I heard that phrase (paraphrased) several times on several cable channels before Super Tuesday and right after Bernie’s blowout win in Nevada. Now the Establishment is attempting to distance themselves from an orchestrated takedown even as it continues. But that is politics and it is legal. To win you must win. And that is why I am writing this piece.
To our Progressives, and especially our GenZs, Millennials, and Young GenXer sisters & brothers, please stay engaged in these primaries. While the headwinds are currently against the Progressive movement given the calculated coalescing around the party’s chosen one, the instability of that choice leaves a window of opportunity irrespective of Tuesday’s outcome. And one should not forget Hillary Clinton’s comment on why she stayed in the race till near the end against Obama. Of course, the progressive reason is less macabre.
There are several narratives being pushed by the oligarchy via the corporate mainstream media in an attempt to make it seem that the chosen one’s shocking comeback was organic. The first; attempt to temper any criticisms of the lead up to the South Carolina outcome by framing it as disrespect to the black vote. The second; the lead up to Super Tuesday was a direct result solely of what occurred in South Carolina. And third; the Party Establishment played no part in the concerted manipulation of the body politic to stunt the progressive movement.
Suffice it to say those narratives are provably false. The media like the navy bombing the shores to soften it up used a population that by experience must generally pick the best of terrible options. They made the progressive movement that would have put forth policies to empower them and make them more upwardly mobile seem like pie in the sky when the powers that be know it was both affordable and doable as much less rich countries do it. Many establishment leaders continued their complicity in looking out for the pocketbooks of the wealthy at the expense of the population at large. And they used the same Right-Wing techniques of scaring and lying to accomplish it.
Widget not in any sidebars
The fear tactics continued en masse between South Carolina and Super Tuesday. The exit interviews of same-day voters were probative as many said they went for the safe vote. A group of suburban women in Michigan interviewed by MSNBC proves the effectiveness of the technique as many say they are not voting their values but their fears.
After Super Tuesday fear persists
As the chosen one took the delegate lead, the corporate mainstream media attempted to absolve themselves from any kind of involvement. Yet on Cable TV, party operatives made a quite vocal statement to the party. One said, if we are to stop Bernie Sanders, it must happen now, before Super Tuesday.
Just like Donald Trump got billions in free advertising, so did Biden. That Sanders continues to do as well as he does speak well about his message.
Many believe there is some sort of fight between Centrists and Progressives. That is not true. Most who call themselves Centrists when queried and when Progressive policies are explained outside the invectives promoted by the Powell Manifesto driven corporate media, the majority are generally ready to come on board. The fight is between the masses and the guardians of gate and those who live behind those gates of economic excess and legal theft.
Many just want Progressives to go away. They don’t want to rock the boat and risk another Trump term. Unfortunately, too many have been waiting, election after election for their piece of the pie. There are too many where the election of Centrists vs Republicans means nothing because ultimately very little trickles down to them. They’ve always had the backs of those who’ve asked them to wait. Yet no one has had their backs in several decades. Worse, we have reared several generations that will ultimately be denied all that many had previously received to ensure their success.
I think all of the candidates who gave full-throated support for Joe Biden even after they pointing out the many shortcomings he had which previously denied him any primary wins during his last two runs for president, have lost credibility and respect from many. We have given Centrist policies the opportunity to make our lives better after Reagan create hell on earth. Eight years of Bill Clinton and eight years of Barack Obama did little to mitigate the trajectory. And the reasons are simple. Ronald Reagan made transformational changes in fiscal policy on the Right. Clinton and Obama simply tried to give them a tad of humanity. The biggest, of course, was Obamacare which required a huge gift to the health industrial complex to give many Americans the opportunity to transfer their wealth to the plutocracy for at least the security of getting some healthcare. And Trump made it worse because we allowed huge profits simply to pay a bill.
Here is what I would love to see. Elizabeth Warren is the best explainer I have ever seen on stage. She did not get a second chance after answering a question no one ever does or should. She is progressive even as some attempt to overthink her every word or misstep. She should keep the progressive fluids flowing strong by endorsing Bernie Sanders. And then he should immediately tap her as his vice-presidential candidate. Warren has proven to be the best fighter. She paid the sexism premium like too many POCs continue to pay their premiums. But if progressives lean in unabashedly, especially with a deep recession on the horizon caused by an economic system that is unsustainable, the time will be right to finally institute real middle-class centric policies as well as neutering a financial sector whose sole purpose is extracting the wealth of the rest of us.