Why Does the Clinton Machine Want Us to Leave?
I apologize ahead of time for the somewhat lightweight diary, but I decided to make it a diary rather than a comment b/c I want a larger number of people to see it and help me speculate on this question.
I came back to the Democratic party only to vote for Bernie, and had no intention of staying within it any longer than I had to. However, before lots of us make a move our enemy--and make no mistake, Hillary Clinton is our enemy--wants us to make, I think it's worth trying to answer the question in my diary title. And I'd like other people to have input, so that perhaps we can get farther together than I've been able to speculating on my own.
Why does Clinton want us to leave the Democratic party?
Why does her faction want us to leave so bad?
Because, I guarantee you, nobody in politics alienates a group this consistently for this long without it being on purpose.
Hillary is evil, and lacks charisma, but she isn't stupid. And neither are her 6-figure (or 7-figure?) consultants. They all know that we will leave. And they keep doing everything they can to make sure we will.
Even David Axelrod, an establishment guy if there ever was one, believes that the Hillary campaign is deliberately alienating us. He doesn't understand why the Hillary machine is behaving the way it is; he said on Twitter that he "didn't get" how Hillary could talk about party unity and then have her top aide get up and talk about how "destructive" the Sanders campaign is immediately afterward. Axelrod said "I don't get it."
They know exactly what they're doing. They want us to leave. As Anton Bursch said to me about 3 years ago: "I can't wait till you Greens get out of the party so we can bring the moderate Republicans in."
That's the only thing slowing my departure. Because I don't like making the move my enemy wants me to make.
I'll probably leave anyway--I only came back to vote for Bernie--but I'd like to know WHY she wants us out before I go.
Obviously, she wants to replace us with Bush Republicans and other Republicans who fear Trump, thus completing the transformation of the Democratic party she and Bill began in the late 80s....
But I find it highly doubtful she's going to convince a lot of rank-and-file Republican voters to fill the ranks we leave empty. Most of them don't seem to be buying; #NeverTrump doesn't seem as powerful as #NeverHillary.
And to the extent that Republican rank-and-file voters are crossing the party line to vote for a Democrat, they're voting for Bernie, not her.
So--is she intending to do without ALL of us? Create a coalition based on African-Americans over 45, white Democrats over 60, and Jeb Bush's donor list? And, I guess, maybe 1/2 to 2/3 of the Latino voters (that's a VERY rough estimate b/c I find the Latino vote difficult to read right now--for one thing they don't vote in a block quite the way African-Americans often do--and also, I'm seeing some changes in Latino support for Hillary. I think maybe word of Honduras is spreading).
Any ruminations, speculations, or information about this would be welcome.
Comments
It's all about the oil
The oligarchs control the world's oil supply. There's roughly $14 Trillion worth of it in the ground. In order for them to monetize it, the oil needs to be sucked out of the ground and burned. The resulting green house gases will kill countless millions and may render the planet uninhabitable, but hey, money is money, right?
Compare this number to the sum total monetary value of all the slaves in America at the start of the civil war. That's roughly $1 Trillion. We fought our bloodiest war over one trillion dollars but of course freeing the slaves was the right moral thing to do.
In order to keep the oil money flowing both major political parties need to turn a blind eye. But, as you recall, in the first Democratic debate, Bernie Sanders correctly identified global warming as our worst enemy. The corporate news media tried valiantly to ignore Bernie, wildly pointing their fingers while screaming, "Look over there! It's Justin Bieber!" But too late. The truth had been revealed. All they can do now is to find a way to make Bernie Sanders' supporters exit the party. So that's what's happening.
I think the right moral thing to do is we should stay in the party and try our best to elect candidates like Bernie who strongly support rapid changeover to clean, renewable energy sources.
"Please clap." -- Jeb Bush
I like your analysis.
I never forget about the energy/war/biosphere death issue for long....
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
A simple interpretation:
I am registered as a Democrat because Bernie is running as a democrat. I will revert to my normal, non-affiliated, registration in the near future. I see nothing extraordinary with respect to the recent actions of the national democratic party and its usual band of followers.
As disheartening as it may sound: I have long ago given up on mainstream democrats advocating for progressive programs and ideals. The source of my disillusionment (at one time I thought different) is many years of of disappointment. Over the years, I have known so many "liberal democrats" that not only failed to "walk the walk" they never really consistently "talked the talk". The reason for my signing onto caucus99percent is to find a consistently progressive community with which to engage.
