I spent some time over the past 2 days piecing together a diary about the French Revolution focusing on how the revolutionaries later turned on one another as the revolution moved further towards violence and away from moderation. Needless to say, this is an incredibly shortened explanation of the French Revolution. The point I kept returning to was that revolutions can very easily overwhelm their initial proponents as they move further and further away from moderation.
Obviously, the French Revolution’s violence was a rhetorical device I was using to draw a parallel to the Bernie or Busters. I was worried that the Democratic Party would be hurt by a small faction of progressives who want to upend the system at all costs. I was worried that unity would not be found.
Now, I’m a Democrat by party registration and Democratic Socialist by political leaning. I was so happy to see Senator Sanders run a campaign that addressed many issues I care about and approaches I favor. I felt the Bern. I truly think he would have been a wonderful President.
But I am glad to see Hillary Clinton nominated for President of the US. She will make a fine POTUS. She is strong, resolute, and even handed. She is not the villain many make her out to be. She’s just not as liberal as I would like to see in my President, or any other political representative. But hey, I’m an adult. I’ve been doing this long enough to know that I’m more left than most of my party, much less my country.
Congratulations Secretary Clinton. I look forward to working to help Democrats get elected this November. I look forward to watching you debate Donald Trump. I look forward to celebrating your historic swearing in ceremony next January.
I am also very glad that I am not posting a diary about a revolution gone too far. I am very glad that there seems to be a greater sense of unity on the floor at the convention. I am glad that the Bernie or Busters seem to have calmed down.
I look forward to being a liberal thorn in the side of the collective Kossack conversation. I look forward to being on the periphery as I make my arguments. I look forward to trying to drag the discussion as far left as it I can.
But mostly I look forward to having policy discussions about what is possible because Democrats control the process of governing in DC rather than pining for what could be were it not for Republican obstruction.
Fellow Sanders supporters, please don’t leave the process. Keep doing the hard work of organization that is required to effect political change in a nation this large and diverse. Let’s keep pushing the conversation with our ideas and our passion.
Political parties focus on what is possible. The Sanders campaign showed that it is possible to win a lot of Democratic primary votes with a Democratic Socialist platform. Maybe with a little more organization we can push the Democratic Party to work even harder for a Progressive agenda. Maybe with more votes behind them, we can enlarge the Democratic coalition even further with more progressive voices.
Continue to Feel the Bern as we work to elect Hillary Clinton President of the United States of America.
Elections are won by those who show up. Decisions are made by those who show up. We showed up this primary season. Let’s keep showing Up!
Revolutions make history by effecting change. If you think that you are part of a Sanders Revolution and want to make it historical, stick around and help elect Hillary Clinton the 45th President of these United States.