The Ban to Block Bernie

To avoid the pain of feeling “the Bern” in the next presidential election, The Democratic National Committee is moving forward with a new rule of exclusivity, a thinly veiled attempt to thwart Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) from throwing his frumpy fedora into the DNC ring for presidential consideration.

The rule states in part, that hopefuls “pursuing the Democratic nomination” will submit in writing their faithfulness to said party, by declaring they “A. are a member of the Democratic Party; B. will accept the Democratic nomination; and C. will run and serve as a member of the Democratic Party.”

Sneaky devils.  They should call it the Sanders clause for full disclosure.

But will this face slap to the millions of “Bernie Bros” – the offensive moniker given by the party elites-- who are still angry at his treatment in 2016, boomerang back at the DNC?

Sanders has the upper hand and is not concerned one bit at the newest hysterical attempts by the DNC to regain their reputation and dignity.  After being cheated out of the prize by then party chair, Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), he redeclared his Independent status:

“I am an independent and I have always run in Vermont as an independent, while I caucus with the Democrats in the United States Senate. That’s what I’ve been doing for a long time and that’s what I’ll continue to do.”

Sanders, Party of One

Bernie’s resolute allegiance to independence is proving to be almost as frustrating to the Swampocrats as President Trump’s historic win.  Although Wasserman-Schultz was ceremoniously kicked to the curb--only after Wikileaks released irrefutable evidence of primary rigging--new DNC chairman Tom Perez hasn’t been successful at wooing the scruffy Sanders to pledge his support for the party.

But who, with any amount of self-respect, would want to hug it out with a criminal, out of touch organization, that will lie, cheat, and steal from you and then redistribute to other candidates?  Oh, wait, that should appeal to Bernie the socialist.  But Bernie the realist knows better.

He’s been down that road before.

Instead of embracing the prophet of populism, encouraging a big tent environment where hipsters and old socialism-clinging curmudgeons would have a voice, the DNC has thrown away scads of registered Democratic voters by their complete indifference to the will of their own people.

They also tossed the hopes of ever getting their greedy paws on his coveted supporter and donor list; the blueprint to a grassroots campaign that smoked Mrs. Clinton’s half-hearted efforts, secured Sanders as the savior to progressive types, and lit the fuse that blew up the Democratic Party two short years ago.  That inventory is essential in reaching out to the ever-angrier Bernie Bros who continue to rail at the party and undermine traditional Democrat candidates.

Ain’t Nobody Happy—But Republicans

Although Sanders seems impervious to the continual shenanigans of the Democratic Party, others close to him wonder just how intellectually challenged the leaders are in attempting to keep Bernie from upsetting their already rickety apple cart.

Mark Longabaugh, a senior advisor to Sander’s 2016 run responded to the news with a verbal head scratch, saying “I scratch my head and ask why they would want to make the party more narrow and more exclusive.”

And Sanders’ campaign manager offered his two cents by texting “Do they really want Bernie and millions outside the party?”

The answer is yes, they do.

But, fear not Bernie Bros, his home state has him covered.  The Vermont Democratic Party allows Sanders to run in their Democrat Primary, and have recently passed a resolution that allows him, and other Independents, access without a formal commitment to either major party, stating “for all purposes and entitled to all the rights and privileges that come with such membership at the state and federal level.”

And that resolution may inoculate him against the DNC’s latest stupid decision.  Bam!

What began as a small fissure of unrest from progressive factions against the staid, elite, and traditional party leaders in the DNC has now become an ever-widening chasm that will hold the Democrats in their self-entombed Purgatory, not only heading into 2018 midterms, but in creating a message for the fast approaching 2020 presidential contest.   At this point, if Bernie runs in 2020, Trump wins.  If Bernie declines and the Bernie Bros have had it with the Democrats, Trump wins.

If the Democrats want to become relevant once again in America, they need to stop the game playing and build a bridge toward socialists and progressives, still fighting for their fuzzy-haired, crotchety leader who has promised a free ride in perpetuity.  They had better lay that first stone soon, and once built, commence to handing out participation trophies to those Sanders Snowflakes who had their feelings hurt and dreams dashed.  That’ll get them back in line.