What do Bernie Bros really want?
Someone asked me “What do Bernie Bros really want?” in a BlueDelaware.com FB thread.
I said, “Fairness.”
Leaving aside the lame attempt at disparaging me by calling me a “Bernie Bro” (I now own that label with pride) – let me expand on that answer for any BlueDelaware fans who are truly curious.
But first let’s imagine a Democratic nominee for the Presidency of the United States who upon accepting the nomination says something like this…
It’s time we come together as a party and as a country. And part of that is all of us accepting that there are elements to the “stop and frisk” policing policy that actually worked to reduce crime. We want opportunity for all, but some of us have to be more compliant when being interviewed by the police.”
Or imagine a nominee saying…
As Democrats we believe that all people should be treated with dignity and humanity, but our borders are sacred and if you attempt to seek the freedoms of the United States you should know that you will be separated from your children at the border and you may not get them back.”
Those things could never be said. For one thing, they are ludicrous and for another – African Americans and Latinos are regarded as important Democratic constituencies. Knowingly aggravating and alienating important Democratic constituencies would be regarded as disastrously stupid and destructive.
And yet, we can imagine a candidate saying, “sure there are quirks, but our financial system is working fine.” We can imagine candidates saying that if we “work hard and play by the rules” you can get ahead. We can imagine a Democratic candidate knowingly insulting, aggravating and alienating an important Democratic constituency group because it happens all the fucking time.
So what do Bernie Bros really want? We want you to figure out a way to acknowledge Democrats like me who see that the rapacious greed of late stage capitalism hasn’t been so great. We want a Democratic Party that doesn’t lie to our faces about “rising tides raising all boats.” We want a government that works for people not for profits and a party that regards us as an important Democratic constituency. Is that too much to ask?
I hope not. Because continuing to bully, berate and betray this constituency is not going to end well for anyone.
“Is that too much to ask?”
Yes.
Because acknowledging those things would mean our rich white men would have to admit that they did not reach the top in a meritocracy but in a rigged system. They would have to diminish themselves to admit these things. Therefore they will not.
Not the answer I was going for, but yeah…that checks out.
To Democratic centrists: If you want to get back to the center, you have to proceed due left for few cycles. A four-year jog back to center-right (Biden) will only allow the hard right to regroup.
The problem with compromising with the right is they keep moving right. They have reached the end of right wing and have built cantilevers and catwalks to extend their position out into batshit territory, and have severed any remaining link to reason. Is that really who you want to compromise with?
If Democratic “moderates” are so hungry for compromise, let them start building a compromise platform with their own left wing. Chris Coons, hang up on Marco Rubio and give AOC a call. You’ll both gain from it. The Democratic party has always been strongest when it had a strong left wing.
Doesn’t matter who I support for President, because I live in Delaware. If anyone wants to know, I’m for Warren.
“Chris Coons, hang up on Marco Rubio and give AOC a call.”
Yes. This.
This too:
“The problem with compromising with the right is they keep moving right. They have reached the end of right wing and have built cantilevers and catwalks to extend their position out into batshit territory, and have severed any remaining link to reason. Is that really who you want to compromise with?”
I am an idiot.
Sir, I have some potentially unsettling news.