You know what's really lousy about the climate here on DU?

[Chichiri]

It's pushing us to the right.

I am in favor of tuition free, or at least reduced tuition, college. I am in favor of universal health care. I am certainly in favor of investing in infrastructure, youth jobs, and clean energy. And I'm in favor of making the rich pay for most of this (in fact I don't think Bernie's plan goes far enough in this regard).

But rather than point out that real change happens incrementally, that revolution is nigh impossible and that the cost of trying is too high, which they simply won't accept because reasons, I find myself looking for reasons to say that tuition free college is a bad idea, that investing in infrastructure costs too much, that we're just not ready for single payer healthcare. Not because I really believe these things, but because the Bernie supporters are so damn infuriating that I want to take them down a peg however I possibly can. And then I find myself kinda-sorta believing these things. I find myself farther to the right than when I began.

I'm sure I'm not alone here.

This is why the Bernie supporters either need to become way more civil than they are, or they need to go. This is also why we Hillary supporters need to examine our own behavior for incivility, to keep our retaliatory impulses in check, and to work toward unity by setting an example. Democratic Underground exists to support Democrats, and there are far more Democrats in our numbers than in theirs, per capita. But if we can't be civil in the face of their civility, then we should be the ones to go.

This starts with me. I've been very combative in GDP lately, and have probably pushed Bernie supporters reflexively farther away from unity. My reasoning is that they're never going to be interested in unity anyway. But what if that's not true? What if they will respond better to simple statements of facts combined with civility and respect for their positions? I'm not sure I know how to do it at this point, but would it harm me to try?

But more to the point: if we could adopt this model of behavior, would the majority of Bernie supporters reciprocate?

I do think that they should bear the lion's share of responsibility here, and I do blame them for this breakdown in relations. It's obvious that they're focused on Hillary while we're focused on policy (although there are notable exceptions on both sides). As a result, while we're pushing them farther away from Hillary, they're pushing us farther away from the left. It may not be what they intend, but it is the inevitable result of their actions.

So for the time being, "in the face of their civility" is a moot point, and we have no reason to go anywhere.

But suppose they did clean up their act. If there's a chance of that happening, then the best way to bring it about is to set a model for behavior for them to emulate. But I don't know if we can, and I don't know if they will.

Just so I'm not misunderstood, however, this doesn't free us from the responsibility of keeping ourselves civil. Let us set an example by respecting the Bernie supporters as people, by focusing on policy and qualifications, by keeping our tone moderated, and by refusing to engage if we don't think we can do that. Let us do these things even if Bernie supporters do not reciprocate. To be sure, we should call on them to do so, but their acting like jerks should not free us to act like jerks.

And let us remember that we are all progressives, and we all want pretty much the same things, even if Bernie supporters don't acknowledge this. Let's not let our anger and our reflex reactions push us to the right. We do that, the Republicans win.

Even if it doesn't improve the climate, even if the silliness on DU continues until Hillary clinches the nomination and the admins finally clamp down, we'll be better people, and better progressives, for it.

Just a few idle thoughts for Friday Afternoon. Hope it's worth something.