I think we all know this is not about Bernie per se, it's about the ideals and mode of interaction: Neither of which define the Democratic Party.
Conclusion: I am not surprised the Clinton Machine wants us out of the way.
Their usual behavior
is to browbeat us and keep us around like an abused spouse, to do the housework, keep the kids clean and quiet, and take the blame for everything.
Wanting us to leave is new, or seems so to me.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
My history:
The "get with the program or get out" or "we only tolerate you as long as you toe the line" message from my experience has been a part of the Democratic oeuvre for a very long time. As usual your mileage my vary. Perhaps, the signals were less overt, or I picked up on the vibe because of the particular crowd I knew. But sometime in the 1970's I began to think of myself as an interloper. By the 1980s I definitely was not welcome at the party. And, I don't think it was solely do to the perceptual shift accompanying my move from the Left Coast to mid-continent.
And may be the final power play
of the abuser in a tight spot: dare the abused to walk away. Power assumes that that would take money. Nationally, Bernie has taken our money, but not in a hostage situation in a household, that money has been donated by us, $5,10,27,50,100 at a time. That is anti-everything. A campaign for POTUS can co$t a billion (?) now in CW. CW is flailing now. New game, new players.
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.
There's a good point
Exactly. And look at them. Listen to them. They appear to be babbling incoherently, now that they're backed up to the wall. They keep vacillating back and forth between "I don't need you, I can
go be with someone prettier than youtap other donors who are preferable to you." and "Sorry, you can't win anyway, I hold all the cards, so siddown and shaddup..."One would think that if it was more than this classic scenario, they'd stick to one thing or the other. Perhaps the "Moderate Republicans" already laughed Team Clinton out of the proverbial room when it asked them for donations?
Maybe this is the endgame.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
You could be onto something.
In some ways I hope you are correct in this. I am more than ready for the façade to crumble, thereby facilitating the development of a new progressive party.
I've wondered that lately myself
Yup. And not only that, it also occurred to me more than once that all the crap seemed to start ramping up on the heels of the Snowden revelations. I need to revisit that, now that some time has passed.
Yeah, Hillary has some serious Snowden-hatred
which is odd, since I just recently found out that she and the NSA are not exactly pals. Though obviously, they don't have the same hard-on to destroy her that they do for Snowden.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Odd? Why?
You mean in the sense that he hasn't been a factor but she harbors the hatred anyway?
Well, there is the notion that she's being spied on just like anybody else is. One should wonder why that might bother her, huh?
Odd because for all that she has had her head up the
Deep State's ass and has been Ms Patriot Acts I and II Rodham Clinton, and probably wants to bring Snowden back and have some hired hand do horrible things to him--she's not really on the best of terms w/key parts of the Deep State. I don't believe this thing w/Comey is all smoke and mirrors--I think somebody at the FBI really wants to get her. And then I found out recently that the NSA is not happy w/her either (more tech follies in which she exposed sensitive info b/c of being unwilling to leave her mobile device outside one of their--oh hell, I don't remember what it's called, but it's a secure center for data, and mobile devices in such a place compromise the security of the data, and Hillary kept breaking that rule, apparently. Because rules don't apply to Clintons.
Anyway, not like I'm shedding any tears for the NSA but apparently they don't like her either. Not sure the Deep State is so monolithic in its support of Hillary as I originally thought. The money part and the spying part seem to be having a bit of a disagreement.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Hmmmm!
Things that make ya go HMMMM. Very interesting thought, one I hadn't considered. I know some server goons who get absolutely apoplectic when you fuck around with their VPN security, so it's not far-fetched...
Hello, old friend! Great to see you!
Thanks for the thought-provoking diary. I read it thoroughly, and I want to respond with my initial reactions before I read any of the comments.
I have come to believe that Hillary and Bill Clinton, along with a good faction of their close friends and associates inside the elitist bowels of the Democratic Party, are motherfucking delusional. That is the only explanation I have for why the Clinton machine clearly wants the Berniecrats gone from the Party altogether.
Because, as you plainly stated, it makes absolutely zero sense for the Clintons to want to remove their ONLY natural allies from the Democratic Party. They have no other allies, wtf! Republicans? No. Independents? No. Who else they got? NO ONE! Legitimately, I cannot think of any group of voters who are going to favor Hillary or the Democratic Party, or even put it up with the Party and the Clintons for as long as us disaffected lefties have, other than the old-school Democratic showrunners and their cliquey clingers-on. It ain't happenin'.
