For your consideration...

First things first...After last night, it is clear that Hillary will be the democratic nominee. So congratulations to her and her team. She learned the painful lessons of 2008, and implemented a successful strategy focused on winning delegates and super-delegates early. Can't fault her for making the most of the system currently in place.

With that said, I always thought Bernie's run was an attempt to bring attention to certain issues that might have been glossed over. You know, his single issue of income equality, economic justice, climate change, corporate influence on elected officials. He admittedly took a long time considering whether to run, since he wanted to know if there would be an audience for his message (yes), and if he could even hope to compete with regards to fundraising (another yes). I'm glad he made the decision to run, as he has brought important topics to the forefront of discussions/debates. So for all the mocking posts I've read these last few months that Bernie just repeats the same things over and over, those posters actually prove he succeeded. His message has become ingrained into people's consciences. Had he not run, the debates and town halls would have ended a long time ago. There were important topics discussed, and the answers provided by the candidates did feed quite a bit of further analysis (albeit sometimes with way too much rancor on this forum).

Bernie took quite a bit of flak for a comment he made years ago that President Obama should have a primary challenger. Plenty of people here excoriated him as all things evil from a racist to a democratic party saboteur. They didn't even bother to listen to the reason he gave for that comment. It wasn't to replace Obama as President. It was to provide a forum (ie., a debate), where Obama would have to explain his rationale for some of his policy actions. I would have been very interested to hear Obama explain:

-why bank/insurance/rating agency executives were not charged for their roles in the 2008 crash
-extrajudicial killing by executive order
-continuation of NSA spying and the Patriot Act
-grants of oil leases in environmentally sensitive areas and public lands
-promotion of trade agreements TPP & TTIP and advocating for fast track authority
-why he put cutting social security benefits on the table as part of a "grand bargain"

I'm sure I'm forgetting a few off the top of my head, but the point is these questions never had to be asked. It's not like Romney was going to challenge Obama on these topics.

Bernie was that person this time around. Rather than seeing Hillary swept in virtually unopposed, he was a foil for a limited time and made Hillary confront some of these issues where she does have weaknesses. Hillary has made some overtures during these last few weeks about addressing some of these. It will be up to all of us to hold her to her promises.

It's been a hard primary season. We've all read countless posts full of spite, flame-bait, hatred, lies/distortions. There's been name-calling of candidates and supporters, and links to dubious sources to support some of the most mean-spirited attacks. There is truth to the saying, "what has been said can never be unsaid" for many here. And that's unfortunate because we need all hands on deck for this election.

I want to end on this note. I was born in 1968. There's been times I've felt that year is the perfect metaphor for this silly season. It's not just the fact the Republicans are on the verge of an ugly brokered convention. I was born in a year that started with the Tet Offensive, proceeded to the assassinations of MLK and RFK, and later saw the landslide defeat of a battered Democratic Party. There was a lot of ugliness to 1968. But it's how the year ended that still leaves me with hope.

On Christmas Eve 1968, the astronauts aboard Apollo 8 took a photograph of the Earth as it cleared the horizon of the Moon. To this day, I can't look at that picture of the "Earthrise" and not be amazed. The unlimited potential we all have when we are focused on a common goal is inescapable. We can literally reach for the heavens if we put our collective minds to the task.

There is much work to be done, and I hope everyone can take a few moments to reflect on what matters most. I know we can aspire to treat each other much better on this forum. As Abraham Lincoln said,

"We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory will swell when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."

Thank you.

P.S. Pretend I knew how to post a picture of "Earthrise" here.