Counterpunch's Sanders statement which is difficult to rebut. An invitation to do so

Bernie Sanders has been preoccupied with convincing his followers that the Democratic Party platform is relevant, by performing his new role in the Kabuki theatre of the corporate Democrats. He is too busy acting out a supposedly important public debate over the irrelevant platform to get involved in this real and personal “servergate” example of impunity for plutocrats. Instead of leading his followers in calling for fair application of the law to his FBI-certified “extremely careless” rival, he was planning to endorse her for the Democratic Party nomination that was stolen from him, without effectively demanding party rules that would prevent current and future such election theft, and/or any other valuable bargaining chip in return

The above quotation came form a lengthy Counterpunch essay. Although there are a great number of legal citations, that essay is replete with excellent political analysis.

The point of the Counterpunch essay occurs very deep in the text, written by a skilled litigator. I confess that I have made comments, not only at variance with those above but also with my own written at various times. In fact this website is strewn with theories, condemnations, regrets, etc. written by many others. I do not criticize any of those opinions. One that resonated with me was by Steven D, who asserts Bernie is not playing chess, but is playing poker. Of course, many prefer the chess analogy. Popular recently have been the "sell-out" motifs. The above quotation does not hint at a sell-out as much as it does promoting surrendering after running a less aggressive campaign than the situation called for. I find that suggestion as very plausible. One does not take a microphone to a gun fight (unless you are a reporter) when combatting H.R.C. In fact, bringing an Abrams tank would have been appropriate.

I am not a pundit. I'm not a litigator, just an alligator (sorry, couldn't resist the pun). My hope here is to get our community members to "air this thing out" although none of us can be 100% certain. Bernie, if playing Poker, is really playing his cards so close to his vest, that perhaps only Jane really knows what is going on.

Whatever conclusions reached about Bernie's "endorsement" I oubt will alter the way people will vote in November, but I humbly solicit your opinions.

Share
up
0 users have voted.

Comments

I'd say that Bernie is drawing dead. He gave away his power at the Decisive Moment to HRC. After the electoral fraudapalooza in Cali (and other states) Bernie had a decision to make: File lawsuits against the DNC/Clinton campaign, go public about it, and go with the Greens, or give up his soul (and his supporters) to the Devil (or Dems). He chose the Devil and threw away his integrity and his supporters under the bus. That's why he's drawing dead, and either he knows it or is oblivious. In poker, when you're drawing dead, you don't know it. I think Bernie knows it, and that's disturbing on so many levels. Bernie must have heard Hill's latest ridiculous vow to overturn Citizens United. This in itself strains credulity. So, Bern's pretending that the platform promises matter and his Monday night convention speaking slot will make a difference. He can talk all he wants, but if he doesn't do the walk, he's just an air-filled blowhard. Used to love and trust him; now don't know what to think.

up
0 users have voted.
Oldest Son Of A Sailor's picture

He should have declared the deal not to run as an Independent null and void at the first sign of the stacking of the deck by the Clinton Camp and the Snaggle Tooth Wench From Florida...

Immediately going to "Backup Mode" with getting on the ballot in all the states as an Indie...

Because Fuck this Shit!

up
0 users have voted.
"Do you realize the responsibility I carry?
I'm the only person standing between Richard Nixon and the White House."

~John F. Kennedy~
Economic: -9.13, Social: -7.28,
TheOtherMaven's picture

sure he could have done that. But if he wants to keep his seat as a "fallback" for at least one more term, his choices are a lot more tightly circumscribed.

Realpolitik has its grim realities. And I guess he's not the type to "go for broke".

Ironically, "go for broke" does describe the Trumposaurus....

up
0 users have voted.

There is no justice. There can be no peace.

Security after a year of campaigning for McCain over Obama.

The Dem Senators need Bernie a whole lot more than he needs them.

up
0 users have voted.

up
0 users have voted.

Orwell was an optimist

I have little doubt that Clinton will propose a draft amendment to change the Citizens United Ruling. Where it goes from her proposal is a different question. I suspect once again progressives will have failed to elect enough Democrats to Congress.

I think it's more important to to keep in mind that if politicians can establish versions of the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Family Foundation, Citizens United is small potatoes.

It is clear that corporations and foreign governments with business before the State Department while Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State paid Bill Clinton six figure sums to speak and gave millions to the Clinton Family Foundation. The State Department undertook activities that supported the interests of these contributors. One of the better documented cases is contributions to the Clinton Foundation by entities opposed to an increase in the minimum wage in Haiti to the extravagant sum of 63 cents per hour. The State Department exerted a great deal of pressure on Haiti and the increase was rescinded.

As commentators at the GOS would be quick to point out, I have established no quid pro quo. The State Department may have pushed Haiti in any case. It was acting in the same manner during the Bush Administration. I find that argument beside the point. These people are ethically challenged, not stupid. You don't need to sit in a smoke filled room and pass an envelope full of cash for a cabinet officer, or president, to know the behavior that will be rewarded.

The Clinton Foundation is a vast series of connections, almost a switchboard if you will, linking moneyed interests with political power, exacting a commission of course, but the commission is quite modest relative to the amounts of money involved. The Foundation also magnifies the family's political power. The foundation gave at least one six figure contribution to Dolores Huerta's foundation--she of "English Only" fame.

The foundation also serves as a Taxi Squad for political political talent not employed directly. (The term Taxi Squad originates with an owner of the Cleveland Browns who employed players not ready for the NFL or recovering from injuries as drivers for his fleets of taxi cabs. NFL players made a lot less in those days.) When Obama ordered Clinton to keep Bloomberg out of the State Department he was hired by the Foundation and performed as Clinton wished.

Corruption is serious and pervasive. Citizens United is the tip of an iceburg and not the most important iceburg at that.

up
0 users have voted.
Steven D's picture

the constitution to overturn not only Citizens United but all constitutional rights for corporations

https://movetoamend.org/wethepeopleamendment

House Joint Resolution 48 introduced April 29, 2015

Section 1. [Artificial Entities Such as Corporations Do Not Have Constitutional Rights]

The rights protected by the Constitution of the United States are the rights of natural persons only.

Artificial entities established by the laws of any State, the United States, or any foreign state shall have no rights under this Constitution and are subject to regulation by the People, through Federal, State, or local law.

