"The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." - MLK, Jr.

[Laelth]

Bear with me. I am processing.

WHY DOES THE ARC HAVE TO BE SO LONG?

Yesterday, things didn't turn out the way that those of us on the "left wing" of this party would have liked. In fact, for us, the results were disastrous. This primary season is over. Absent something truly extraordinary, Joe Biden will be the Democratic nominee. Roughly 40% of American Democrats spoke yesterday, and their message was clear as a bell: "We ain't votin' for no Soshulist!" I heard them. The primary is over, for all intents and purposes.

As you all know, it's regularly depressing to be a member of the "left wing" of the Democratic Party. This is one of those times, but I am not really "unhappy" about yesterday's results--shocked is more like it. It's not like Joe's some kind of "conservative Democrat." He's not. The party has moved so far to the left in the period of time that I have been watching it that Joe only looks like a conservative to us now. I am pleased by this change, even if I am disappointed that American Democrats are not quite ready for the whole chicken that the "left wing" is fighting for.

At this point, I am extremely curious to know whom Joe intends to choose as his VP candidate. His cabinet picks are also of extreme interest. Otherwise, we're unified in our mutual desire to remove Agent Orange from the White House. Yes, I voted for the future of the party when I voted for Bernie Sanders in the TX primary. Today, I stand with the present of the party. I am, if for no other reason than its symbolic value, changing my primary preference on DU to Joe Biden.

Those of us on the left will keep pulling the party our way. We will keep bending that arc toward the justice that the American people deserve and that only our party can deliver. You can't get rid of us. In fact, you need us, but today I ask only this:

Please be nice to us.



-Laelth

[Thekaspervote]

1. Great post! Thank you

It’s so hurtful when the candidate you fought for loses!

Tell me if I’m wrong, but everyone’s goal here was to remove trump...we can and we will

[Laelth]

11. You're not wrong.

I am just one of those people who thinks Daffy Duck could beat Donald Trump in November if Daffy ran as a Democrat, so, for me, this looked like a chance to get some serious and dramatic change in government. I was not worried about Trump winning. I'm still not.

That said, with the right Senate and the right cabinet, Joe Biden can be a serious, transformative, liberal President.

I am looking forward to it.



-Laelth

[NurseJackie]

2. Oh, FFS! Stop it. Nobody is doing that.

You can't get rid of us.

Oh, FFS! Stop it. Nobody is doing that. Nobody is trying to "get rid of" you (you all).

American Democrats spoke yesterday, and their message was clear as a bell: "We ain't votin' for no Soshulist!" I heard them. The primary is over,

It's not you. It's the Socialist. I think you (collectively, not you-you) hitched your (collectively) wagons to the wrong candidate, that's all.

I guess there's a lesson to be learned here, but I'm not the one to best spell it out for you (you all) I'm sure that will come in time after some thoughtful reflection about whether it's more prudent to gently bend the Democratic party or smear and destroy the party trying to force it to comply.

[emmaverybo]

3. You echo my feelings even if I can't express them as eloquently.

[Laelth]

4. LOL.

Or, get mad at us ... your choice.



Aren’t we entitled to a little grieving?



-Laelth

[NurseJackie]

6. Entitled. Interesting word.

Or, get mad at us ... your choice.

Nobody is mad at you. It's not about you.

Aren’t we entitled to a little grieving?

Entitled. Interesting word. I think that philosophy has been one of the Sanders campaign's biggest problems... a feeling of entitlement, that attitude that the Democratic party somehow OWES him something, while at the same time... smearing and denigrating those who don't readily comply just because it's rudely and aggressively demanded.

So, sure... go ahead: Grieve all you want. I suppose lashing out at others is part of the grieving process. But it won't win friends or influence people or make people more sympathetic to the next Socialist who comes around wanting to take advantage and interlope and try to "destroy" the Democratic party to force it to give-in to his (or her) demands.

