Why Democrats Don't Get Sanders' Endgame (and Why It Will Hurt Them in the End)

[eridani]

http://www.commondreams.org/views/2016/07/01/why-democrats-dont-get-sanders-endgame-and-why-it-will-hurt-them-end

Let’s examine Krugman’s quote, above. In his view, Sanders loses credibility and goodwill by not quitting. Quite a revealing take. Credibility, in Krugman’s world, isn’t about sticking to the values and ethics you’ve been espousing; it’s not about being true to the people who supported you because of those values. Rather, it is about playing by the Party rules. Once again, Party trumps people.

Rendell, looking through the Party lens, can think of nothing more important than having a prominent speaking role at the Convention, and he is perplexed that Sanders isn’t doing all he can to get one. Values? People first? Not even in the equation.

Then there’s the world according to Conrad. If you don’t “fall into line”, then you are not “a team player.” And of course, if you’re not a team player, then you must be “just focused on yourself.” Here, Conrad is looking through the doubly distorting lenses of the horserace and the Party simultaneously. No wonder he doesn’t get it.

What Sanders wants, of course is obvious: He’s less interested in joining the Democratic Party than he is in transforming it. And with good reason.