The privileges of artificial entities shall be determined by the People, through Federal, State, or local law, and shall not be construed to be inherent or inalienable.

Section 2. [Money is Not Free Speech]

Federal, State, and local government shall regulate, limit, or prohibit contributions and expenditures, including a candidate's own contributions and expenditures, to ensure that all citizens, regardless of their economic status, have access to the political process, and that no person gains, as a result of their money, substantially more access or ability to influence in any way the election of any candidate for public office or any ballot measure.

Federal, State, and local government shall require that any permissible contributions and expenditures be publicly disclosed.

The judiciary shall not construe the spending of money to influence elections to be speech under the First Amendment.

up
0 users have voted.

"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott

Lenzabi's picture

TPP would make that passing irrelevant as the TPP gives corporations t he right to sue in a pro-corporate tribunal if they do not like being penalized for polluting, or paying their fair share in taxes. so sure, the politicians keep us all happy doing this, but TPP robs sovereignty from the nations signed to it.

up
0 users have voted.

So long, and thanks for all the fish

As for the endorsement, he gave the devil her due. He showed the integrity that she doesn't possess.
I read the long counterpunch essay about HRC's power, how it stems from the Foundation, and how involved worldwide that power is. We cannot realistically expect the top dogs to bring her down when they are flea infested.
I plan to vote for him in November. I have never forgotten the fable of the scorpion and the tortoise/frog - I knew what the scorpion was, and would do, when he brought her on board.
So many metaphors, so little time.

up
0 users have voted.

up
0 users have voted.

dfarrah

orlbucfan's picture

She's a bad one, too. A heavily-retrograded Scorp is one of the more dangerous human patterns. H/T to my astrologer pals. Rec'd!

up
0 users have voted.

Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.

She'll get caught, but later.

up
0 users have voted.

Love is my religion.

riverlover's picture

Decision-making turned into political badminton. There are now multiple guilty parties at high level in the governmental branches of the USA. Congress really could force a Constitutional crisis if they could rise above self-protection. And Obama is in up to his eyeballs.

up
0 users have voted.

Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

Unabashed Liberal's picture

up
0 users have voted.

Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

Citizen Of Earth's picture

It was frustrating in the beginning of his campaign. He seemed to be pulling his punches. So maybe he never really expected to gain enough traction to go all the way. Or maybe he was just there to give the Dems a 'progressive look' and he played his part.

Regardless he gifted us with a Revolution. So now what do we do with this Revolution? Let the Dem Party slowly suffocate it like a boa constrictor? Bernie is now in full bore "Support the Dem Party" mode. It is too corrupt to be saved IMO. So No thanks. I won't be following Bernie down that road.

I agree with Lee Camp. "Dad was bitten by a Zombie". Wink

up
0 users have voted.

Donnie The #ShitHole Douchebag. Fake Friend to the Working Class. Real Asshole.

"So, there are enormous issues facing this country. Let me conclude by saying this, and I say this to the media: I have never run a negative ad in my life. I have been in many campaigns, and you ask the people of Vermont, they will tell you, “Bernie Sanders has never run a negative ad. I hate and detest these 30 second ugly negative ads."

I don't disagree with some ofthe analysis here in the diary. However, I think we can twist this every which way to Sunday. Rightly or wrongly, Bernie wanted to win the Presidency by campaigning on a message that exposes our corrupt institutions. I believe he steadfastly stuck to his message as best he could.

We may say that his persistence within the party is part of his charm or his fatal flaw - or both. But let's not over analyze it and try to find some ulterior motive, a subtext, an underlying strategy as yet uncovered. If there is another trick up his sleeve, he'll show it in due course.

I found Bernie's campaign refreshingly brilliant. I have never experienced anything close to it in politics and probably never will again. He brought to us a life time of unimpeachable solid work. He struggled to further that work in the past year. I know, even in apparent defeat, I am better for having participated.

up
0 users have voted.

Bernie's "endorsement" has not changed who Bernie is or what he believes in and is working for. Those who have embraced the betrayal, going to the dark side, just another crooked pol, motifs to explain his clearly made under duress half hearted endorsement need to try harder to separate from their disappointment long enough to try to understand what he hopes to accomplish by this temporary alignment with the enemy. Or failing that, just wait and see what will soon follow.

What I am absolutely certain of is that Bernie has not changed his beliefs one iota, rather it is some of his supporters who have now changed their opinion of who Bernie is and what he believes.

up
0 users have voted.

“ …and when we destroy nature, we diminish our capacity to sense the divine,and understand who God is, and what our own potential is and duties are as human beings.- RFK jr. 8/26/2024

Bernie Sanders said from day 1, he would support the nominee of the Democratic Party.
Don't know why he endorsed when he did, but he did what he said he'd do.

Bernie also spoke MANY TIMES of never being able to "control" his supporters. IF Shrillary wanted their votes, she'd have to earn them ( which also think he knew was never gonna happen) - and he will not be giving away emails of his supporters.

Think he fought a long, hard, BRAVE fight. Honor and respect what he AND JANE did. Both gave it their all. Both will be continuing to work with us.

up
0 users have voted.

to come down hard on him for endorsing. Say they are done with him. My question is, Where would we be right now if Bernie had not thrown his hat in the ring? We wouldn't truly know that a person with integrity could run a grassroots campaign, out fundraise many times with small donors, and keep up with the most powerful political machine money can buy. This is truly amazing in it's self. Without Bernie running we would never have seen that the DNC/Clinton/Media is as corrupt if not more so than we ever imagined the republicans to be. The corruption of a biased media, of an entire election process as in super delegates and the corruption of the worst kid - voter suppression and the rigging of elections. And, by staying in he forced Clinton to show her true colors when she started begging money from the likes of the Bushes although that seems to have been lost in the shuffle. Bernie turned the light on in a room full of roaches so we could all see who they are. So again, where would we be? Without Bernie, many of us would be disheartened realizing there is no way to beat the system. Sick because we're stuck with the oligarchy running the show forever. Bernie has given us hope. Given the young people hope that they can change the system. And not the phony Obama hope. He's given us real hope and a road map. What more can we ask of him? If this is all he's done I can tell you this, he's done more than all the Bernie-sold-us-out-ex-supporters have done in their lifetimes...To them I say this. Do something to keep what he started alive. I know I am.

up
0 users have voted.

