We have a Democratic primary every 4 years, unless a strong incumbent runs unopposed (Barack Obama 2012). Yes, primaries can and do get nasty. Both people and candidates say things they should not have. But Democrats always came together.
Why does it seem different this time? Is it just an internet thing? I do know Democrats in real life. I know both people who voted for Clinton in the primary and people who voted for Sanders. They have all come together. They are not fighting each other. They don’t hate Clinton or Sanders. They are focused on fighting the Republicans. Some of them are more politically energized than ever looking for ways to help with whatever energy they have. In 2004, Kerry voters, Dean voters, Clinton voters, and Obama voters did not stay angry or continue to fight each other. At the end of the day we were all Democrats who wanted to help build a better country. In 2008 we had the PUMA’s but they were small in number.
I don’t recall many diaries or comments bashing either Clinton or Obama in April 2009. No- we were pretty solidly behind President Obama (that began to change a bit during health care reform). I don’t remember diaries bashing Kerry or Dean in April 2005. We were solidly focused on preventing Bush from enacting his agenda. But 2016 and 2017 seem different. We have a horrific Republican President and a horrific Republican Congress but are still fighting other Democrats.
The primary was also more nasty than any other. I remember kossacks who did post on other web sites they actually wanted Clinton locked up. Why? What was the alternative? Hillary Clinton was all that was standing between us and what we as a country face now. If preserving health care for 20 million people, combating climate change, and keeping the Supreme Court out of ultra right wing hands was not enough to keep people from wanting Clinton locked up I had to question what was most important to them. There are people who are still very angry with Bernie Sanders feeling that he does more harm to the Democratic Party than good.
I understand those who feel Sanders isn’t helping. I occasionally still get pissed at him when he doesn’t seem to be helping. But I don’t hold anything against him and I’ve considered him an ally. We need someone who pulls no punches when standing up to the corporate state because the corporate state needs to be taken down. Yes, Sanders promotes a lot of policy that currently has NO chance to pass. But remember somebody has to talk about what we should pass even when we ain’t got the votes or we may never have the votes— link. There’s just a time and a place for it. If you are still angry at Bernie Sanders I encourage you to remember there will be times and places where we need him!
I guess it’s human nature to be angry when people feel something was wrongly taken from them. It’s also human nature for people to be angry when they are afraid. The election result was very stressful and took a lot out of me and many of us. I understand people are afraid of what they might lose. Can you imagine being one of the people who will lose your health care?? There are people in this country who will die if the ACA gets repealed. There are people in this country who will have years taken off their lives because of it. There are people who will lose their homes, savings, and financially devastated. What if Trump is able to further erode voting rights? What if he is able to overturn Roe v Wade? What if he is successful in deporting millions of people? Trump’s climate and environmental policies will likely result in loss of the planet- it may be too late. There are a lot of people who have lost a lot the past 30 years ever since Keynesian economics was abandoned in the 1980’s. Those people are angry because it wasn’t right and many of them voted for Bernie Sanders because he speaks to them.
Really the list is endless. There is no issue that Trump and the Republicans do not want to use to fuck over more Americans. That is not true of Democrats. I don’t know of ANY Democrats that want to universally screw Americans this way. The Democrats may not be perfect and they make mistakes, but they don’t want to universally screw you over on every issue imaginable.
Yes, I think given the election result it’s normal for people to be afraid and when we are afraid we can become angry.
Like many, I’ve been stressed since the election. I want to be part of the solution of bringing this country together not tearing it further apart.
I bring only my perspective to this conversation. My perspective is the result of my own experiences. My experiences are no more or less relevant than anyone else’s. No- I am equal to everyone else. When we have these conversations, it’s important to remember that all of us have had different life experiences that helped shape our politics. If we are all truly equal and we all have certain human rights, then we need to listen and consider!
The country is in far too bad of shape for us to do anything but come together and focus on winning friends and influencing people.
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