Progressives, now is the time to unite behind Bernie Sanders.

[DanTex]

Inequality has been soaring for decades. Worker pay has barely risen since 1980, even though productivity and GDP have increased greatly. Union rights have been steadily been chipped away. And the climate is reaching a point of no return. And yet, right now, we have a historic opportunity to elect the most progressive president in decades, and begin to reverse all that. The best opportunity in my lifetime.

With ST tomorrow, we're getting to the delegate-heavy states where the Democratic nominee will be determined. And it is becoming clear that it will come down to Bernie versus Biden. Which, for practical purposes, means that a vote for anyone but Bernie is effectively a vote for Biden.

Biden is a fine person, a million times better than Trump, but the unfortunate truth is that he is a slightly weaker version of Hillary Clinton, who I supported enthusiastically in 2016. And trying the same thing and expecting different results, we cannot risk another four years of Trump. Biden's weaknesses have been apparent on the campaign trail and in the debates. And this is with the media largely behind him, he hasn't taken much incoming, it is difficult to imagine him holding up in the face of the full Trump onslaught.

At the same time, Bernie has held up and risen with every attack against him. He's been called communist and his campaign compared to the Nazi invasion of France. And on policy, particularly on climate, we don't have time for incrementalism. Returning to the pre-Trump status quo won't cut it. This isn't about unicorns, it's about science. The planet doesn't care what centrist pundits say, it's a matter of the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Bernie Sanders is not only the best candidate to defeat Trump, he's also the only one with an agenda bold enough to curb the climate disaster, to guarantee healthcare to all Americans, and to reverse the decades-long economic losses that the working class has ceded to the corporate elite.

Yes, I understand that Bernie isn't popular in certain circles, including DU. And I'm about to get attacked from all angles for this post. But spreading Bernie's message is especially important in places like this. Talk to your friends and neighbors, not just the ones who support Bernie, but the ones who don't. The vast majority of Democrats support Bernie's policy agenda, top to bottom. The main hesitation is that, after decades of watching the nation slip to the right and the wealthy taking more and more of the economic gains, people stop believing that a progressive transformation of society is possible.

Well, it is possible. It can happen, if we vote for it. Right now. In the end, it's not the pundits, or the corporations, it's the voters who decide. This is the best opportunity we've had in my lifetime for real progressive change. And it starts tomorrow. Remember FDR's words: we have nothing to fear but fear itself. Bernie has shown tremendous courage fighting against the odds to get us to this point. Now it's up to us. Let's do it!

[samnsara]

1. sorry...

[jimfields33]

4. Biden had 8 years to do all things mentioned

What happened?

[ehrnst]

10. You don't seem to have a very clear understanding of what a VP does, do you?

And I would think that 35+ years as a career politician on the Hill would have at least yielded Sanders one bill like the Brady Law, or at least as something as consequential as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Or the support of their colleagues for the job of POTUS.

[Vivienne235729]

73. +1000

[pamdb]

14. What happened

A Republican House and Senate after 2010 happened.

[Amishman]

21. And not enough seats in the Senate to overcome filibuster before that

A lot of people in here forget we can only be as progressive as the 218th Rep or 50th / 60th senator allows.

[JudyM]

75. But Biden says he can work effectively across the aisle. And we lost a lot of ground.

[beastie boy]

22. Banking reform happened, Obamacare happened, low unemployment happened,

reducing the deficit in half happened, economic recovery happened.

The most progressive administration in half a century happened.

...You are not impressed, are you? I am.

[Skidmore]

93. K&R this. nt

[Docreed2003]

23. Bernie has had an entire career as a Congressman and Senator to lead on this

What happened??

[katmondoo]

29. Where has he been for 30 years?

[ehrnst]

52. Representing a small, overwhelmingly white population, where POC didn't really have

much of a voice, and there was very little in the way of civil rights activism...

[LenaW]

32. Biden was busy.

Last edited Mon Mar 2, 2020, 11:39 AM - Edit history (1)

You act like he wasn't doing anything in all that time.