The article is a scathing indictment of Comey, Lynch, Obama and the Clintons on legal grounds. It is also an indictment of Sanders. Why did he quit? He said there would be a contested convention. Well, where is it? They stole the fucking votes without a peep from Bernie. Not only did the networks call it for Hillary before the votes were counted, Bernie quit before the votes were counted. He wasn't suppose to win, and it looks as if he didn't want to win.

Bernie didn't give us hope. He destroyed it.

Frances "Baby" Houseman: So I did it for nothing. I hurt my family, you lost your job anyway! I did it for nothing!
Johnny Castle: No, not for nothing, Baby! Nobody has ever done anything like that for me before!
Frances "Baby" Houseman: You're were right, Johnny, you can't win no matter what you do!
Johnny Castle: You listen to me; I don't want to hear that from you, you can!
Frances "Baby" Houseman: I used to think so.

Sorry for the corny quote, but Bernie proved we can't win, and nobody will fight city hall. He proved that the .01% always win, and the left has no passion for winning - just running off at the mouth and getting their heads busted. I am pissed that we lost again. I am pissed that unions supported trade. I am pissed that black people supported welfare cuts and the war on drugs. I am pissed old people supported cuts to SS. The last election I swore i wouldn't give anyone a dime. Well I buckled and gave to Bernie more than I've ever given to anyone. I sure as hell won't do it again.

up
0 users have voted.

"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

any campaign.
I will need it for cat food.
Not that I anticipate owning any cats in the future...

up
0 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

up
0 users have voted.
Alphalop's picture

rather than rewrite it I think I will just repost it here.

I don't think Bernie is playing games period.

He is engaging in a war, and in war battles are won and lost.

I think his move was purely strategic and nothing else. (Original comment follows.)

I think we figured out a part of Bernie's strategy.

Bernie wants to continue to pound his message into the public consciousness, and the MSM has been remarkably deft at ignoring him as much as they could get away with.

Once it appeared that his numbers just were not gonna add up for the Convention what should he do?

Well, He endorsed Clinton. Something most of us found revolting.

But lets look at it from a strategic perspective.

By endorsing Clinton it puts the Media in a tough position, Hillary absolutely must have his supporters on board to win (good luck with that) so they HAVE to cover him now when he is out touting the anointed one..

But what is he really out there touting?

The same thing he always has, his message, and now they just cannot ignore it because he may drop the occasional "C-Word" (Yeah, as far as I am concerned Clinton as surpassed the old C-word for revulsion factor.) into the speech.

The more people hear his ideas, the more they like them and realize that they are their ideas too.

Bernie never entered this contest thinking he could win, his goal was to force these subjects into the public dialog. A goal he achieved with remarkable success.

Now, instead of being essentially shut out of the conversation after the Convention he has virtually ensured that he gets at least another 4 months to pound his message home to the people, building the momentum for change.

This is in addition to the political credit he earned for the endorsement that he can then attempt to utilize to gain the nomination if a Clinton indictment for Perjury, The Pay to play scandal, etc. comes to pass.

Just my thoughts, but at least to me it sounds like a logical assumption even if it is not correct.

up
0 users have voted.

"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me

orlbucfan's picture

up
0 users have voted.

Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.

I think mainly because he was honest about everything. But he ruined it for me when he endorsed Hillary before she was voted in at the convention.

Maybe I'll change my mind later, but I will not be participating in any organization he creates.

The first time he supports a candidate that the dem establishment doesn't like, they'll approach him again and he might back off that candidate, i.e., Tim Canova. I'm not going through that again.

Plus, I'm not at all interested working from within the democratic party to make it better. If Bernie was the leader, that would be a different story.

up
0 users have voted.

They would otherwise have taken away his delegate power and he would have been shut out of the convention, with his message of democracy buried. The only way he could stay in to fight for all of us - not just American but the whole corporate-poisoned/military-targeted world - was to roll with the punch and use it to our advantage.

That sort of strategy is how Bernie has achieved so much for various of the most vulnerable of the people in such difficult circumstances - and anyone who knows anything of his life and history could never fall for the 'Bernie sold us out' disinformation line carried, I may add, by some of the media writers. We need to go by character, principles, history and tendencies when assessing motives for actions. Good people work for the good, evil, no matter who/what they may work for, ultimately for themselves and their own destructive purposes at all cost to others.

up
0 users have voted.

Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

That would have never happened.

up
0 users have voted.
elenacarlena's picture

keep his hand in so that if she is indicted by the time of the convention, the nom will become his. I think his hammering on the email issue would look like "sore loserism" after he initially and probably ill-advisedly said that he'd heard enough about the damn emails. I think to win, he still has to flip the supers, and if he is the driver behind email charges being filed, all those Clinton supporters will not flip to him. Not sure what they'd do. Nominate Biden? I guess if neither wins the first voting round, then the delegates are released and yes, they are free not to give it to Bernie, although if they don't they will face a popular uprising. But I think if he plays nice until then, they just might give him the nom if Hillary is indicted meanwhile. So I don't think he's acting in Kabuki, I think he's doing what he can to protect any chance he has remaining.

Of course, I don't think she will be indicted by next week, so it will become a moot point. But I think that's why he's "endorsing". They have also given him a prominent national stage where he can once again make his stump speech, perhaps with another round of "Hillary understands" to try to lock her positions into his positions.

As for rebutting the article: They state Comey appeared before Congress on Thursday, June 7, when it was actually Thursday, July 7. They spell initial inititial. They discuss someone "who overly into computers". They state she might be guilty of "a misdemeanor under ." They make a variety of punctuation errors. Other than that, I can't rebut. Wink [also, you might want to fix your own typo in the tags!]

As for the legal analysis, as I understand it, she asked people to set up a server for her in her home. That is all that's required under "intent". If State IT came to her and said, "We are here to set up a server in your home," and it was not any request of hers, then there might not be intent. But this was all her doing, therefore intent is proven. They point out that this is different from motive, which would be a desire, for example, to allow foreigners to access the information.

Anyway, it was an excellent article! Now if only this would all mean an indictment by next week!

up
0 users have voted.

