There is a slow burn crisscrossing the Unites States charring the elite Democratic Party’s game plan for domination in the 2018 mid-term elections. It appears that what was once described by the media as a “movement,” has now become an organization in the eyes of a frustrated party leadership. And Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is loving every minute of his minions’ rebellion.
The Sanders’ affiliated organization, Our Revolution, is humiliating the DNC in all aspects of political power; grassroots fundraising success, a campaign platform and an energized base. Meanwhile, the Dem’s are sorely lacking in messaging other than the tired mantra, “Impeach Trump,” which is not gaining much ground. They need Sanders’ supporters. Sanders supporters need their commitment to, gasp, issues. At the top of the list is health care:
“It represents the broader question of what the Democratic Party stands for, [so] this is a fundamental moment for Democratic senators. It’s an issue that everyone is going to be watching to see how they respond,” said Chuck Idelson, a senior operative for the National Nurses United union, which served as one of the most prominent backers of Sanders’ campaign and has long been a needle in the side of establishment Democrats.
“Our organization, and plenty of other people out there are going to be holding the Democrats accountable,” Idelson said. “What are we electing people for if they’re not going to be fighting for getting people health care when they need it?”
The Party is not keen on rabble rousers making demands on the how they run their organization and of what their message should comprise. That was painfully evident in 2016. Sanders was the antithesis of his rival, Mrs. Clinton, during the presidential primary; crazy hair and rumpled suits versus hair and makeup staff and designer labels, set the two apart in appearance. In ideology, well, Sanders had healthcare, free college, and the $15 minimum wage. Clinton had no campaign platform, whatsoever. But she was a woman and had the Party in her pantsuit pocket.
Not Learning Lessons
But has the Democratic party learned anything from that disaster? Apparently, they have hunkered down into their old ways (which has worked before) and are bent on full-blown cronyism. Enter into the anti-Bernie fray, Peter Daou. Daou is a former Mrs. Clinton advisor who has just launched a media platform for Clinton sycophants, and has taken it upon himself to wage a childish war with Sanders:
The self-described political analyst then dove deeper into the "destruction" caused by Sanders. He said that the Vermont senator spent "two years on a rampage" against Democrats.
Daou then returned to the issue of Sanders' popularity—apparently a sticking point for him. He references a so-called "highly misleading" Harvard-Harris poll, which claimed that Sanders is the most popular active politician in the United States.
Daou disagreed with the polls' results due to his observation that Sanders is not "compared to all politicians," but rather "just a handful."
Close to wrapping things up, Daou called for Democratic leaders to "let go" of the notion that Sanders could turn Trump voters to vote for the Democratic Party. He said that Democrats have an "exciting field developing" and Sanders is "not one of them."
Yes, eleven exhausting tweets later, Dauo was correct about one thing; Trump voters will never vote for a Democrat.
Millenial Appeal
Sanders is lauded as the most popular politician in recent history. For the millennial crowd, his appeal is obvious; free everything (minus speech) for everyone except rich, white people. Aging hippies love the health care plan. But the DNC; well, there is no love lost on the wiry, unpolished Sanders:
“The Democratic Party has treated Sen. Sanders exceptionally well. We collectively let him run in our primaries when he declared he wasn’t a Democrat — I count that as a great favor, and an opportunity almost no one else has ever received,” said former Democratic National Committee Chairman Don Fowler, who has called for the independent Sanders to formally join the party.
It's all about the party elite and who they can point a gnarled finger at when the blame game commences. Sanders was the breath of fresh air that liberals needed and had the party not cheated on behalf of Hillary; he may have been the catalyst to a DNC extreme makeover. I believe the liberals need to revisit what drove the Trump train to the highest office in the land. If the promise of change in government accountability, the draining of the Swamp, and the end of pay to play American politics is any indication, the Dems need to grab onto Sanders’ wrinkled coat tails and make every attempt to salvage their reputation as the biggest joke in political history.
