This is simply not true.

With building a lasting coalition. I believe it solidifies my point.

That senators were tripping over themselves to vote for is the go-to to prove he is a lasting coalition builder.

Sanders should have merely been another Congressman and Senator whose positions aligned with a Democratic Party that had the same concerns for the problems he has been pointing out, and the same determination and policies to fix them.

Instead the Democrats have been part of the problem -- either by complicity with the Corrupt nexus of Corporate immorality and Wall St. criminality and the GOP...or by cowardice.

That is not a part of the "checks and balances" built into out government. It was a whole series of bad conscious choices and bad actions over the years by the leadership of the Democratic Party.

Sanders is not Superman or Jesus. But he is one of a minority of politicians -- along with Paul Wellstone, and several others -- who tried for decades to steer the Democratic Party in a better redirection, but were ignored and marginalized.

The Clintons were leaders of the reactionary Corporate Democrat Conservative elites that suppressed that, and opened the gates to a new Gilded Age.

That, ultimately is what the primary has been about.

No all but I'm not really in the debating mood this morning.

I do agree with a good portion of what you stated.

I would point out that the #1 reason Bernie hasn't been "more effective" in the House and Senate has been the Democrats, who are at very best slightly more likely than republicans to support MLK's economic message.

I believe we are currently in an enormous hole at the local level and that has severely damaged us nationally. I will get you some links soon but the redistricting in my area was deplorable and a huge win for conservatives locally and nationally.

Many of our deficits nationally, and the increase in moderate dems nationally while losing numbers overall as well, are a direct results losing fights locally.

Before I started my business I was more involved at the local level. I'm starting to get back into it. I have become more and more progressive over my life. I hope that continues because my retirement years are going to be spent raising hell in my area politically.

Here's to good health and the possibility I will retire one day.

A few years back, in my hometown, the Town Supervisor made the national news, by attempting to force a tiny Sufi settlement to destroy their legal cemetery. He and two associates were of a fringe "tea party" group, that worked within the republican party. Old friends there asked me to help organize, and by finding common ground with the Democratic Party, the Democratic Left, and some sane republicans, we elected the first Democratic majority the Town Board ever had.

We then began expanding that model to other communities, with success. The opposition remained consistent, while our side began experiencing the to-be-expected in-fighting, fatigue, etc.

It's not that differing opinions and even different values are "bad," in and of themselves. It's how we deal with them. DU:GDP provides a wonderful illustration of the worst possible way to deal with difference, between good people that should be able to work together.

...it reminds me of one of the countless benefit concerts I attended where you can find dozens of booths set up advocating a wide range of progressive issues, all but obscuring whatever the concert was originally for.

Moreover, without a clear path to accomplishing the ideals expressed by his campaign and supporters, the effort becomes self-serving to his own election, rather than what most of us involved in politics understand as 'coalition building' within the system to effect change. Where is his support and encouragement of new legislators who would usher in his brand of change?

Further, his broad-brush attacks against the political 'establishment' he's been part and parcel of for decades, and has relied on to help buttress his own agenda as a legislator when it suited him, have stirred up more resentment than hope that we can come together as Democrats in the end to move forward together.

I will still support the movement overall, even though I find some elements of it to be disturbing. I agree with the overall concept. It just so happens I believe the crisis is larger that they are promoting.

H2O seems to have put it better than I can in his post above. Not in support of my position, but highlighting the difficulty in growth of a movement.

I disagree with Clinton on numerous issues. I still feel she is the best choice by far. I disagree with many elements of Sanders movement, I still support many of its main points.