Please check out Pet Vet Help, consider joining us to help pets, and follow me @ElenaCarlena on Twitter! Thank you.

wilderness voice's picture

Bernie plays within the system because that is how he gets things done. Bernie has got influence in the Senate - he got an excellent VA bill through a Republican congress. Of course Hillary will ignore the platform if elected. But Bernie has now got his own bully pulpit. If Hillary strays too far into right field, Bernie is in a position to call it out and get attention.

up
0 users have voted.
Roger Fox's picture

I utterly fail to understand why so many have decided because Bernie didn't commit professional political suicide on a national stage, in a way that suits their own personal flavor of the day..... that he sold out, or betrayed them.

up
0 users have voted.

FDR 9-23-33, "If we cannot do this one way, we will do it another way. But do it we will.

What would have been the "political suicide" if he had waited to endorse her until after she was voted in at the convention.

up
0 users have voted.
Roger Fox's picture

up
0 users have voted.

FDR 9-23-33, "If we cannot do this one way, we will do it another way. But do it we will.

I miss entirely the relationship between your answer and Shirley's question.

up
0 users have voted.

Do you know?

up
0 users have voted.

I'm not sure if it would be true "political suicide", but he wouldn't have had the first night speaking spot, his delegates might even have been refused entry, and he would not be at the convention in the running in the outside chance of a miracle such as an indictment or SDs coming to their senses about who could beat Trump.

What i see is that Bernie now has more media attention than before Hill became the "presumptive." This can't be bad for his movement, his work to encourage more progressive candidates at all levels of govt. And Hilary has to pretend to accept most of his policies right now. Hopefully, if she is elected, this will bite her when she shows her true neoliberalism, not that this is an acceptable consolation prize, in my opinion.

About Bernie "pulling his punches" early in the primary: I agree and desperately wanted him to call her out on her crimes & fraud. However, now I must accept that any such moves on his part would only have hurt him. She still has not been indicted. Arguably, Comey did not even try, but right now public opinion is largely against her for her obvious lies about her emails, at the very least. Had Bernie attacked her months ago on any of her crimes, the narrative of Dave Brock's of Bernie being an angry old man with sexist supporters would have gained more strength. Even when Bernie corrected her false narratives about his record during the debates, Hilary turned right around to continue to attack him and was believed. Now, Bernie is operating from a place of greater strength, and even the media must acknowledge that he is both liked & believed much more than she is.

My hope for the next step, after the Convention, that he will join Jill on the Green ticket may not be his choice, so I may have more tears to shed before I money bomb Jill at that point.

up
0 users have voted.
Roger Fox's picture

of the Budget Committee.

If he retains that position and the Dems get the senate back, the Presidents budget proposals go thru him. The question here how does Sanders navigate thru the process to retain his power, and now that Sanders has a national constituency and has earned political capital.......

How does Sanders add to that power, as befitting his accomplishments.

Bernie could end weaker or stronger.

up
0 users have voted.

FDR 9-23-33, "If we cannot do this one way, we will do it another way. But do it we will.

chairmanship after he campaigned for McCain for a year.

up
0 users have voted.
Roger Fox's picture

Jonathon Allen wrote the HRC and clearly established Hillary has an enemies list.
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/01/hillary-clinton-hit-list-...

https://youtu.be/mN9XfQtXhsw

up
0 users have voted.

FDR 9-23-33, "If we cannot do this one way, we will do it another way. But do it we will.

And I'm not afraid of Hillary's enemies list. Why are you? Somebody needed/needs to stand up to her. This past year, it was Bernie who stood up even by just entering the race. He's given up on that now, so he goes in his direction, I've chosen another. I will never support or vote for Hillary.

up
0 users have voted.

before he decided to run against her? Now, it's a big deal. BS! So you're saying his goal wasn't to win, it was to not piss her off because Bernie winning would obviously piss her off.

up
0 users have voted.

"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

Bisbonian's picture

up
0 users have voted.

"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

Granma's picture

I don't understand either.

up
0 users have voted.
Alphalop's picture

I just don't get the vitriol.

It's not like this one action/decision can undo all the good he has done and fights he has fought just because we don't agree with it.

We also have to acknowledge that he is operating with MUCH more inside information than we have access to to make his decision.

A couple posts up I stated my theory on why he endorsed Clinton and is "campaigning" for her and I think it is a much more likely scenario than the one where a man with 50+ years under his belt fighting for what is right suddenly decided to sell us out.

up
0 users have voted.

"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me

Roger Fox's picture

I'm not disappointed, not after April 19th.

When we lost NY (voter purges) by such a large margin, we were on the air live with a cable news outlet at our westchester 4 bernie "Victory" Party. When they went live to the Hillary party I went outside for a cigarette, went back in to face the cameras and 180 Bernie supporters that all looked to me.

That was hard. That was fucking hard. This revolution is going to be hard, its going to take tremendous amounts of hard assed work to make it happen. Great things don't happen without great efforts.

I understand that just because I am not disappointed over the last few weeks, that others disappointment is not legit. But the vitriol, acting out, emotional, interacine attacks on allies, proclamations, ultimatums, etc, are the work of egos that are of the type that rationalize their behavior as legitimate.

up
0 users have voted.

FDR 9-23-33, "If we cannot do this one way, we will do it another way. But do it we will.

GreyWolf's picture

... its going to take tremendous amounts of hard assed work to make it happen. Great things don't happen without great efforts.

I understand that just because I am not disappointed over the last few weeks, that others disappointment is not legit. But the vitriol, acting out, emotional, interacine attacks on allies, proclamations, ultimatums, etc, are the work of egos that are of the type that rationalize their behavior as legitimate."

(One of your strongest comments, IMO)

up
0 users have voted.
Not Henry Kissinger's picture

But the vitriol, acting out, emotional, interacine attacks on allies, proclamations, ultimatums, etc, are the work of egos that are of the type that rationalize their behavior as legitimate.

tends to come from those who refuse to admit Bernie's campaign is over.

At least on this board anyway.

up
0 users have voted.

The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?

In it to win it doesn't mean only as far as hillary and the democrats will allow.

up
0 users have voted.

"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

If you're talking about people being pissed that he prematurely endorsed Hillary (went against his word), people feeling betrayed that the DNC/Clintons bullied another Dem, that's not vitriol.

up
0 users have voted.

commit to a criminal who should and would have committed political suicide if the media and the Democratic Party wasn't so corrupt. When Trump is elected it will be the party's fault. All we get from them and their professional left is corporate shills dressed up as fake Democrats.