[Laelth]

8. You're raining on my pity party.

Please, let me know when you're done.





-Laelth

[peggysue2]

7. Yes, you certainly are entitled to a period of grief

In the same way every voter with a strong preference has noted and experienced.

Once done, join us--you and others--to ensure that Joe Biden is elected in November, so we forever rid ourselves of the Squatter-in-Chief and his fascist enablers, reset the clock, shore up our institutions and the rule of law and renew our alliances with our democratic friends abroad. Then we can move forward on the urgent needs of the country, many of which we agree are critical: healthcare, climate change, gun regulation, economic equality, etc.

But first, we need to win as Democrats. Otherwise we're facing a genuine disaster. For everyone.

Welcome aboard the Biden train. Let's get this done!

and of course,

[Laelth]

14. Thank you.

But that’s my point. Whether you recognize it or not, I have been with you all along.



-Laelth

[DanTex]

5. Great post. Bernie's core support is about 30% of Dems. And another 30% agree with him

on issues, but didn't think he was electable. And, no, the left isn't going anywhere, it's only getting bigger.

When we look back and see what Bernie has accomplished since his first run, it's amazing. Nobody had ever heard of "Medicare for All", and now the majority of Dems are in favor of it. A $15 minimum wage was unthinkable, and this time every Democratic candidate supported it.

He inspired a generation, without Bernie there would be no AOC.

No, he won't be the president. The arc of justice is apparently a bit longer than that. But for the last years, nobody has been bending it more than Bernie.

[Laelth]

9. Just so. n/t

-Laelth

[Demsrule86]

10. What a wonderful posts...I can't argue with what you say. Welcome. We have to prepare the country by

planting progressive seeds even in purple and red states...we can do this. K&R

[Laelth]

13. THAT we will continue to do.

Thanks for the k&r.



-Laelth

[MerryBlooms]

12. .

Former Harris, then Warren, now Biden.

[Laelth]

15. I feel you.

Former Beto, then Pete, then Sanders for about 48 hours, now Biden.

It happens.

"I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat." - Will Rogers





-Laelth

[MerryBlooms]

16. Indeed!

[MH1]

17. I am very nice to anyone who is enthusiastic

in ridding us of the plague of Trump by voting for the Democratic nominee in November.

[Laelth]

20. Thank you. n/t

-Laelth

[NYMinute]

18. Your premise is wrong

On EVERY issue, all our candidates have (had) progressive positions. Bernie may have portrayed himself as having "new ideas" but all his ideas came from Democrats of the past from Ted Kennedy to Barack Obama. Bernie has painted himself in a "progressive" corner but he is not all that more progressive than Joe Biden.

The only difference is that Bernie wants to tear down everything and his hatred of billionaires (previously millionaires and billionaires until he himself became a millionaire) is malodoriferous to most Americans. His talk of seizing pharma companies, seizing banks, seizing utilities, seizing phone companies has been downright scary because countries with a market economy don't do that.

So, don't make it an us vs them proposition. Bernie's support has always been like Ron Paul's or Dennis Kucinich's before him - entirely personality and idol driven.

Lastly, no one is trying to get rid of you .. we're just welcoming you to a reality-based world where policies are enacted incrementally to achieve the most progressive result.

[Laelth]

19. I don't like the fact that Bernie isn't a team player.

That's one of the main reasons I voted for Hillary in 2016, but this year is different. I am of the opinion that Daffy Duck could beat Trump this year if Daffy ran as a Democrat, so in the primary I voted for the whole chicken, i.e. everything on Sanders' agenda.

Sanders lost. It's cool. I'm not getting the whole chicken this election cycle. I am not even getting a candidate who's willing to tell me that I deserve the whole chicken. I am coming to grips with it, but I am convinced that Joe can and will beat Donald Trump and that with the right cabinet, and the right Senate, Joe can be a truly transformative, liberal President. So I hope.

Go Joe!



-Laelth