He was busy voting for the Iraq War.
and DOMA.
And NAFTA.
and the Patriot Act.
and the 1994 Crime Bill.
and opposing cannabis legislation.
and opposing single payer health care.
and working for the US Drug War
and working for the banks
and opposing fracking bans.

[jimfields33]

33. That's true. He was a busy little beaver.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

37. We The People know Bernie has our back... now We have HIS!!

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join The Revolution!!

[MontanaMama]

78. Does "we the people" include

the Bernie supporters that were slinging homophobic slurs at Mayor Pete when he gave his speech? I’m curious.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

36. It's BERNIE's time now!!

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join The Revolution!!

[NurseJackie]

53. It's HIS TURN, eh?

[Meadowoak]

80. We will know after tomorrow.

[ehrnst]

62. If he earns it. It's looking doubtful, tho.

[blm]

59. Bernie had 30yrs to perform and he chose to just talk

about the problems while people like Elizabeth Warren did the heavy lifting and actually built something this nation needed to address the exploitation of working families by financial industry.

It’s a pretty sad reward system some have when they stand with words instead of competence and action.

[awesomerwb1]

65. I missed the part where Biden was president

More Bernie Sanders alternative facts? Unreal.

[ehrnst]

97. I know, right?

[betsuni]

2. LOL

[ehrnst]

7. Amazing what some lengths some people are willing to go for attention.

[ehrnst]

3. Why bother? Do you think that it will make any difference to Sanders if enough people

aren't behind him to earn the nomination to change whatever he's already planned to do?

[wyldwolf]

5. "Progressives"

"Progressive" (noun) see also progressive fundamentalism or Puritopian.

A self-described liberal or progressive whose political orientation is to be angry, dissatisfied and unhappy with the state of the nation, because in their view, liberal policies are not being implemented quickly or forcefully enough. They have particular contempt for Democratic presidents.

They are ideological purists who disdain compromise and incremental change, which they see as "selling out" liberal ideas like full employment, an end to war, and liberal social policy. Their views can often sound like utopian fantasy where opposing views never exist.

"Progressives" dislike Republicans but reserve their greatest disdain for Democrats, whom they relentlessly attack for not meeting a set of ideological goal posts that are constantly adjusted to ensure that the president will be deemed a disappointment, "not progressive enough" or "just like a Republican" no matter what policy achievements are made.

"Progressives" routinely dismiss or ignore congress' role in making or impeding policy, believing presidents can simply "use the bully pulpit" in order to overcome constitutional or legislative obstacles.

"Progressives" have an affinity for 3rd party politics as a way to punish Democrats. They are especially hostile to Presidents Obama and Clinton, and deem anyone who expresses a lack of ill will toward them to be enemies of liberalism.

Example: "Progressives" dismissed Obamacare as a failure, saying President Obama should have used the bully pulpit to achieve a single payer system, despite the fact that Sen. Harry Reid made it clear that such a plan could not pass the Senate.


What meaningful change has a "progressive" like Bernie Sanders brought about? Answer: ZIP.

I'm progressive (adjective), not a "progressive" (noun.)

[NurseJackie]

8. Progressives who aren't willing to find common ground and compromise MAKE NO PROGRESS.

So, in reality, those who refuse to compromise and seek common purpose and mutual benefit with others end up going NOWHERE... which actually PRESERVES THE STATUS QUO.

Go figure.

[ehrnst]

11. A 'progressive career politician' without any progressive legislative accomplishments

is just a career politician...

[NurseJackie]

6. Yawn...

[Botany]

9. No

Both Russia and team Trump have been working to make Bernie the nominee because
he will all but a sure Trump another term in the White House.

Bernie knew about Russia helping his campaign and never said word one about it until
the news of the Russian efforts came out.

[IluvPitties]

12. Thanks, but no thanks.

[TheCowsCameHome]

13. And hand four more years to Donald Trump?

No. Thanks.

[peoli]

71. Sanders beats Trump in National polls

[TheCowsCameHome]

84. How about in the voting booth?

That's where the rubber meets the road.

[peoli]

87. Same

[HockeyMom]

15. Sorry, not this time

My daughters and their spouses (Gen X and Millennials) aren't again either.

