The real problems are those things holding us back.
We have a deep bench of opponents worthy of scornful remarks, and real problems on our side of the fence to fix. And yet we seem content—driven really—to rip our selves apart over two fine contenders for the office of President of the United States.
Without regard to which Democrat may win the general election, we face a future of total intransigence from the right. How we govern when a full third or more of the government seems dedicated to crashing our democracy is a massive problem. Without regard to which Democrat may win the general election, we face an off year election in 2020 that we must win at the local and national level. That too is a massive problem. And I don’t mean to not mention the international, social and economic challenges we face which are also massive problems that will be even more massive with Republican’s attempts to throw everything into disarray.
Hillary isn’t Bill and though she makes sounds that concern us on occasion, she’d be a far better POTUS than any contender on the right. Bernie would as well. But it is a given that neither of them will see democratic control over the House. While the Senate is in reach, it isn’t a given Democrats will control it either. So achieving either candidate’s stated agenda is going to be an uphill battle. Neither candidate will have an easier time than President Obama had. There will be no honeymoon. It will be a hard slog no matter who wins.
One good sign is that you all in the Hillary and Bernie camps are so passionate about your chosen candidate. We need that passion to spread and get to those who don’t visit DK. But understand that tearing the other candidate down will not get my support, or many others. There is a target-rich group to your right that deserve your negative energy, and nothing on the left that deserves it. And yes that statement presumes neither Hillary or Bernie are to the left of each other, which for our greater purposes right now is the appropriate way to think of it.
Hillary isn’t Bernie’s enemy. And Bernie isn’t Hillary’s. We don’t need to waste time entrenched in either camp building animosity for the other. We have big issues to solve that cannot be sidelined while the loosing camp licks their wounds.
There are lots of us that will work hard for and vote for one of the two candidates during the primary, and will gladly work hard for and vote for the other in the general, because both of these are extraordinary people. But if we fall for the negative and let our anger control our tongue, we well do as much or more damage than the Republicans will.
