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Saviolo

(3,270 posts)
Fri Jan 6, 2017, 11:35 AM Jan 2017

This has got to stop

Bernie would have beat Trump in the general!

How could he win in the general if he didn't win the primary?

DNC cheated in favour of Hillary!

Bernie isn't a Democrat!

It's all a big circular argument and it goes round and round and round and round and please, everyone, let's leave it behind, okay? Please? That part's done, now. The time has come for the fight to move forward. Hillary talked some really good policy during her campaign (not that you'd know it from the news coverage or anything), and she and Bernie both put forth progressive platforms. But the whole process has demonstrated that there are some serious shortcomings in the DNC and the Democratic party's approach, and that liberals and progressives have got to come together and figure out what to do next.

There are going to be lots and lots of fights over the next four years, but those fights have to be in the direction of the PEOTUS and his new cabinet. Not even in power yet and we're already looking at defunding Planned Parenthood, repealing Obamacare, dismantling the EPA, dismantling the department of education, etc... This is BEFORE THE INAUGURATION. Let's imagine the first 100 days. Now is the time for resistance and liberals and progressives and Democrats need to come together to put up resistance to the potential fascists taking power.

Bernie's been making lots of noise, which is great. He's an elected official and he's standing up for progressive causes. Hillary has done great work, and she's taken some time off after a brutal election season. She's not an elected official, and she'll continue to do the great work with the Clinton Foundation. But now everyone who is against Trump needs to just be against Trump. He doesn't have any political will of his own, so he's written a blank cheque for every regressive policy that the GOP has been dying to put through for decades. Say goodbye to protections for women, people of colour, LGBTQ, immigrants, the poor, etc... Newspapers are already bowing down to Trump's obvious lies. Now is the time to make a ton of noise. Call your representatives, call your congresscritters, call everyone who will take a call.

(Note: I had originally posted this in General, but it was locked as off-topic because it was thought it should go here. So, I'm reposting it here)

16 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
 

NCTraveler

(30,481 posts)
2. I like some of what you have written.
Fri Jan 6, 2017, 11:40 AM
Jan 2017

"But now everyone who is against Trump needs to just be against Trump. "

I strongly disagree with that and don't find any meaningful thought in it. I really don't think many comprehend the reality of finite resources.

zipplewrath

(16,646 posts)
4. Likewise
Fri Jan 6, 2017, 11:47 AM
Jan 2017

The arguments aren't really centered on the two candidates as much as they are context for arguments that have been going on in the party since McGovern. We can both oppose Trump and argue for a new/different/modified direction for the party.

metroins

(2,550 posts)
3. I'm over it
Fri Jan 6, 2017, 11:43 AM
Jan 2017

Personally, I think in retrospect, I should have been more forgiving of Bernie and his supporters; however, it is over now and we need to move forward.

Bernie is still fighting and I support him.

Hillary ran a good campaign, but it's over.

 

HoneyBadger

(2,297 posts)
5. The general is not like the primary
Fri Jan 6, 2017, 11:49 AM
Jan 2017

Independents cannot vote in a closed primary. Bernie did fairly well with independents. You know, a third of registered voters....... I honestly do not understand how that is not obvious to most people.


May 18, 2016. A larger percentage of American voters identify as independents (39 percent of the electorate, according to Pew) than as Democrats (32 percent) or Republicans (23 percent).May 18, 2016

mtnsnake

(22,236 posts)
6. Very well said
Fri Jan 6, 2017, 11:52 AM
Jan 2017

Yes, hopefully people will follow your advice to call their congress people (Phone, not email) and give them actual verbal feedback.

BlueCaliDem

(15,438 posts)
7. Well, the last one is true, but you're right: it's not productive to keep up primary arguments when
Fri Jan 6, 2017, 11:53 AM
Jan 2017

Putin-patriot head-honcho, tRump, is ascending to the White House and Congressional Republicans are hellbent on destroying President Obama's and the Democrats' good work for the American people although I, secretly (maybe not so secret anymore) hope that Republicans succeed at voucherizing Medicare, privatizing Social Security, repealing the ACA, cut taxes for the uber-wealthy and raise them on the middle class and create NEW taxes to tax the poor, etc.

Maybe then voting Americans will get smart and see the error of their ways of voting Republican all the time when they don't have two dimes to rub together. Maybe.

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Binkie The Clown

(7,911 posts)
8. The comment I heard over and over in the real world,...
Fri Jan 6, 2017, 12:53 PM
Jan 2017

...as opposed to here on DU, was "I don't like either one of them, but I guess I'll vote for Hillary."

That's how real-world people felt, and that lack of enthusiasm is what prompted 45% of registered voters to just skip out on voting.

What we needed, and didn't have, was real enthusiasm in the real world. I'm not talking about the enthusiasm we had here in the DU echo chamber, but real-world enthusiasm from ordinary people. Like the people who were showing up for Bernie's rallies.

But of course, the collective response here in the echo chamber seems to be:

m-lekktor

(3,675 posts)
9. yes, Hillary partisans boast about the 3 million more votes Hillary got as proof she is adored
Fri Jan 6, 2017, 12:58 PM
Jan 2017

but how many of those were lesser evil, anybody but Trump votes?!

Saviolo

(3,270 posts)
10. And this takes the fight to Trump how?
Fri Jan 6, 2017, 01:22 PM
Jan 2017

Some soul searching has to happen in the DNC, certainly. Pointing fingers and assigning blame is, at this point, rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. That ship has sailed! Time to move forward. So, let's focus on a true populist message that stays inside of progressive, liberal, and Democratic wheelhouse that will get people out to vote. At the same time, let's focus on fighting tooth and nail against Trump and his deep swamp of GOP operatives who desire nothing more than to reverse any progress of the last 8 years. The inauguration hasn't even happened yet, and we're already seeing the defunding of Planned Parenthood, dismantling of the EPA, repealing Obamacare, and foxes guarding the hen house in every department of the federal government.

To be progressive, we'll have to progress, and that means move forward. We have some lessons to learn from what happened in the general, but we have to take those lessons forward and make some changes. Lots of fights to have over the next 4 years.

 

JCanete

(5,272 posts)
11. Agree, but will not change board realities. I don't OP the topics, but I admit I get sucked into
Sat Jan 7, 2017, 06:26 PM
Jan 2017

them, and it is really really hard not to. Allowing echo chambers to persist that vilify the people and malign their intentions, rather than their policies and strategies--which happens on both sides--does not seem like it will make DU any better place either, but I'll try to do a better job of not responding with name calling of my own. I have been guilty of calling the DNC and Clinton "smug" for not making earlier adjustments, and I can probably find less pointed language.

Vinca

(50,170 posts)
14. When you said "this has got to stop" I thought you meant the constant
Sat Jan 7, 2017, 06:40 PM
Jan 2017

bickering that is getting us absolutely nowhere. Close this forum down!!! It seems 2020 will come and this forum will still be rehashing Clinton/Sanders.

Saviolo

(3,270 posts)
15. That is exactly what I meant
Sun Jan 8, 2017, 02:07 AM
Jan 2017

But people seem to be desperate to rehash Bernie vs. Hillary instead of the far more important fight of Rational People vs. Donald Trump and his GOP Enablers.

treestar

(82,383 posts)
16. hear hear, and also this vote for the lesser evil stuff
Sun Jan 8, 2017, 10:10 AM
Jan 2017

They got the greater evil in office, so are they satisfied? If you are going to see things only from the negative side, of course you have to vote for the lesser of two evils, or you will get the greater of two evils! Pure logic fail not to get that.

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