I was a national delegate for Bernie Sanders in 2016. It was a wild time. Bernie had the most ardent supporters who adored the man. I supported his policies wholeheartedly. If not for the prism of the plutocratic media and a Democratic Party Establishment who had settled on who its nominee was going to be, Sanders would have been President.
Politics is a dirty sport, and if you enter it, you have to be willing to play it; the bidirectional animosity in the Democratic Party, a remnant of the 2016 primary needs to be over.
It is clear that many on the left including the establishment media have already started their attempt to kill a Bernie Sanders primary run by a thousand cuts. If Bernie wants to run, none of that will deter him. Instead it will simply inflame his passionate supporters.
The reports of sexism and misogyny in the Sanders campaign is likely real. We must call out these horrendous acts not only in select places but everywhere. I’ve been to meetings where I was shocked to find out how deep is that cancer. It is everywhere and no organization is immune.
America is at an impasse and there is little time to allow external superfluous fluff to overtake the real debate on issues. In the #MeToo era, a white Progressive Male who is a thorn to the establishment will be made into an example. It will suck the air out of debate.
The Progressive blogosphere can attempt to change the narrative and force the mainstream media to be objective. This will likely be ineffective because the #MeToo passion will create interesting cross-ideological allies.
So should Bernie Sanders run? Progressives will have a hard enough time getting airtime. Having two will likely dilute the possibility for any one of them winning.
Our movement is about the country and not the individual. Elizabeth Warren has staked out the Progressive position. The reality is I am yearning to have the United States of America governed by a female President. It is time. Bernie Sander could consider being magnanimous and selfless and support the most Progressive campaign possible. He can help out and continue being the messaging firebrand.
Again, should Bernie run? No. I hope he considers being the Progressive ambassador doing the rounds throughout the alternative media building from the ground up.
Now, if he decides to run, I must admit it would be hard for me not be one of his national delegates again. He would likely get my support.
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Egberto,
I disagree that having multiple progressive voices in the Democratic presidential contest will dilute the progressive message. More progressive voices will push the debate and the eventual candidate to uphold those progressive positions. As the most consistent and best known progressive voice in presidential politics, we must have Bernie’s voice in the contest. If another candidate consistently backs the progressive agenda and appears to be more likely to win the presidency than Bernie, many progressives including Bernie Sanders will support that campaign. But without his voice in the contest, the corporate voice in the Democratic party will be strengthened.
RUN BERNIE RUN!!
I hear you. Lot of different views. What is right. Who knows.
I feel the more the merrier. I want to see as many Dems who are willing to go through the rigors of campaigning for this position. I am excited to see the energy, intellect and resolve of those running and succinct explanations of the top 3 categories they feel need their immediate attention if elected. It would be exciting to be able to pick perhaps who we feel would make a perfect combo the Pres. and VP among them or a gem in the rough but certainly someone truly capable of running our country in these volatile times unlike the majority of Republicans who have not listened to their constituents needs especially the Senate.
Elizabeth Warren has been a true champion of reigning in the free hand of
Wall Street and the big banks but beyond that her progressive cred is thin. She is an avowed advocate of “market solutions”, the economic mantra of the neo-liberals and yes, the “Chicago School of Economics”. We have reached a point of inequality that cannot be adequately addressed simply and only with “market solutions”. Look no further than the ACA which has failed to even put a dent in medical bankruptcies and the continuing escalation of drug prices..
Look also at student loans which have become a drag on new car sales and home sales. Student debt now exceeds credit card debt and the crisis was fomented by “market solutions”, notably turning over much of the student loan program to private concerns. (see Betsy DeVos).
This is the source of the real rift in the democratic party. Are we going to construct another “New Deal” to save the middle class or are we going to continue on the path of neo liberalism and republican lite economics. This is a battle that must be fought and the primary is the place to start.
Note also the inclusion of “paygo” in the rules the dems adopted and the current exclusion of self described progressives from key committees.
The corporitists have been kicking progressives to the curb for far too long. It has been a constant litany of “not now we must stop Bush’ or McCain or Romney and now Trump, who most likely will not be running in 2020.
Independents can no longer be corralled into the center. Many now reside far to the left of the corporate center and will not be bullied.
On a related note, Warren will never be able to raise the money to contend. She is a stalking horse, there to dilute the progressive vote and draw off some small donor money.