Win or Lose, the Sanders Campaign Is Building a Movement in Florida

[eridani]

http://www.thenation.com/article/win-or-lose-the-sanders-campaign-is-building-a-movement-in-florida/

“Right now it’s all about Bernie,” she says. But Florida has another Democratic primary in August, and the voter lists and donor base the Floridians have assembled belong to them, not to the national campaign. Tim Canova is a law professor who worked with Florida unions against the Trans Pacific Partnership, eventually persuading most of the state’s Democratic congressional delegation to vote against fast track status. The lone exception: Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

Plenty of Sanders supporters grumble at the way Shultz (co-chair of Hillary Clinton’s 2008 campaign) often seems to have a thumb on the scales during this campaign. In January, Canova decided to do something about it, and is challenging Schultz for her seat. A quick look at Canova’s website, with its familiar blue and white color scheme, reveals his debt to Sanders—who in 2011 appointed Canova to serve on a committee with Robert Borosage, James Galbraith, Robert Reich, and Joseph Stiglitz advising him on reforming the Federal Reserve.

August will also see Patrick Murphy, a Republican construction company executive who switched parties to run against Allen West in 2012, facing a challenge from Alan Grayson for Marco Rubio’s former seat in the Senate. Murphy, who has endorsed Hillary and had Bill Clinton’s endorsement in 2012, is backed this time by President Obama as well as Joe Biden —and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Grayson, who was as member of Hillary Clinton’s Florida Leadership Council back in the fall, announced last month that he’s switching to Sanders in response to “overwhelming” support for the Vermonter in an online poll. Despite Obama’s opposition Grayson, a Nation contributor, currently has a wide lead over Murphy.

It will take a lot more than two seats to make a political revolution, of course. But these are exactly the kind of down-ballot challenges progressive Democrats need to mount if they want to stop being taken for granted—and for a ride—by corporate donors. And the Sanders campaign has given these challengers something more than donors or lists of progressive voters. It has given them inspiration.

So perhaps Bill Clinton was right to worry. Bernie Sanders may not win Florida on Tuesday. But in this state at least, his campaign will go marching on.

[djean111]

1. This - the problem here in Florida, and the DNC, in a nutshell:

Tim Canova is a law professor who worked with Florida unions against the Trans Pacific Partnership, eventually persuading most of the state’s Democratic congressional delegation to vote against fast track status. The lone exception: Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

[HereSince1628]

2. The DNC doesn't run a people's party, it runs a club for politicians

which is the same philosophy that ran the DLC that everyone learned to despise.

This fundamental feature of the DNC must be understood in order to appreciate why things are the way they are.

They want voters to back their elections, they want corporations to provide their campaign money, and in the balance of those two things they lean toward the money.

The reason for -that- is they need a parachute if voters don't back their election. At that point the contacts they've made will help them setup a comfortable existence outside of elected office. Consequently, it's important that during their tenure in elected office, they build strong networks by being practical and serving the needs of corporations.

If contemplating this make you think that the DNC backs self-interested persons using politics to raise themselves up, you have reached elementary understanding of the DNC.

[Stardust]

3. Well put! nt

[Kalidurga]

4. That is good news for Tim Canova

I hope to see him on the national stage soon.