed Cornel West and Jim Zogby

also, had he not pressured Hillary on the left, she wouldn't have had to lean so heavily on ID politics.

[ThirdEye]

14. Don't know anything about Jim

but I totally agree about Cornel.

[uponit7771]

55. I'll never forget about Cornel West... "drop identity politics" sounds like drop YOUR identity

[livetohike]

8. Said the person who was happy to run as a Democrat!

I've been a Democrat my whole life. He will not change that.

[leftofcool]

9. Yes, let's cater to those poor white people whose average income is 72K per year.

[ThirdEye]

16. He would say no such thing

Working class includes well become 72k a year, and above it. It also includes all genders, races, sexual orientations, etc. He's asking us to transcend the politics of labeling people and focus on stuff that affects our ability to move through life with security and some happiness.

[Blue Idaho]

13. As Democrats we need make sure our tent is big enough

For everyone. Pointing out this or that specific group is not really all that helpful. If you care about a rising tide that floats all boats - and increases the value of everyone's life there should be room for you in our tent. If our platform doesn't make everyone feel safer, stronger, and more secure - it needs fixing.

[hueymahl]

35. Agreed - this is a simple concept - yet it seem so controversial around here

Dems are (should be) big tent. We welcome all progressive, forward thinking groups. If you want to self identify as a group, we should welcome and celebrate that, and fight for any inequities that group may face.

But in the end, we are all Americans and all Democrats - that should be the focus.

[jalan48]

15. Glad to see Bernie keeping the focus on the working class. nt

[Sunlei]

18. I'm Happy Sanders is with us all the way!

[HassleCat]

21. Bernie making trouble again.

Acting like a New Deal Democrat. Sooooo last Tuesday, Bernie!

[Demsrule86]

40. He is not a Democrat.

[HassleCat]

43. He just acts like one.

Since so many have forgotten how.

[Demsrule86]

48. I don't think so when Kellyann Conway repeats Sanders remarks about identity politics

because she agrees with him...he is not acting like a Democrat...and Democrats win elections...third parties types and independents are the spoilers...like Nader in 2000. Trump will be way worse than W... Why won't Bernie join the Democratic Party if he is so interested?

[HassleCat]

49. Democrats win elections?

So we're the majority party.

[Demsrule86]

63. Except when the third parties get involved...or we have a divisive primary that leads to an

election loss... Allow me to remind you that Bernie was an independent but ran in the Democratic Primary as a Democrat...is still an independent. Presidential elections were won by either a Democrat or a Republican...third party candidates and independent candidates cost us elections but never win.

[HassleCat]

64. I'm glad it's not our fault.

That would make me sad.

[SunSeeker]

22. OFFS. Not helping, Bernie. NO ONE said "I'm a woman, vote for me."

That is right wing propaganda used against Hillary. Too bad Sanders is so fond of it.

[Tarheel_Dem]

34. Where do you think most of Trump's anti-Hillary talking points came from? He did us no favors. nt

[hueymahl]

36. Please

It's all Bernie's fault, that's the ticket.

[Tarheel_Dem]

44. "It's all Bernie's fault, that's the ticket."

Can you please point out where I said that? Thanks.

[Duppers]

24. Bernie is not a misogynist.

I'm female and cannot understand all the hate here.

[NWCorona]

71. Some people love to point fingers everywhere except where it counts.

[justhanginon]

26. As a male permit me to agree and may I say you put that succinctly and extremely well!

[hueymahl]

37. He didn't say that

But go ahead and make the claim anyway. Plenty of false news stories around already - might as well join the party.

[vdogg]

54. They quoted him exactly...

[SunSeeker]

45. 1

[otohara]

27. Says The Sometimes Democrat, Democratic Socialist

Independent who's best bud in the senate is Jim Inhofe climate denier.

Why be one when you can be all and use it for your own agenda.

Oh yeah and fuck you Bernard.

[jg10003]

29. Nothing wrong with being friends with someone who disagrees with you.

That is the type of civility that congress needs a lot more of.

[otohara]

32. He Just Scorns Those He Caucuses With

like he's been doing since 11/9 got it!

[Demsrule86]

41. WE should be 'friends' with the fascist Trump folks who want to register Muslims?

No thanks.

[jg10003]

28. It sounds like an early endorsement for Elizabeth Warren 2020

"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 industries."

[Arazi]

30. That's how I read it too

The Bernie hate is blinding folks

[NWCorona]

72. We knew it would happen. No surprises here.

[athena]

61. Elizabeth Warren will be 71 years old in 2020.

She would be the oldest president to be elected. She's only two years younger than Hillary -- even less. I'm sorry, but Elizabeth Warren is not running in 2020.