[ehrnst]

16. Are the responses what you hoped for, DanTex?

Well, you did get attention, so there's that.

[padah513]

30. I'm still waiting for him Sanders to explain

Why he didn't show up in Selma. It can't be because he had a previous engagement. He knew the date and the date hasn't changed in 55 years.

[kcr]

45. Don't hold your breath. He knows his supporters and surrogates will spin it for him.

I wasn't the least bit surprised he made a decision not to hurt his support with the Joe Rogan/ChapoShithouse crowd. It's exactly why he didn't go and it's why I don't support him.

[ehrnst]

47. to be fair, last time he went....

It appears he felt out of place.

[ehrnst]

56. Give someone a few minutes, and they'll come up with an OP

on why it's ridiculous and a SMEAR to comment on someone who considers himself to be a civil rights icon not attending this milestone civil rights commemoration....because he Marched with MLK!!! Which other Democratic candidates can say that, huh? So it's hypocritical to even mention Sanders not being in Selma if your candidate didn't attend the 1963 march.

[AkFemDem]

17. Nah I'm good.

[LanternWaste]

18. Chocolate rations will increase by twenty grams this week.

[ehrnst]

20. Bwaaaahhhhaaaa!!!

[Happy Hoosier]

19. Nope.

I favor a lot of Bernie's goal. But his "and then a miracle happens" approach to implementation is snake oil. And his past is full of crap that will be paraded in front of us 24/7 on TV. He will lose and lose big. I can't accept that.

I SO wish my pick (Liz) would have won. She was better than Bernie in every possible way, IMO.

[oldsoftie]

24. I prefer to see Trump shuffling out of office in Jan '21.

[honest.abe]

25. I consider myself a progressive but I have no interest in Bernie's approach to progress.

Sorry.

[brutus smith]

26. Wasn't Joe supposed to be the repub whisperer?

[ehrnst]

49. Hmmm....

Sanders: I'm 'prepared to work with' Trump

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said Wednesday he is willing to collaborate with President-elect Donald Trump going forward but warned he would "strongly oppose" the Republican should he continue to pursue his most extreme policy proposals.

Acknowledging Trump's success in taping into economic resentment in his astounding electoral win Wednesday morning, Sanders cast Trump's candidacy in a light similar to his own failed presidential run during the Democratic primaries.

“Donald Trump tapped into the anger of a declining middle class that is sick and tired of establishment economics, establishment politics and the establishment media," the senator said in a statement released Wednesday.

Trump And Sanders Try To Show New Hampshire They Can Reach Across The Aisle

In a presidential election season that’s seen plenty of partisan fights, Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Bernie Sanders were among the candidates in Manchester, New Hampshire, Monday who were promising to reach across the political aisle if elected.

As WBUR's Fred Bever reported both men were out to demonstrate that they are practitioners of the art of compromise.

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/9/14/sanders-reaches-across-aisle-at-liberty-university.html



https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/19/us/politics/bernie-sanders-2020.html

While often viewed as a pesky left-wing gadfly, he is also known to reach across the aisle, working on legislation with Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa and Senator John McCain of Arizona, both Republicans. He has rationalized voting for the 1994 crime bill, now heavily criticized for some of its draconian provisions, by saying he had favored progressive parts of the bill, including the Violence Against Women Act, while strongly opposing measures that would lead to mass incarceration.

Bernie Sanders’ Republican Buddy Reaches Across the Aisle To Endorse Clinton

Sanders’ longtime friend Tony Pomerleau, a prominent Republican businessman and developer in Sanders’ hometown of Burlington, Vermont, offered his support for Clinton this week, framing his endorsement in a historical context.

Said Pomerleau:

“I am a loyal Republican born in 1917 and the first time a woman could vote was in 1919,” the letter reads. “I will be most happy to cast my vote to the first woman president of the United States of America. I am a loyal friend of Bernie Sanders and in Vermont they call us the ‘Odd Couple.’”

[brutus smith]

60. ?????????

