Sad to watch my friends sink to such depths of despair ...

[relayerbob]

Last edited Tue Mar 10, 2020, 06:45 PM - Edit history (1)

I have many friends who are Sanders supporters, and I won't argue or even engage with them on the topic, because some (not all) are so wrapped up in the personality cult aspects of the "Revolution". Many seem to have completely lost their bearings, and are spewing out GOP talking points and videos and links to Russian articles, etc. and just generally sounding like the Trumpanzees they claim to despise. It's so sad. I can't say anything to them, as that won't accomplish anything but being attacked or being disowned.

They can't seem to understand the difference between allies with different ways of approaching the problem and mortal enemies. They act like no one has ever lost an election before. I didn't act like that when Liz dropped out, and I haven't seen other friends and acquaintances who supported Buttegieg and Klobuchar or Warren act like that.

They really can't see that one of the biggest problems facing Sanders' attempts are based on Sanders' and their own actions. They don't get that they are the ones driving everyone away from their rigid positions. For many, especially Warren supporters, it's not the policies, nor the messages, but the messenger that we oppose. As a long time leader of teams and organizations large and small, I could go on at some length about how Sanders approach to leadership can never work, and how his selection of people around him demonstrates poor judgement, and how most people don't want a "revolution", we want progress and healing. But they don't listen, no matter how carefully phrased.

It will take a team of hard-working, dedicated and intelligent people from all walks of life to solve these issues, and alienating everyone, right to the edge (and sometimes over) of sexist, age-ist and racist remarks, by people who I know are not normally like that, won't accomplish that. The one-person-knows-all approach is failing us right before our eyes in DC, and they seem bent on replacing that with their form, regardless of the wishes of the majority of the people in the party and in the country. "Democracy? Vote? We don't need that, you all are too stupid to know what's good for you!" No matter how they phrase it, that's what they are saying, and it's infuriating. But I bite my tongue and wait for the results of the elections.

I'll be so glad when this primary is over.