When somebody decides their ready to burn the corrupted two party system to the ground, come talk to me. Until then, it is just too bad that everyone has to pay for the mess they make.

up
0 users have voted.

"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

mhagle's picture

I guess it is the first part of the Serenity Prayer.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/prayers/protestant/addiction/serenity-prayer.as...

I have no control over what is happening in Bernie's world. I sent him a letter last week. There were many blogs on various sites about sending letters, so I am sure he was aware of them. Bet there were hundreds, or thousands. That is one thing I was able to do. I have given a few very small donations to convention related stuff, but that's all. I try to write and tweet positive stuff for us 99percentites.

From where I am sitting here in the middle of Texas, that's all I can do.

Meanwhile, life is going on all around me. My youngest turned 15 today and we are painting his room. Saw a good recipe I might try. Found some old grapes in the fridge that my chickens will like.

So I am waiting for it all to unfold. The republican convention this week. The democrats next week. After that I can plan some next steps. If anyone wants to be a write-in candidate in Texas, they have to register in August. I'd be interested in finding or starting an effort to fill up the down ballot in Texas and create a progressive endorsement list. Surely someone is already doing that.

I never ever wanted to see Bernie be an attack dog. Part of my attraction to Bernie Sanders is his higher level of consciousness. I see that in Jill Stein too. Nina Turner and the other surrogates are also amazing people. I enjoyed watching the video from the People's Summit, and look forward to watching the People's Convention in Philly. There is all of this good energy and peaceful powerful activism going on. For me, I have faith in Bernie that he is doing what he feels he should do.

I will not vote for Mrs. Clinton or Mr. Trump because they don't know anything about good energy and the peaceful powerful activism promoting the 99percent and the planet.

up
0 users have voted.

Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

Lookout's picture

I wish Bernie had blasted Hellery in the early debates when she attacked him on gun control, while she as SoS was arms merchant and chief ... and linked those sales to donations to the foundation. People have a right to know about that...and still do. I suspect it will all come out in the general election shoeing in T-rump. When (if?) the people understand the depth of corruption with the foundation they will drop her like a hot potato. Too bad we can't make that happen this week during the RNC.

I don't think it is negative to educate people about misdeeds - evidently Bernie does.

Will Bernie's endorsement be like Samson's haircut? I hope not.

up
0 users have voted.

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

mhagle's picture

. . . I am still glad that Bernie didn't take it upon himself to be the one who did it though.

The misdeeds are indeed great. HRC clearly lied to congress. Setting up her own server was clearly in order to avoid the Freedom of Information Act. There was no other reason. (speaking from a techie point of view) Also, there was no way to reasonably keep it secure in her basement or where ever it was. She did not turn over all work related emails. There is no question about the corrupt dealings of her foundation. Her superpacs hired hackers, caucus disrupters, spies to infiltrate, internet trolls. Yep. Lots of misdeeds.

Trey and Jason may otherwise be assholes, but I am thankful for them now. Keep educating the country guys!

up
0 users have voted.

Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

DailyKos? The GOP? Sure, the left standing directly behind the crazy right. Let them fight our fight. Somebody has to.

up
0 users have voted.

"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

mhagle's picture

... But maybe me .... Maybe you?

up
0 users have voted.

Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

mimi's picture

tired of the "talking class". Don't want to be part of them.

up
0 users have voted.
Lookout's picture

I have nothing but admiration for him. I'm hopeful he will deliver a powerful speech in a couple of weeks. But like Dr West, I think he's wrong that Hellery would make a good President, and my vote will be for Jill instead.

On another note mimi, did you see the media discussion in Joe's essay? I bet you could be very helpful in this possible project. see the tread around this comment: http://caucus99percent.com/comment/133473#comment-133473

up
0 users have voted.

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

mimi's picture

to which Alligator Ed refers. The last third of the very long analysis I still have to re-read, but it helped me a lot to really understand Comey's press conference statements "justifying the Bureau’s mutually contradictory factual and legal conclusions from its long-pending investigation of Hillary Clinton’s “servergate” problem." I didn't get how weak and twisted Comey's "proof of lack of intent" really was and found the whole explanation of the difference between motive and intent very interesting. Seems to me that Comey "didn't do what he was supposed to do and did do, what he was supposed not to do. Smile

And no, Clinton would make an awful President. I would never vote her into power. And I really would like the Clinton Foundations activities investigated properly, especially with regards of how foreign government's official were bought and sold and exploited. I do not want to see her as a commander in chief. She could do a lot of harm, just for 'convenience' matters.

I don't know what I would do, if I could vote in the US, but at least I can say that logically right now I would support Jill Stein and other than that I would just wait and see. I certainly do not blame Sanders for that "endorsement speech". Not that I like it much that he seemed to conclude he had to do this out of his commitment to stand by his words, but on the other hand, it would also show that he would stand by his words, if he were to get into a position of power. At least he would not do something "out of convenience" and because it's just so much "easier". He has not proven to be manipulable in the past. He worked with the system he got in this country, What else would you expect him to do? So, big mouth shouting by some in the talking men TV and blog neighborhoods of him having sold out and what have you, is the same as "throwing him under the bus" for convenience of their own job's protection.

As with regards to your suggestion I could be helpful in relation to Joe's thoughts in his comment you linked to, I doubt I could do much. I can do mechanical stuff like archiving, but even to read and search German news articles is difficult for me, because they needed to be translated properly, and I lack professional skills as a translator and I lack a lot of legal and historical knowledge. Note, that I regret that much, but that's what it is.

up
0 users have voted.
Alligator Ed's picture

If you decide to aggregate German political articles and translate them for me, because my one year of College German, didn't really stick, then I will be happy to work with you on historical facts and my limited legal skills. I am not a linguist nor a lawyer, but will help if I can. Please free to c99 message me if you to talk more.

The issue that you raised is also quite applicable to more widespread adoption by c99ers. I am sure that many of you are fluent in languages other than English. I know that many c99ers are also lawyers or otherwise involved with the legal system. I would do what I can but hopefully this polyglot news aggregation idea would be more widely dispersed through this excellent community.
This type of news aggregation would not be intended to rival the Evening Blues but to supplement it on a somewhat more formalized basis.

up
0 users have voted.

