This will be a short diary. But I just wanted to note that Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders just voted for the budget bill, the one that does not extend UI benefits...the one that Pelosi urged house Democrats to vote for by saying "embrace the suck."
My point here is not to criticize Warren and Sanders. They are both excellent Senators, and I even had the privilege to vote for Sanders many years ago. Its one of the few times I have actually had the opportunity to vote for someone almost as liberal as I am (the other was Raul Grijalva, who voted against the Budget bill in the House).
I bring this up because I am tired of hearing people talk about the "Elizabeth Warren Wing" of the democratic party, or people who proffer Sanders as an antidote to the Democrats. The Elizabeth Warren Wing of the democratic party is pretty much the heart of the Democratic party, and Sanders isn't too far to the left of her.
There are many here who criticize those of us who take a pragmatic approach to politics. That's fine. There are reasonable arguments for a more aggressive progressive politics. But I am tired of hearing about people who say they "voted for hope, but got Obama."
I didn't vote for hope, I pragmatically voted for a somewhat right leaning democrat, cause the other options were worse, and no better candidate was possible. I might have been wrong, but that's what I did.
Today Warren and Sanders did the exact same thing with their votes for the budget deal. My guess is they made the best call given the shitty options available. That's fine.
If you want to embrace Sanders and Warren, you also have to embrace the suck. Welcome to politics, its stinky.
Whatever else, please, please, please don't try to use this budget deal to criticize Obama and the Democrats unless you are also willing to criticize Warren and Sanders. They voted for this bill, they own it just as much as anyone else.