2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumThe Sun Has Set Dear Bernie: Thanks, but…I’m done. I’m not sure I’ve ever been more disappointed in
And yet another one has seen the light.
https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/1*aTGQUjAaT_YhtLpz-nipiA.jpeg
https://medium.com/@Boo_Radley/dear-bernie-thanks-but-im-done-6c6bc6e23993#.mo0a1qslb
The Sun Has Set
Dear Bernie: Thanks, but
Im done.
Im not sure Ive ever been more disappointed in a politician than Ive become with Bernie Sanders. He was My Guy in the beginning. I really wanted him to be the real deal. I hoped for a year, that he would substitute sloganeering for actionable plans, and unfortunately Im still waiting. As the months ticked by and his chances started to look noticeably slimmer, the tone shifted. It seemed to be impossible for Bernie and his supporters to accept that the majority of democratic voters simply did not have faith that he could accomplish all he was promising The game MUST be rigged! Dont get me started on the various conspiracy theories. If nothing else, Sanders and his fans have certainly kept the tin-foil manufacturers in business.
I truly loved how, from the beginning, he pledged he would not run a negative campaign
And this is where he eventually lost me. In the past few months I have watched as Bernies campaign and supporters gladly accepted the same manufactured untruths that the GOP has been churning up for the past 35 years about the Clintons, and shared them with glee. In fact, theyve even started adding their own unfounded smears to the catalog. Ive seen a lot of negative campaigning over the years, but this one has been truly ugly. Even now, as his mathematical chances are blatantly absurd, I received yet another attack email from Bernies Campaign Manager this morning, accusing Hillary Clinton of money laundering. As usual, there was no proof of actual wrong-doing, but apparently thats no longer necessary in what has now morphed into a win-at-all-costs approach. What exactly does winning even look like in this scenario?
Ive had numerous conversations with Hillary supporters whove tried to share pro-Hillary articles on social media (or even, god-forbid, Bernie critiques), but who had been so viciously attacked for it by Bernie fans, that they decided it just wasnt worth voicing their opinions. This bullying has been pervasive throughout the campaign, and all over the internet. The comments sections of articles have been littered with some of the most disgusting, misogynistic and hateful rhetoric youll ever see, and Bernie has remained silent throughout all of it. Im sure Ill garner my own share of vitriol for posting this, but it makes me physically ill to sit and watch these ongoing attacks................
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What is at once charming about Bernie is also what makes one nervous about his ability to effectively govern. I wont print my age here, but let it suffice that I have witnessed decades of elections and the resulting governance from them, and anyone that has spent any time whatsoever observing politics, knows that effective politics is the art of compromise. This is especially true in our wonderful melting pot of cultures, ideals and opinions. In a nutshell, its pretty much what our country was founded on. If you wish to be a politician who represents and accomplishes the goals of the constituency that voted you into office, you need to accept and learn how to negotiate and unfortunately compromise. At his age, youd assume Bernie knows this by now, and yet he comes to all political interactions with the completely unbending attitude of a teenager. As though all compromise in life is for the weak. As though other people in the world might have differing opinions from yours, but they must either be wrong, or sell outs. This is not the approach of a politician who gets things accomplished, and unfortunately it probably explains how Bernie has been in American politics for so long, and yet has authored and passed so little legislation. At this very moment we are witnessing a glaring example of a large group of politicians who have adopted this same attitude, this attitude of complete refusal to compromise, and ironically they are the people that Bernie rails against (when hes not railing against Hillary) The Republicans in The House and in The Senate. Over seven years, all theyve accomplished is a historic record of obstructionism. I cant even imagine how much more dysfunctional Washington could become with a President who might be just as intractable as the Congress they would have to work with. Its alarming and yet in this light, not surprising that, out of all his fellow Democratic Senators, who have worked shoulder-to-shoulder with Bernie for so many years, only one has actually come out to endorse him in this election................................
scscholar
(2,902 posts)so blame Larry Ellison.
sadoldgirl
(3,431 posts)Glorfindel
(9,732 posts)I wonder if the author didn't really mean, "I hoped for a year, that he would substitute actionable plans for sloganeering"? Regardless of the meaning, it's very oddly expressed.
bjo59
(1,166 posts)has the nomination wrapped up. Honestly, these type of posts seem like they're posted in fear that Hillary Clinton might not clinch that nomination in the end. As if something might happen before or during the convention that would snatch it from her or something or something along those lines.