He had to say that - but it seems to me that the implication was present that she'd be a good President if promoting all of the democratic things he began to say she'd support - knowing full well that there'd be an outburst of public outrage pointing out how she'd proven herself to be entirely unfit for the Presidency or any public office in every and endless ways.

He doesn't have to do that part himself, and can't, without being shut out and silenced - this is a People's Movement for democracy and the people must think and act for themselves, rather than trusting potentially untrustworthy others to do it until the eventual oligarchy takes over and destroys the whole freaking world, as is now occurring. Who missed that part/doesn't get it yet?

Who guards the guards? Those who pay their salaries - which, regarding those in the public service, is supposed to be only The People themselves, not those who would bribe and corrupt them.

Edited because I need more coffee, lol.

up
0 users have voted.

Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

martianexpatriate's picture

did. I understand why you don't.

All his life, Bernie Sanders has refrained from negative campaigning. In modern politics, that is an incredible thing to say. He refrained from do it every time. He stuck to issues no matter how much people asked him to personalize things. That's something to be respected. We shouldn't act surprised that he was the same person that he's always been.

If he had done what you say and attacked Hillary Clinton personally or involved himself with all the people who wanted to drag him into that conversation, he would not have been able to promote the welfare of the 99% to the extent he did. That was his primary goal, remember? He said so himself.

In addition I want to point to everyone, that you actually don't know what other things were said behind door. What other threats were made by her, or offers by other people.

In the end, I doubt that his endorsement is terribly important. We certainly don't care about it. I'm not expecting Donald Trump to win, and once you accept that you realize that none of this is terribly important. It's about the 99%. He came far closer to victory than anyone expected, and he did so while bringing up an issue that the media tried to bury.

up
0 users have voted.
ZimInSeattle's picture

up
0 users have voted.

"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." - JFK | "The more I see of the moneyed peoples, the more I understand the guillotine." - G. B. Shaw Bernie/Tulsi 2020

ZimInSeattle's picture

It is, at first glance, a preposterous thing in modern American politics that Bernie Sanders did so well. Here was a 74-year-old man from a tiny state with wild white hair and a voice like a bowling ball rolling down an alley in Brooklyn matched up against a true juggernaut. The Clinton campaign had all the money, all the endorsements, all the high-profile recognition one could ever ask for. Bernie had Bernie, and a message.

~snip~

Hillary Clinton is a fully owned corporate entity with a faux-populist message drafted on the back of a cocktail napkin at a Goldman Sachs convention. Donald Trump is a punchline who speaks in befuddled half-sentences and who wouldn't know a policy position if it squatted on his face and farted up his nose. These are our alleged options now, a choice between Wall Street and reality TV.

But Bernie happened, is happening, is. Not since Robert Kennedy have we witnessed so transformative a presidential candidate. He raced down the long campaign highway that had been promised to Hillary Clinton and fell ten steps short. His success is ours; it is the scholarship of the possible, of what people sick of corporate politics can accomplish. He did not win, but stands victorious. Do not forget what he has done. Do not let your children forget.

Emphasis added.

Like someone above said, we do not know what has happened in the background, what threats were made.

More here: The Long Victory of Bernie Sanders

#JillNotHill #NeverHillary #NeverTrump

up
0 users have voted.

"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." - JFK | "The more I see of the moneyed peoples, the more I understand the guillotine." - G. B. Shaw Bernie/Tulsi 2020

From your lips to FSMs noodley appendage!

up
0 users have voted.

Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

Hawkfish's picture

Poker is a long game. You need to manage your bankroll to stay in as long as possible so when your luck breaks, you can take advantage. That doesn't mean it will, but it's how you have to play.

Many things can still happen: bad polls, indictments, the meteoric rise in Green fundraising and random stuff no one saw coming. Keep betting, fund your delegates, keep in the msm news cycle using the useless platform and who knows?

And if you run out of chips, leave the table before you end up in an alleyway with broken legs.

up
0 users have voted.

We can’t save the world by playing by the rules, because the rules have to be changed.
- Greta Thunberg

Roger Fox's picture

up
0 users have voted.

FDR 9-23-33, "If we cannot do this one way, we will do it another way. But do it we will.

he and Jane woke up one morning with a horsehead in their bed.( kinda- sorta snark, but not really)

up
0 users have voted.

There is no such thing as TMI. It can always be held in reserve for extortion.

martianexpatriate's picture

But they didn't leave the horse to threaten him, they threatened us.

People with better access than us indicated she made a deal with him which involved what she would allow into the platform. I'm sure there were other threats involved, but they weren't made against him. They were made against us. He won't be around much longer, he has nothing personal to fear. Whatever bargain was made, was made for our own good.

So if they left a part of horse in someone's bed, I guess it was ours.

up
0 users have voted.
Big Al's picture

gain. In that respect I'm not sure he sold out because I'm not sure what personal gain he might have been after or is getting. If he did it was when he entered the race as a Democrat, that was the sell out for tying a supposed people's revolution to the corrupt oligarchy Democratic party. He made it clear from the beginning that he was going to endorse Clinton. HIs reluctance to go after Clinton about the email thing and especially her war criminal status relative to Libya and Syria was because he couldn't damage her that badly to help prevent her from being elected. In a sense he betrayed his followers leading them to believe a revolution could take place via the democratic party. But then again, that's on them, they should have known the democratic party was a dead end to a revolution.

The lack of criticism and focus on her war crimes is a bigger story than the email issue imo. She's responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of innocent people and the displacement of millions. Those are despicable crimes against humanity. Sanders' praising of both war criminals Clinton and Obama tells the real story. That is dishonest bullshit. It's no different than praising George W. Bush.

up
0 users have voted.
hecate's picture

a "political revolution," carefully contained within the existing system, designed to trip the pleasure centers in re fundamental change, but without invoking some Thanatos of severed heads on the scaffold, or roving bands of grim-faced commissars.

Foreign policy never much interested him. Not a lot did. He had the one big theme—Wall Street—and that is what really rang his bell. He did us a service, because he provided a time machine, allowing us to experience a 1936 campaign. In 2016.

up
0 users have voted.
Big Al's picture

but I get this feeling under the circumstances there had to be something like the Sanders campaign involved to keep the whole thing legit. I try to play out how it would have worked if Clinton had run unopposed and it just doesn't work out. And without the two parties bringing up some of the serious issues we face, they have to or the whole thing fails. They needed lip service and they got it.
Some things have opened up, we'll see if they stay open.

up
0 users have voted.
hecate's picture

he raised some serious issues, and embedded them in the public consciousness. This campaign season would have been poorer without him. He sowed seeds. Some of them will come up.

up
0 users have voted.

