Unsolicited advice to the progressive movement and the Sanders campaign, in particular.

[TwilightZone]

"Bernie's movement" is a term often used by Sanders supporters.

Therein lies the problem. When the movement is centered around one person and that person fails to make progress, the movement has nowhere to go. Bernie's movement can't be the future of the Democratic party when it's clearly stagnating, if not in decline. His support this cycle was roughly half that of 2016, even after it became a two-person race.

The first solution to that problem is to decentralize it and find a group of people who can represent it appropriately. And stop calling it Bernie's movement. It's the progressive movement, if nothing else.

Secondly, consistent attacks on people who would otherwise be staunch allies, like Elizabeth Warren, need to stop. I would have never believed that it would be possible for "progressives" to alienate Elizabeth Warren, but Bernie's movement managed to do so, quite decisively it appears.

Third, disassociate with idiots like the dirtbag left and Cenk Uygur. Get a handle on the worst of the movement, including people like David Sirota and Briahna Joy Gray. They are doing nothing but undermining the cause. If you want a place to start, make a list of everyone on the campaign that pushed the "dementia" conspiracy theory and get rid of them.

Lastly, and probably as important as anything else (or more so), show up and vote. Don't boo, vote!

Otherwise, Bernie's movement is the future of nothing other than Bernie's movement. Democratic voters have pretty clearly rejected the idea that it's the present, much less the future.

[Turin_C3PO]

1. Great post!

I would add that if these Millennials and Generation Z voters want to be represented politically, they must show up to vote! I bet many who attend Bernie’s rallies don’t even bother to show up at the polls.

[TwilightZone]

2. Yes, that was the most obvious and I neglected it.

Adding....

[LaurenOlimina]

3. Lots of energetic people out there that you want in the party.

Thank god this kind of posturing is limited to pointless online debate like this. I promise you Biden will make an effort to secure Sanders support and reap the benefits of Bernie's supporters as volunteers and voters in a broader Democratic platform.

[TwilightZone]

8. "this kind of posturing"

If you want to keep losing, this kind of attitude is a good place to start. It's basically why Sanders is getting hammered. Introspection is not a strong suit, and it's always someone else's fault.

Today, it's the older voters who are too dumb to vote for Sanders. That's a great idea. Alienate the groups that would otherwise be allies and are the most reliable voters.

I find it hilarious that Sanders supporters are OK with Sanders alienating just about everyone else, including his staff pushing doctored videos, but think they should deserve some special kind of protection from criticism from everyone else. It's laughable, but not surprising. It's part of the problem.

Of course Biden will make an effort to secure the support of Sanders and his supporters. That has nothing to do with the viability of the progressive movement.

[DonaldsRump]

4. Excellent post

I don't profess to understand the moderate v progressive (alleged) differences. I think we are far more similar than we are different.

We do not need a cult of personality. I love Elizabeth Warren, and I think picking her would bring many of the BS supporters into our growing tent.

[PatSeg]

7. Most of the Democrats I know ARE progressive,

but they aren't supporting Bernie Sanders. He doesn't hold some kind of patent on progressive policies. With a Democrat in the White House and Democratic majorities in the house and senate, we will see progressive change.

[TwilightZone]

12. Yes, liberals, progressives, and moderate Democrats have much more in common than not.

They're also not mutually exclusive. "Moderate" Democrats like Biden, Klobuchar, and Buttigieg are also liberals. Some consider one or more of them to be progressives. They're just more moderate than Democrats like Elizabeth Warren. The only true moderates in the party are people like Joe Manchin, and we still have more in common with him than we do with the vast majority of conservatives.

To many, the terms liberal and progressive are relatively synonymous, though some will object vehemently to that characterization. Some see the difference as liberals being more in favor of equality and diversity, while progressives are more interested in changing the status quo (hence, progress).

Sometimes, the issues are the same, but the perceived causes are where the differences reside. This campaign, for example. Biden and others see the GOP as the common enemy, as well as sexism, racism, etc., being factors in inquality. Sanders sees the "establishment" as the main problem, including the GOP and a significant number of Democrats, as well as the media, rich people, and corporations. They're all factors, but how one sees them in relation to each other is often the difference.

[DanTex]

5. LOL. My advice would be: don't take the advice of people who are opposed to everything

Bernie stands for.

[TwilightZone]

9. Which is literally no one on the left.

[LanternWaste]

10. My question would be: who are these fictional people you speak of?

LOL, part II.

[Turin_C3PO]

11. Who are you talking about?

Twilight Zone has always struck me as a good progressive who makes worthwhile posts on this website.

[grantcart]

6. Well he could refer to Democrats in first person plural "we"

And stop referring to them in third person plural "they, them"

And become a Sanders (D) Vermont instead of a (I).

People talk about what Democrats need to do to attract Sanders supporters which is ironic since Sanders (I) did absolutely nothing to try and attract me,

[TwilightZone]

13. That's always been a bit of a paradox.

He's a member of the Democratic caucus, certainly, and often votes with Democrats. But other than when it's required for the situation (like running for president) he is quite vehemently an Independent.

Basically, he wants to be viewed as an outside (although he's a career politician) and the (I) accomplishes that without too much effort.