[ehrnst]

96. Stung, did it?

[trocar]

27. Nope

[brutus smith]

28. +1000

[rzemanfl]

31. NTSA. n/t

[4139]

34. Go big....Go with the Gusto! I switched from undecided to Bernie this morning, va primary tomorrow

[lostnfound]

35. Hopefully the Warren supporters have already early voted

Infuriating to me how much of a hurry the media and netizens are ready to paint this a two person race.

One single state ago, Biden’s campaign was in trouble. Now the false choice is Bernie Vs Biden. No chance for a three way race.

Go Elizabeth.

[Farmer-Rick]

38. Well said....and as predicted disparaging comments of both Bernie and his supporters

Were swarming all over your post.

But you said it well, without insults or whining.

Keep up the good work.

One of the reasons I post pro Bernie is that DU is just swarming with Bernie haters. When they swarm like they did here, it just makes me wonder why they protest too much? Me thinks they are backed by big money to be so efficiently negative all the time.

Like when Trump tried so hard to nuke Biden, it made me want to support Biden. I think their constant negativity backfires a lot.

But now it is Bernie haters all the time...there is just no end to it. So, I think big money is very afraid.

You are brave to speak up and support a very liberal candidate on a site that is so filled with anomisty towards him.

[kwenu]

39. Bernie-Progressives (Democratic Socialists) are already united behind Bernie.

It's the split vote of the center-left that needs to resolve itself.

[dgauss]

40. Well put, thanks for posting.

[AGeddy]

41. Desperation post

[MrsCoffee]

48. Wait til tomorrow night and Wednesday.

We've seen this shit show before.

[ehrnst]

61. That double digit loss in SC is really spiking the anxiety among the

crowd that cannot tolerate any doubt in the aura of inevitability of their candidate.

[splunge63]

42. lol

[highplainsdem]

43. Sanders has almost zero chance of defeating Trump once the GOP really goes after him, as opposed to

trying to encourage his followers' paranoia that Democrats are rigging everything against him.

He's the ONLY candidate running that the GOP will have absolutely no trouble shackling with the "socialist" or even "communist" label, thanks to his own past statements and actions.

He's the ONLY candidate running who can credibly be accused of failing to support his family when he had a young child.

He's the ONLY candidate running who was a presidential elector for a socialist party when their presidential candidate was known for having advocated American soldiers turning their guns on their officers. A party that sided with Iran during the Iran hostage crisis.

He's the candidate who's been most critical of the Democratic Party, and whose own words can be too easily used to disparage the party. He seems to revel in viewing himself as a threat to the party.

He's the candidate whose more problematic supporters are infamous enough to be the subject of MSM storiees and an SNL cold open.

And he's the candidate who despite have suffered a recent heart attack, and having promised to release full medical records, has reneged on that promise, raising even more concerns about just how bad his health is and what disqualifying medical conditions he's hiding.

He's a potential disaster for the Democratic Party, just waiting to happen if we nominate him.

[NurseJackie]

57. Yep... in real life the GOP wouldn't be reigned by DU's TOS.

[peoli]

68. Sanders is the only candidate that beats Trump in National polls

[highplainsdem]

70. Polls that are completely irrelevant because the GOP hasn't been attacking Sanders. They've been

going after Biden, who still beats Trump in most polls despite a year of nonstop attacks.

[peoli]

72. Oh they don't count? Ooooookkkkkkk

[kcr]

44. No thanks

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

51. When you vote for a candidate you are also voting for other people.

A Biden administration will likely include Harris, Buttigieg, Warren and Klobuchar.

A Bernie administration will likely include Nina Turner, David Sirota and Tulsi Gabbard.

QED.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

54. No, thanks. I prefer actual progress rather than labels.

[peoli]

69. Oh yeah Joe Biden is progress hahahaha

[Hermit-The-Prog]

79. You seem to be confused.

My preferred candidate is Elizabeth Warren. My second choice is Joe Biden. A close 3rd is Amy Klobuchar. BS is just above Tulsi Gabbard in my list.