....the Democratic party, knowing the lack of voter enthusiasm for Clinton but having no choice after promising it to her in 2008, need someone to run to Clinton's left to create a horserace and generate enthusiasm in the primary race. you notice there were very few Democrats that stepped up to run against her. it took the outsider, the Democratic Socialist, to make that run to the left. maybe Sanders was sincere in his effort but then his whole campaign became a convenient tool for the Democratic party.

up
0 users have voted.

You might want to actually learn something about Bernie and what he's spent his life fighting for, because this sort of thing is essentially rehashed propaganda which some apparently have swallowed without thinking to examine it first.

Bernie's big theme was always democracy - a decent life for the people in a sustainable and civilized society which took care of its own.

Wall St signifies one major group among the self-interests who will bleed the people and the environment forming the life support system of life on Earth to the last drop of their very life-blood in their blind lust for their own ever-increasing profit and power by sucking up the everything of others - safe air, food, water, products, workplaces; money, property, rights - until they have it all, even though it then all lies in ruins and the data-dots signifying wealth rapidly become worthless with few or none to sell to or buy from.

It's been calculated that there will likely be, at current rates of species die-off and planetary dysfunction caused by corporate/military pollution/destruction, continually reduced oxygen reduction until the natural systems of Earth cannot produce oxygen sufficient to support life within the potential life-times of humans now living. The reaction of such self-interests is to speed this up via corporate coup 'trade deals' for their own immediate increase in global to-be-totalitarian power and profits, rather than salvaging what chance of sustained life and normalcy remains, to themselves entirely own and pick over the global corpse they've created, even if they do so in biohazard suits. And will have to hope that their artificial life support systems don't glitch or become damaged in the monster storms and earthquakes expected, because there will be nowhere else to go, except space, where there will also be nowhere else to go in the event of glitches or other disaster.

American 'foreign policy' has essentially become the institution of a vastly destructive corporate/military empire and the elimination of democracy in all countries. Real foreign policy involves diplomacy, trade beneficial to all concerned and mutual aid when required so that we can all prosper together - and that's what Bernie believes in and has worked toward in the past, in Vermont, with sister-cities. It works. Bernie's policies are of the future - enabling us all to have one.

up
0 users have voted.

Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

hecate's picture

Sanders since he was mayor of Burlington. And I don't do propaganda.

up
0 users have voted.
mimi's picture

"real revolution", because if you think of revolutions, have revolutionaries and uprising civilian populations ever asked "someone in the inside their current government system, they are unhappy with", if they were allowed to "participate in a revolution"?

The so-called pitch-forks and torches were nowhere near the "political revolution", but I remember well it was the first argument and demagoguery used to convince the gullible population about the dangers of a "political revolution" in the intent to throw Sanders under the bus with.

System changes are oppressed from the get go. If no legal and political changes can be made through the people's legal power tools available to them, and "taking it to the streets" is all that there is left, the "violence" threat is always used to oppress any sort of uprising.

So, if I regret something, then it is that Sanders used the term "political revolution". Revolutions are usually uncontrollable when it comes to leading to violent behavior by those who want to oppress the uprising population and by those despairing rebels who don't know how else to express their discontent with a political system.

There is absolutely no revolution in this country, even not a "political' one and it's a pity that the word revolution was used to express what most people actually want, a system change. It's like the change from a Microsoft or Apple operating system to a Linux based Unix open, non-for profit, free operating system. The last thing that corporate US government wants to happen. No changes to the operating system of the government and elections. Now, what do you do? Crash your servers? Rebooting? I think you need to chose another operating system to set the rules of political discourse. I think that's what you have to demand.

oh, jeez, I can't express myself. Sorry for that. I am so sad about what is happening. When I heard Hedges for the first time and realized his anger about Sanders campaigning with the Democratic Party, I couldn't yet quite understand, why there was this much resistance to it. Now I know. But a solution of how to get a "system change" is nowhere to be seen either. That's the tragedy in all of it.

up
0 users have voted.
Big Al's picture

A revolution is a change in power. In our case, that would be power to the people, we've been saying that for decades haven't we. That's not going to come within this political system imo. There has to be a change in the system in order for the people to have the power.

Right now it's like in Vegas when you lay a two buck bet on craps table and the dealer says "no action". But remember Occupy didn't start until Sep 2011. The conventions and the lead up to this election, the potential for action is there. But its not going to come by seeking reform and concessions.

up
0 users have voted.
Roger Fox's picture

I guess it is then. Not for me.

up
0 users have voted.

FDR 9-23-33, "If we cannot do this one way, we will do it another way. But do it we will.

up
0 users have voted.
mimi's picture

what Sanders used as a catalyst for his campaign and the occupy movement initiated is not what is called a revolution. Bold is mine.

rev·o·lu·tion
ˌrevəˈlo͞oSH(ə)n/
noun
1.
a forcible overthrow of a government or social order in favor of a new system.
synonyms: rebellion, revolt, insurrection, mutiny, uprising, riot, rioting, insurgence, seizure of power, coup (d'état)
"the French aristocracy was ill-prepared to quell a revolution"

That's not what Sanders had in mind, nor did it happen, so it didn't start and can't have ended.

Just use some other word for it, that's all.

up
0 users have voted.
MsGrin's picture

First of all, NO ONE has gotten this far previously in my estimation, and that's laudable.

Second, the jig is not yet up as there is another act at the convention... We can't competently criticize until we see what has gone down there.

up
0 users have voted.

'What we are left with is an agency mandated to ensure transparency and disclosure that is actually working to keep the public in the dark' - Ann M. Ravel, former FEC member

I wish that some people here would be aware of how very knee-jerky they get if a commenter gives a well-reasoned critique on Bernie's tactics. Instead of proclaiming that Bernie is true of heart and you trust him completely (implying that the commenter doesn't), or you KNOW that he's just playing chess, or poker, or has a long game plan - just admit that it's impossible to know what Bernie is thinking, or what he intended to do all along, because you just.don't.know. And please stop equating criticism of his tactics with finding fault with his intentions or policies.