The Democratic Party, and particularly the Clintons, have become delusional because that's the only way they can deal with reality: The Democratic Party is becoming obsolete, and so are they. They are a dying breed and they know it, and it scares the absolute shit out of them, as well it should.
Last night, I went to my monthly Bernie meeting here in Green Bay. I've been going to these meetings since July of 2015, and I have become incredibly close to the other Berners in the Fox Valley area. A member of the local Democratic Party stopped by the meeting to tell us about the state convention, taking place in Green Bay June 3-4.
At one point, the Party member stopped, looked right the Millennial leader of our particular Bernie group, and said, "It would be really helpful to us if you could make sure to promote this state convention with young people you know. We want Millennials to attend, and to be very involved in the Party. We'd really like to see them get involved with us!"
Silence. No one said a thing. Silence, because there's nothing to say. Silence, because Nevada. Silence, because they honestly do. not. fucking. get. it.
I miss Colorado.
Oh, dear.
Was this an entitled bastard, or a well-meaning cog?
I sometimes feel sorry for the latter.
Nice to see you again, btw!
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Those well-meaning cogs
really need to wake the fuck up. They are wasting their time, from where I sit, even assuming that Team Sanders supporters will just move to support Clinton.
It is my fervent wish that someone finds the right words, the magic words, that will make that clear to them..
Me too.
Frankly, at this point, after NV, there's no more excuses.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Word.
The fact that this man said these things on the same day that Nevada went down is quite ironic.
I miss Colorado.
Definitely a well-meaning cog. He's a dear, in fact.
He's been involved in the Democratic Party in this area for forever. Good guy with a good heart.
Happy Sunday!
I miss Colorado.
The absolute pits
of a situation--someone you give a shit about, clearly off their nut when it comes to this one topic. And you either can't argue with them because you already know they don't want to hear it; or you care about them so much you just can't bring yourself to say "Hey, ummm, about that (thing you had to say the other day or whatever brought it up to begin with...), you know, I know you mean well, but here's some things maybe you don't know..."
Poor guy.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Yes, please, get involved.
Just don't bother the Important People with your opinions or anything like that. And remember -- omigod Republicans. That's all you need to know.
Shiz, I really have nothing to say about your particular situation, so I'll ask it as a question. Could it be that they imagine that if they can just get everyone to STFU about reality, that all will be well with the Democratic Party?
“When there's no fight over programme, the election becomes a casting exercise. Trump's win is the unstoppable consequence of this situation.” - Jean-Luc Melanchon
It is a demonstration that supports Shiz's contention
that they are delusional. I think Shiz nailed it. They are too deep in their bule to have a clue.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
Clinton/Kaine will draw in and excite Sanders' supporters!
"Clinton team looking for a VP who will be fighter, excite Sanders supporters" says the headline at USA Today.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/05/15/hillary...
Sherrod Brown is fairly good as US Senators go but "firebrand"?
Maybe in a room superrich in O2? n/t
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.
No, Hillary machine, Sherrod Brown won't fix it.
Neither will Elizabeth Warren. Go away.
There are some things you can't unsee.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Lapdogs. Just lapdogs.
(This belongs under Shahryar's "Clinton/Kaine - Sherrod Brown" comment.
There is no justice. There can be no peace.
Could this be what Donald has on Bill to derail Billary
https://www.rt.com/usa/343048-clinton-epstein-lolita-express/
Lots of great, thoughtful answers here...
but I think the primary reason is a lot more simple:
Hippie Punching
It's how they got here.
It's all they know.
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?
I thought the answer was obvious
The party is corrupt. It makes money for corrupt people. It makes more money if it wins but it makes plenty when it doesn't.
Its ability to make money for corrupt people is endangered by people who tell the truth and see through this facade. It is much better to drive therm out than to deal with their complaints about the corruption.
In the past most were wearing blinders and did not really notice. Now Bernie has opened their eyes. Their response is very logical.
An idea is not responsible for who happens to be carrying it at the time. It stands or it falls on its own merits.
Don, up till now, they've wanted to keep us around
as browbeaten ill-paid labor and intermittent scapegoats.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
So,
I guess it's time for us to start our own party. The "Progressive Party?" The "Liberal Party?"
“Socialism never took root in America because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat but as temporarily embarrassed millionaires.” - John Steinbeck
Good article, good question...many poss answers
If you don't mind, I am actually gonna post a reply blog/essay since my thoughts are too long to fit here.
Pages