A Biden supporter with a history of factual commentary gave a nice summary that you may want to review:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1287&pid=609600

[peoli]

89. I don't see Joe as progress

Warren is my 2nd preferred

Thanks for the link.

[stonecutter357]

55. this Progressives is voting for Joe .

[blm]

58. Why settle for messages filled with words when I admire competence and ACTION?

That may work for less-informed voters, but not for informed progressives who pay attention to competence and action and RESULTS!

[TwilightZone]

66. And results.

[NoMoreRepugs]

63. In 2020 I think the term "Progressive" means someone who can defeat tRUMP and begin to

make progressive (incremental) improvements to reverse the damage done by the Orange Menace. Just my 2cents.

[AGeddy]

64. This is how the Bernie people are trying to get progressives to unite:

Link to tweet

[Movbez4]

67. No

Uniting behind Sanders is a sure fire way to not only lose the Presidency, but the house as well. Sanders is a career politician, that has very little to show for his nearly four decades in Congress, which Trump will pound in advertisements calling him a dweller of the swamp. Sanders health issues will be played up by Trump, especially since Sanders has refused to release his medical records after saying he would, which is a clear red flag that something is wrong. Sanders love of Socialism will be pounded through a barrage of advertisement, in order to scare the voters, right or wrong, most voters have a negative view of Socialism. You can just see the ads now, telling the voters that Sanders wants the USA to be the next Venezuela. Sanders has been spared the attacks by Trump and his minions, because he is their preferred choice to run against. Nominating Sanders IMO would take Ohio, PA, and likely Mich out of play for the DEMS, and would erase any gains they have made in Georgia, Texas and Arizona.

[Celerity]

74. never, ever, other than unite to stop the Sanders divisive, POTUS-losing, House-losing campaign

[Jakes Progress]

76. We united behind McGovern and Kerry and Gore.

See a pattern?

Bernie people hate "moderates" like Bill Clinton and Barack Obama - you know - the ones who win presidential elections.

(No shade on George, John, and Al. Loved 'em. Campaigned for 'em. Donated to 'em. Voted for 'em. Good men all.)

[DanTex]

77. Kerry, Gore, and HRC were the "safe" choices. Obama was the "risky" one.

The pattern is clear.

[JudyM]

81. The risky one who inspired people with hope and change, same emotion that many feel

about Sanders.

[Meadowoak]

82. +1

[Jakes Progress]

98. It has nothing to do with "risk".

It has to do with understanding where the country is. Were Bernie able to work with other people and draw people to him, it might be different. His "my way or die" pattern is a sure path to failure. He alienates half of the party he wants to lead. A little sacrifice on his part would be a good thing. If you think that any compromise if failure, you are guaranteed failure.

[Kerrycrat]

83. Not after posts like this

https://mobile.twitter.com/HoarseWisperer/status/1234524403297374208

You will not get my bump

[DanTex]

86. I don't see how a post by a corporate marketing guy going by "Hoarse Whisperer" changes anything.

[Kerrycrat]

91. It's not what he said

It’s what he saved and shared from a DSA group that was doing a grotesque little dance of glee at the news of Pete’s departure.

[LanternWaste]

85. "Democrats, now is the time to unite behind a Democrat"

So innocuous sounding, eh?

Let's do it!
(craft yet another banal bumper sticker that is... )

[peoli]

90. Sounds good! See you on Tuesday!

[dumptrump1]

88. kicked and recced

Thanks for the post, dantex!!

[Owl]

92. No thanks.

[Doremus]

94. Thanks for the thread, DanTex.

I talk about Bernie with friends, family and people I meet. When we stick with the issues we find quite a lot of common ground. Unfortunately if the sport team mentality takes over, communication devolves into argument for the sake of it. That's most of what's here on DU.

Just wanted to tell you I and others appreciate your posts. While we know we're not stupid, treasonous, Communists, secretly plotting to end Democracy or any of the other epithets tossed our way on DU, it's nice to see affirmation of it once in a while.

[LizBeth]

95. This progressive is getting behind Biden. I am all for Warren and most progressive Harris

but as a progressive I am not willing to get behind Sanders and will settle giving my support to the least progressive, Biden.