Continuing to react this way to people who might disagree with you sets up a siege (us against them) mentality and is the opposite of being welcoming. I dare say, it's a lot like being on TOP.

up
0 users have voted.
martianexpatriate's picture

anyone here said anything particularly out of line. I suppose its possible that Sanders wasn't motivated by policy issues, but I'd want real evidence to believe that. Lacking any evidence, I'm going to assume he still has the same motivations he's had for several decades.

People tend to be defined by what they've done all their lives.

I don't equate criticism of what he's done with attacking his values. What I've said is mostly intended to keep us from attacking each other. Everyone here can and should talk about what effect his actions will have, and everyone here can and should talk about what we need to do in the future.

I just think that its extremely important that progressives do not divide ourselves. We will need to be unified in the coming years.

up
0 users have voted.

'Them' aren't a litter of puppies who peed the Pergo. To speak in that manner to other humans is extremely divisive and IMHO is absolutely out of line.
Guilt-tripping those who thoughtfully offer a different point of view just drives people away.

up
0 users have voted.
featheredsprite's picture

Jill Stein said that it was almost like he endorsed the Greens. By caving in when he did, he greatly helped the Green Party meet their July and early August deadlines.

I don't know if he endorsed Hillary in order to help the Greens, that's a little too complex for me. But that's the result of what he did. He actually helped the Movement.

up
0 users have voted.

Life is strong. I'm weak, but Life is strong.

You make a critically important point. By "giving in" to all that pressure and endorsing Hillary when he did Bernie gave Jill Stein a critically important extra three weeks to mobilize those among his supporters who are determined not to support Hillary.

Hillary may be recalling the adage "Be careful what you wish for. You might get it."

up
0 users have voted.

Just sayin'....

up
0 users have voted.

party nominee from the beginning of his run. Clinton has not won yet.
He promised to fight all the way to the convention. He doesn't even have an active campaign at present.
I am curious to know if anyone here has read the official Democratic Party Platform that existed before the current one was adopted. My guess is that the last time it was mentioned was in 2012, then put away on the shelf to collect dust.
The betrayal I feel is not personal to Bernie, whom I respect more than anybody in government office.
It is the system that has cheated me out of hope. He is now officially endorsing it.

up
0 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

I have no ill will towards Bernie. I have gotten to "know" him over a ten-year period. Prematurely endorsing Hillary three weeks before the convention was truly out of character for him as I've come to know him.

He's chosen his path, and that's fine. I chose to go another way.

up
0 users have voted.
mouselander's picture

Not so much that he did it, but the way he did it. Robert Scheer's recent essay on Truthdig, Et Tu, Bernie? crystallized my feelings.

What an embarrassment for Bernie Sanders and those, myself included, who thought he would not descend so cravenly into the swamp of political sellout.

It is one thing to hold one’s nose and vote for Hillary Clinton as the lesser evil. It is quite another to suddenly absolve the Clintons and other top Democrats who have, as Sanders repeatedly pointed out during his campaign, contributed so much to the national crisis.

[snip]

...suddenly, the very sentences that he formerly used to attack her now are the basis of his endorsement: “This election is about the grotesque level of income and wealth inequality that currently exists, the worst it has been since 1928. Hillary Clinton knows that something is very wrong when the very rich become richer, while many others are working longer hours for lower wages. She knows that it is absurd that middle-class Americans are paying an effective tax rate higher than hedge fund millionaires, and that there are corporations in this country making billions in profit while they pay no federal income tax in a given year because of loopholes their lobbyists created.”

Admittedly, Bernie never did say that he expected Clinton to actually do a damn thing to correct those grotesque levels of income and wealth inequality that she "knows" to be very wrong, especially in light of the inconvenient fact that it was policies and legislation she championed that are in no small part responsible for the terrible situation we're now in. And given her lengthy record of unabashedly favoring the 1 percent, and back-stabbing the 99 percent, at every turn, there is absolutely no reason to believe those policies she "knows" to be wrong will not continue to be a centerpiece of her neoliberal approach to governing.

“I have known Hillary Clinton for 25 years,” the new Bernie gushes. “I remember her as a great first lady who broke precedent in terms of the role that a first lady was supposed to play, as she helped lead the fight for universal health care. I served with her in the United States Senate and know her as a fierce advocate for the rights of children.”

"A fierce advocate for the rights of children?" Now that is really rich. Could it be he's referring to the children pushed into extreme poverty when the 1996 welfare reform legislation that HRC so zealously promoted shredded the social safety net? Or perhaps all those whose parents became grist for the prison-industrial complex, courtesy of her husband's 1994 crime bill? Or maybe those refugee kids who were sent back to Central America to face death squads in order to teach them respect for the rule of law? Or how about all those Muslim children in Gaza, the West Bank, Libya, Iraq, and other parts of the Middle East who have been sacrificed, and will be sacrificed in the future, in service of her grandiose dreams of a modern day Roman Empire?

Ironically, it was Clinton herself who made reference to the "putting lipstick on a pig" metaphor, but Bernie was the one who ended up actually applying it. Perhaps there was no way he could have made good on his promise to support the party nominee without sacrificing his dignity and credibility to some extent, but nonetheless it was a painful thing to watch. Eleven-dimensional chess? High stakes poker? Maybe. The fact remains that 99 times out of 100, the simple explanation turns out to be the correct one. Sanders has never shown the least bit of interest in challenging the two-party duopoly - he evidently doesn't believe it's possible. And since he doesn't seem ready to retire from the Senate, he had plenty of incentive to placate the party establishment and his Senate colleagues by enthusiastically hopping aboard the Hillary bandwagon.

Personally, I don't think it's really any more complicated than that. But regardless, his erstwhile supporters now have decision of their own to make. That is, whether to follow Great Leader back into the Democratic Party veal pen, or else begin the process of charting an independent course. Thankfully in two weeks the Dem convention will be history, HRC will almost surely be the "official" party nominee, and all the nonsensical theories about Bernie's diabolical plan to snatch the nomination away from her at last possible moment will mercifully be laid to rest. Sanders has in my view contributed a lot that has been positive and beneficial to the political process in this country, but the time has now come to look past Bernie Sanders the man, and concentrate on how to most effectively continue the struggle he did so much to inspire.

up
0 users have voted.

inactive account

Pages