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)tonedevil
(3,022 posts)premature grave dancing.
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)angrychair
(8,717 posts)Autumn
(45,114 posts)sheshe2
(83,815 posts)Autumn
(45,114 posts)Number23
(24,544 posts)Yeah, I think that's what alot of people are saying now.
Miss ya Number23.
yodermon
(6,143 posts)so well. That's not what inspires people. Core Democratic values, stated plainly and firmly, without ambiguity, is what inspires, and that is what Bernie has done. Better to hold up those values as the ideal from the White House than to compromise it all away and then claim *that* is what is progressive. That's how the discourse all gets shifted to the right over the years.
sheshe2
(83,815 posts)uponit7771
(90,347 posts)... more actionable parts of his sloganeering.
I wrong 4 months ago he hasn't outlined how he's going to get doctors, hospital groups and pharma to accept half of their payments to lower high HCI even paid to the government.
Those things he should outline not "hide" them away for us to see later
Rosa Luxemburg
(28,627 posts)Jack Bone
(2,023 posts)Live and Learn
(12,769 posts)TM99
(8,352 posts)pretends to 'see the light'.
Because yes, some dillweed named Boo Radley who just happened to have started posting on Medium a little under three days ago is a serious source for such a heartfelt "I am done" speech!
There are so many tired cliches from Clinton supporters in this little paid for piece that I am surprised you had the fucking gall to post it here as some sort of serious thing!
bobbobbins01
(1,681 posts)Seems legit...
Dragonfli
(10,622 posts)Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)Long past time you joined your fellow acolytes. Bye, Felicia.
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)Most teenagers can compromise quite well to get what they want. That attitude of Bernies is more that of a 2 year old.
cherokeeprogressive
(24,853 posts)I'm guessing that's 20 or 30 DUers.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)struggling and only get derision from those that grovel before the rich. Maybe you'll get a pat on the head.
Kall
(615 posts)that you don't compromise before you start negotiations. Some 69-year-old Secretaries of State, on the other hand...
Obama compromised at the outset and opened by offering the Republican Health Care Plan from the 1990s. How many Republican votes did it get him?
BootinUp
(47,167 posts)ChisolmTrailDem
(9,463 posts)Broward
(1,976 posts)for a big chunk of Hillary's supporters. The rest is just bullshit.
Dem2
(8,168 posts)Sparkly
(24,149 posts)Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)But wait! It is!
Ash_F
(5,861 posts)BootinUp
(47,167 posts)Betty Karlson
(7,231 posts)Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)"I never thought these letters were real, until..."
Betty Karlson
(7,231 posts)TheKentuckian
(25,026 posts)So where is the compromise to be had that isn't at least wrong-headed and more likely dangerous and/or destructive?
I don't get the spinning the head must feel when with breath how crazy, dangerous, out of touch, flat out scary the TEAPUBLIKLANS are and the next prioritizing a willing drive to "compromise" (aka capitulate) with these same bunch of heathens and villains.
The writer is also full of it because Sanders compromises about every bill he votes on and squeezes in a part of a loaf whenever he can by getting an amendment in, see health care reform as an example.
Sanders will compromise on position just not principles and that is to admired not scorned, it is called being honorable and true.
PowerToThePeople
(9,610 posts)mhatrw
(10,786 posts)Another Clinton lobbyist?
cali
(114,904 posts)Vermonters know that Bernie governs effectively.
Eric J in MN
(35,619 posts)...that the author EVER urged people to vote for Bernie Sanders.