2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: I'm beginning to see the gap as unbridgeable. [View all]Nanjeanne
(4,960 posts)A lot about it. In 2008 I thought I'd hold my nose and vote for her if Obama didn't win.
Then in the interim years I pushed my distrust of her to the back of my mind and thought I would actually have no problem voting for her if Sanders didn't win. Then she got desperate and all the nasty lies she says and the divisiveness she encourages became apparent again. Even worse than 2008 because I really believe we have an opportunity to transform our political vision and get back to the roots of the Democratic Party.
My dilemma is I think if Hillary wins the nom and progressives like me fall into lockstep and help her win the GE, we will not see another opportunity for real change in a very very very long time. The corporatists will win, the lobbyists will win and the people will lose. And Third Way Dems will stay in control and the beltway pundits will push the center right story as gospel. Dems will continue to run as Republican lite and nothing changes except the middle class continues shrinking and the poor get poorer.
But if Rubio or Kasich win - or Trump - the country will be reeling. Dems will fight most everything, Congress approval will go further into the toilet and nothing much will get done. Some bad shit might pass and the country will reel from it. And a real strong progressive movement will grow from it. Younger less establishment politicians will know that Third Way Dems are not the answer and stand up again for real small "d" democratic values. Maybe we have to hit the wall to dare to break it. Maybe 4 years after a Republican president, a real progressive has a chance and there will be no opposition from the usual suspects to keep them down.
I know I want something different. If not for me -- then for the young who deserve a country that is standing up for them.