Bernie was not advocating for Elizabeth Warren. He was attacking Hillary. It's textbook sexism: "it's not that we're against women; we're just against this woman." Yeah, right.

[Starry Messenger]

38. The working class voted for Hillary

The suburban middle-class whites with above $72k incomes were Trump's biggest fan base. Do we need to peel off some working class white voters? No doubt? Does Bernie's strategy really bring unity to a multi-racial, multi-gender working class? No, not in my opinion.

[geek tragedy]

42. Clinton said "I'm a former Secretary of State who won two Senate elections"

Bernie heard "I'm a woman"

Oy.

[brooklynite]

47. Not going to get an objection from me...

...but in the same vein that assuming all blacks/women/ethnic minorities support the Democratic Party's policies, assuming all working class/non-College educated/urban voters support open borders, single payer healthcare and a $15 minimum wage is equally blind to political realities.

Let's be clear: I'm NOT objecting to progressive polices; just the assumption by some people that the working class automatically supports them.

[NWCorona]

74. Good points

[Ken Burch]

50. He isn't saying "ditch identity politics" He's saying combine that WITH what we're doing now.

It isn't "either/or".

[vdogg]

56. I was actually willing to give Bernie a chance after this election.

I even thought that maybe he should run the DNC, but after this, fuck him!

[uponit7771]

57. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!SANDERS DIDN'T SAY DITCH IDENTITY POLITICS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Its hard for me to forget Cornell West but its also hard for me to say he said ditch Identity politics too

From the rally

In other words, one of the struggles that you’re going to be seeing in the Democratic Party is whether we go beyond identity politics. I think it’s a step forward in America if you have an African-American CEO of some major corporation. But you know what, if that guy is going to be shipping jobs out of this country, and exploiting his workers, it doesn’t mean a whole hell of a lot whether he’s black or white or Latino.

If we're going to wrap corporatism in different packages we're not going to far...

[Paladin]

65. Why don't you embrace the Democratic Party by joining it, Bernie?

Instead of being a 3rd-party spoiler, assisting in the establishment of a Trump regime. Thanks for nothing.

[hollowdweller]

66. I think Bernie is saying we need to be more like Obama

Obama didn't make a big deal about being black he won.

He beat Romney by making the economic argument not by calling Romney a racist or trying to turn out black or minority voters by making them fear republicans. He made them turn out by actually DOING stuff to address discrimination in his first term.

[brooklynite]

67. As a Clinton supporter, I'll give Sanders a qualified "yes".

Focusing on issues seen as "identity-specific" is a risk; doesn't mean you can't support them, but don't make them the focal point of a compaign, to the minimization of broader economic goals.

THAT BEING SAID, the economic message has to be "mainstream". Voters are NOT looking for single-payer health care, or expanded Union rights.

[yardwork]

68. Hillary didn't say that.

[randome]

69. Does he understand that the working class today consists mainly of IT professionals?

Nuts-and-bolts jobs, while essential and in need of support and expansion, is not the only demographic on which to focus. This crazy idea that we only need to focus on the manufacturing sector is an exercise in futility, imo.

Those manufacturing jobs are important. But the vast majority of them that have been lost due to globalization are never coming back.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font][hr]

[hollowdweller]

70. Not around here.

Looking at my group of friends the majority are servers in restaurants. Two are nurses in nursing homes. One works helping lay gas lines. My brother works in a paper mill. 2 neighbors work non union construction. One of my neighbors is a truck driver driving parts to mining jobs. One is a copy-rite editor, 2 are physical therapists. One works at a place that produces wire. One got laid off from 20 years at a container manufacturing place, one works at Subaay. One is a bagger at a grocery store. One delivers pizzas. One is a health inspector for the county. I only have 2 friends working in IT. Both for gov't. Have one pal Doctor and one Lawyer. One a surveyor.

[Sunlei]

73. start by replacing Corporations, 2 million- 20 cents an hour prison workers /w 7.25 an hour people?

[Cosmocat]

75. Bernie is right on this

Democrats have done the right thing in advocating for the rights of ALL americans.

But, it has been increasingly problematic politically.

I thought Hillary was going to win based on polls, but I had countless posts in the last few months and for the last 10 years countering all of this "republicans are on their last breath" thinking.

The fact is over the last 30 years they have acrued more power at ALL levels of government than we have seen by any party in our lives - congress, governorships, state houses.

This is because they effectively broke away the tenuous partnership between labor and civil rights that was the foundation of the democratic party while RELENTLESSLY putting this country at odds over culture.

I don't have the answer, but this election was defined by Trump rallying the white vote and the democratic party reflexively defending muslims, mexicans, transgender indviduals, etc. Again, this was the RIGHT thing, but it was horrible POLITICALLY.