Credibility: Sanders' e-mail to delegates is tone deaf
In a follow-up email, Sanders begged delegates to resist the urge to protest, warning that “our credibility as a movement will be damaged” if delegates walk out, turn their backs or boo.
I'll take him at his word that he believes this. Is he viewing credibility with respect to who in the Democratic Party finds "the movement" credible? That's one conclusion to draw from the statement.
Listen: Bernie Sanders deserves our respect for raising awareness of and highlighting the very real issues the 99% face in this country. What he did, his sacrifices, are something we all must recognize and respect. But this latest turn is just bafflingly naive.
It can't be that he doesn't understand what's going on. I have trouble reconciling his fierce advocacy throughout the campaign with today's events and the fallout from the e-mail leaks. I don't believe for one minute he's showing the DNC and Hillary that he can't control his supporters. Hillary already knows this. So does the DNC. So does Sanders, obviously. The notion that he's trying to show them is "11th dimensional chess" nonsense and has no place in a conversation among rational adults. He simply believes that his movement must be funnelled through the grist mill that is the Democratic Party machinery. That's the other conclusion to draw from his text and e-mail appeals to his delegates.
It's absurd, and he surely must know this on some level. The question is what is he getting in return for this? He must also know by now that token "punishments" (that are actually promotions in disguise) aren't going to slake our thirst for change. What leverage do his actions gain? It strikes me as tone deaf and sheepdogging of the worst sort.
"The movement" is bigger than Sanders. He can't control it any more than Hillary can be honest. And it's time he start recognizing that, publicly. That's where real leverage will come from. He's not exercising any political power by making these pleas to the people who were and are his fiercest supporters.
I've got some news for him: he's got who is losing credibility exactly wrong.
Comments
No, that's not the question
The question is "What are WE getting in return for his kick-starting this thing on our behalf?"
Because he did.
He's acting against that movement in this case.
We're getting his future appointment to Budget Committee
and the end of DWS's DNC leadership, but what else?
How is the end of DWS at the DNC a prize of any kind?
“If there is no justice for the people, may there be no peace for the government.”
DWS stepped aside a month ago and Bernie will be
outnumbered and overruled at every turn on the Budget committee, even (especially) if the Dems take the majority.
Bernie needs to worry about his own credibility.
It's in freefall tonight, heading for rock bottom.
He is heading into Warren country
I have lost so much faith in her that I cannot even count it.
If Bernie is getting something credible in return, a cabinet position, objectively and obviously more power in the Senate, whatever, I think he needs to come clean even though I am sure he feels he cannot.
He has to know his "hard won platform planks" are so much wood for HRC and Tim Kaine to crap on.
Robert Reich is posting on FB about Wall Street's Road Trip to Philadelphia where the plan to roll out the red carpet at a reception for HRC on Thursday night. All the big wigs will be there, including her rumored Treasury Secretary.
____________________________________________________________________________
"I'm not interested in preserving the status quo; I want to overthrow it. "
-Niccolo Machiavelli
"Sorry Hillary"
-TheJerry
When was there a reason to have faith in Warren?
She made it clear some time ago that she is pro-capital and a Democratic loyalist.
What did you have faith in her to do?
“If there is no justice for the people, may there be no peace for the government.”
Well, faith is a relative term
But let's say up until last year; I have some faith that her intentions were better than the vast majority of political figures.
Again, the idea at that time was work within the system, change the party. To me, it was not completely clear just how corrupt the entire party had become, that did not start hitting me until about this time last year as the SD's lined up.
When Warren sat it out I said "Not good" when Warren stayed neutral, I kept hoping but I gave up on her after she didn't endorse Bernie for the MA primary. I saw that as her last chance at redemption.
Since then, I have had no idea WTF she thinks she's accomplishing. Which leads me to more (apologies for the term) "sinister" thoughts.
[Normally, I am all for "sinister" things as the are "left" things, but in this case I use the colloquialism.]
____________________________________________________________________________
"I'm not interested in preserving the status quo; I want to overthrow it. "
-Niccolo Machiavelli
"Sorry Hillary"
-TheJerry
What Warren thinks she's accomplishing
Is on display for all to see in Philadelphia this week.
I don't understand why there would be any confusion on that point.
Please excuse my tone. I am beyond done with faith in the "system".
“If there is no justice for the people, may there be no peace for the government.”
You were asking for historical context...
And I was telling you when I lost faith, and when I started questioning what she thought she was doing...
That was back at the MA primaries, at that time I did not have the information that I have now about her actions.
Although I don't see her actions any more treacherous than those of Sarah Silverman who told the Bernie crowd to get over it and and get real; I paraphrase.
Only Susan Sarandon looks appropriately nauseated by this crap.
____________________________________________________________________________
"I'm not interested in preserving the status quo; I want to overthrow it. "
-Niccolo Machiavelli
"Sorry Hillary"
-TheJerry
Being ridiculous, Sarah said.
And Frankenstein says 90% of Bernie supporters will support Hillary.
Now, that's ridiculous.
Not just Al's saying it--so is Jeff Merkley. 90%? Wonder
how long they had to commission polls to get one with those numbers?
Mollie
“I believe in the redemptive powers of a dog’s love. It is in recognition of each dog’s potential to lift the human spirit, and, therefore, to change society for the better, that I fight to make sure every street dog has its day.”
--Stasha Wong, Secretary, Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD)
National Mill Dog Rescue (NMDR) - Dogs Available For Adoption
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
But, in hearings, she tells the banksters to Cut it out!"
I never totally got past her saying that she switched from many years as a Republican because she decided Democrats were better for markets.
She sure loves applause lines, though.
I can't believe how much people cheer her for grandstanding. Gee, she told someone off during a Senate hearing while the cameras are running. Woot.
How very, very little Americans are grateful for these days.
Robert Reich is posting on FB
Any chance we can lock them all in and set the building on fire?
Hey, c99 is not a place for advocating violence or criminal acts
Strictly speaking, not even in jest.
If any of you were serious
If any of you were serious about change, it would be.
That would just invite FBI entrapment efforts and other sorts of
agents provocateurs.
You're playing the wrong game
You're playing the wrong game.
I'm not about violent change. We've seen what
violence would get us. Just look at Iraq, Syria, Libya, or basically any country in Africa or in South America where coups are regular occurrences. These are things Hillary and her cabal want for other countries. I don't want them for mine.
So don't bring that crap into essays I write. I'm not interested in it.
And I can't believe anybody upvoted your call to burn those folks alive, in jest or not. That's so over-the-top and beyond repulsive.
Bernie is simply avoiding being Naderized for opposing
the coronated one, fully expects her to lose and by endorsing and wasting his breath with lip service to the Queen he will be able to avoid blame for when HRC goes down in flames. Maybe? Who fucking knows, but this scenario makes as much sense to me as any other I have seen. Politicians cover their ass. That's what they do.
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
You're riding the tiger, Bernie
this is no time to try to step off.
"The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function." -- Albert Bartlett
"A species that is hurtling toward extinction has no business promoting slow incremental change." -- Caitlin Johnstone
tiger
And that kitty's hongry!
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
If he's riding the tiger, it's from inside.
He is in the process of being digested. Later the fiber and bones will be eliminated and covered up, as cats of all sizes are wont to do.
“If there is no justice for the people, may there be no peace for the government.”
This much is true
But he also said Not me, Us. It's now our time to move the revolution forward. I hope the delegates who were planning to protest go through with their plans. This is where we part company with Bernie. We're not supporting her Heinous and we're obviously not afraid of Trump, as is he. I won't watch him humiliate himself in his speech tonight. Such a shame. #NeverHillary
I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance. - e.e.cummings
I think he really believes the planks mean something...
Bernie is the "amendment king" he has always shot big, and then secured whatever he could get before advancing again. That's how he has worked, and succeeded for decades.
He see the planks he has achieved as victories that he wants to lock down. He will try to hold the party to them.
And yes, they are all good goals that he has won the democratic party is now on record supporting:
$15/hour min wage.
Calling on DOJ "to investigate all questionable or suspicious police-involved shootings,"
A path to marijuana legalization
Carbon Tax
Fed Reserve Reform and ending the glass door of bankers working in DC and then going back to WS.
Tougher crack downs on WS
Closing Tax loopholes for estates and hedge funds, including carried interest
Ending the death penalty
He also got HRC and Obama to publicly support a Public Option (again) for Obamacare
He also got HRC to "opposed" the TPP. He could not get it in the planks because Obama is for it.
He sees these as victories, real victories. And if I for one moment trusted HRC and her buddies, I would agree with him.
But I do not trust her. I do not trust her cronies. I do not trust the democratic party as a whole.
____________________________________________________________________________
"I'm not interested in preserving the status quo; I want to overthrow it. "
-Niccolo Machiavelli
"Sorry Hillary"
-TheJerry
Sanders believes in planks alright. He's walking one right now.
The Democratic party being on record for supporting Bernie's "planks" means nothing. There is no obligation to adhere to them, no cost to ignoring them, and no recourse against the party when they do.
Since Sanders' supporters will exact no cost to the Clintonites for rigging the election--or for anything at all--what motivation is there for them to care about the Platform any more than they ever did?
What are you going to do? Call your Congressperson? A neoliberal will ignore you. A "progressive" will say "isn't that a shame!" and kiss Hillary's ass.
The platform is a vapor.
“If there is no justice for the people, may there be no peace for the government.”
Yes, and they still made him negotiate for every splinter.
I have reason to believe she assured her fans the platform was meaningless, lest they panic that America might acquire a tad more humanity.
That's not a criticism of your post, BTW.
I agree with you.
“If there is no justice for the people, may there be no peace for the government.”
There's always wiggle room in Hillary's world
Some of this plank, as in we will walk it, sounds specific enough. Most of it is Clinton vague. And, she can always manufacture another distracting war or claim the Repubs are obstructing her. Bern is playing a fool and he's dragging us down with him. His abject wrongheadedness has me worried.
There's always wiggle room in Hillary's world
Some of this plank, as in we will walk it, sounds specific enough. Most of it is Clinton vague. And, she can always manufacture another distracting war or claim the Repubs are obstructing her. Bern is playing a fool and he's dragging us down with him. His abject wrongheadedness has me worried.
Is it actually from Sanders?
Or from someone in his campaign? Wasn't there something about there being DNC plants in his campaign meant to undermine it? If it's not directly from Sanders, question it. If it is, disappointing.
Bernie's trying to delay the bloody revolution
As long as folks believe it is possible for a non-violent revolution to ease the suffering of the 99% they will not turn violent.
As soon as folks on the left & right realize that we're all together against the 1% and none of us have a say, then things will burn.
At first the cops may have success putting down riots with their army surplus equipment... but the collateral damager will hit up the 1%
They own the buildings that will be blown up and burnt down.
If the riots scare the highly paid cops they will run crying to the governor to call out the national guard (who are not highly paid and may feel more kinship with the rioters). Things could get very, very ugly.
If things get that bad - if troops have to come home to keep the peace - America will cease to be a world power.
I am not sure that would be a bad thing...
Not Sure I Can Take Much More