For most relationships in my life, I try not to allow political disagreement to create a barrier between myself and others (this is not always successful). I prefer to look for the positive in others - and then to look for opportunities to move them to my point-of-view (or at the very least, to perhaps open their eyes to at least see some of the merits in my political values). I think this open-mindedness and choice to look for the good in others is a liberal value and part of what makes me a progressive. I think that, beyond that, it is part of what makes a progressive - period.
This brings me to friends, family - and random anonymous connections I have made on the internet - who are supporters of Bernie Sanders…
Before continuing with the central point I’d like to make here, it occurs to me I should re-introduce myself just a bit. I think it has been almost 8 years since I last submitted a diary, so perhaps it would be useful to know a bit about where I am coming from.
I am a 61 year old white male with a Hispanic surname and heritage. My father was the first President of the Southwest Council of La Raza (now known as the National Council of La Raza).
For years, my mother edited the news magazine of the Americans for Democratic Action. She worked alongside several national directors for ADA and still counts them and their spouses as close friends. During that time, I often volunteered to assist at ADA National conventions as a gopher and “boy Friday”.
With my father, when I was not quite 12 years old, I marched with Cesar Chavez during the Delano grape boycott. In later years, I was privileged to dine with Cesar in our Washington, DC home.
In 1968, my father was with Bobby Kennedy on the night he was shot and killed, literally within 15 feet of Senator Kennedy. I remember watching the funeral procession on television with my parents, silently weeping for what I then saw as permanently shattered hopes and dreams.
I volunteered for George McGovern in 1972, when I was 18 years old, having hitch-hiked from Virginia to California expressly to work for McGovern.
For a time in 2004, I headed a local Dean meet-up, had the honor and privilege of speaking with Dr. Dean personally and worked hard for his campaign (I hasten to add that was in an unofficial capacity).
In 2008, although a fervent supporter of Hillary Clinton, I put aside hurt feelings after that rough primary and phone-banked for Barack Obama. I did it again in 2012.
So when it comes to my personal political involvement, it is engrained in my DNA (literally) and I doubt many would identify me - or my family - as creatures of “the establishment”. Our history has been to work with (and for) labor unions, progressive thought leaders and organizers, left-leaning pols in the Democratic party. Ours is a history of working with movements borne from protest (the above-mentioned Delano boycott, the Kennedy candidacy, McGovern, Dean) and - perhaps a little relevant for this diary - movements derived in part by the “great man” theory of progress.
And so what does this all have to do with Team Bernie? Perhaps not too much, but if you’ve read this far, you’ve now got some idea of where I am coming from. Plunging on…
If you check my comments - or diaries and comments I’ve recommended - you’d quickly realize I support Hillary Clinton for President. You would have inferred from some comments I have written that I’ve been disappointed - even pissed off - by some of the writings (dare I call it the “tone”?) of Team Bernie supporters. Yes, there were times in which it was tiresome to read RWTP coming from fellow progressives and yes, there were times in which my defenses were turned up to 11 when I read yet another diary with yet another example of just how “evil” Hillary Clinton, the “oligarchy” and the so-called establishment really are. I’m not going to re-litigate arguments of this primary here and I sure as hell don’t want to re-litigate the 90s. There are other Clinton supporters here who do that very well - far better than I could - and to toss pies is just not my thing, so sorry - that is not what this diary is about.
Because here’s the thing:
The arguments and values which Bernie has espoused have real value and this Clinton supporter admires the fervor in which those arguments have been made, and those values have been demonstrated. You’re damned right that we need to find a way to democratize campaign financing. And I was also disappointed when Obama (too easily, I believed at the time) discarded the Public Option. I want to see ACA revised radically to finally and truly bring universal health care. I also think Bernie is correct on the environment - and makes good points regarding foreign policy (albeit I think Hillary would ultimately be better as CIC and our nation’s chief diplomat). I think Bernie took a courageous (and possibly politically risky) stance on the Palestinians. My point is that there is a lot to admire in Bernie Sanders. There is a hell of a lot of good in Bernie Sanders. Even though he - and his followers - have pissed me off and disappointed me many times, I still believe that is there.
However what I really wanted to write about is Team Sanders - his supporters - because I think I know a little something about what it is to believe passionately in a “great man” - and what it is to fervently battle against any force seen to be standing in the way of that “greatness” - of the vision promoted by it. I certainly know how I felt about John Kerry when I supported Dean, I know what I thought about Hubert H Humphrey in the 60s and Edmund Muskie in the 70s. It’s just not easy to love those you see as impeding that about which you passionately support and believe. It’s not easy to realize that not everyone sees what you see - which is that the leader who inspired you to personal action and sacrifice represents perhaps our last best hope. So when the Sanders team has played rough with the Clinton team, although it has been really grating to read and to hear, I understand they are trying to win.
I’m not saying the above to extend any kind of an olive branch (if so taken, I’d regard that as a collateral benefit). I’m saying the above because I think that - in a still contentious venue - it simply should be said. So while I simply do not agree that Bernie Sanders is the best choice for a Presidential candidate representing my party… I will have to admit this… :
I’ve been blown away by the passion and participation of the Sanders team. When (what I personally find to be) outrageous things are said in support of his candidacy, I understand where that is coming from. As illustrated above, folks, I’ve been there and done that and I know what it is to believe passionately and to fight the other team(s) with that emotion. With respect to the Sanders movement, progressives - and in particular the Democratic party - need to figure out how to bottle up that passion. Personally, I want to see this bear fruit in 2016 (there are other fights to come this year beyond this primary) - and, more importantly in 2018, 2020, 2022 and beyond. I’ve read some skepticism here regarding that possibility - and that may be true - but I think perhaps this time might be different. That’s going to be up to the newly activated movement (hopefully a movement which will, in time, be more representative of a longer term active and forceful base for the Democratic party than of a fringe “extra political” movement).
It is good to know - and to again see demonstrated - a committed drive for change and progressive values alive and well in America. It is good to have learned - to have personally observed - true believers who believe we really can tear out big pieces of our current systems and replace them with something better and who - so far - have shown a willingness to fight for that. Hard as it is to see my candidate challenged from her left, it is actually good to see turn out, phone banking and hard work in evidence — on both sides. Sure, some of the commitment and activism has put the candidacy of my choice - Hillary Clinton - at risk… but I am not going to complain about that, because here’s the thing: What we are seeing from the Sanders campaign can ultimately move not only Hillary Clinton to the left - hopefully it can and ultimately will move the D party further left. I’m just not going to regret this moment in history - how can I? I’ve done similar things as Sanders supporters have done this year - to varying degrees - throughout my lifetime.
Far beyond anything I wish any Sanders supporter could learn and might ultimately acknowledge about Hillary Clinton, there are larger lessons, concessions and realizations that I hope that some - that many - might come to - just as I have come to my own realizations regarding the values embodied by their movement. For the future of the D party, for the successful future and growth of any movement, these are things that I believe Team Sanders ultimately must learn. It is going to be crucial - and will lead to ongoing success far beyond a Presidential candidacy - if the movement can look well past this primary to the future of the D party and to the development and nurturing of a movement that can have real long-term viability.
First, rarely does the “great man” theory of progress bear fruit. All too often, the “great man” does not prevail. Beyond that, however, it could ultimately be made evident that it doesn’t have to matter… after all, the Sanders movement claims “it is not him, it is us”. (I would differ somewhat with the sincerity of that belief, because I do sense a palpable Messianic element to the Sanders movement and while that is not bad, a leader can serve as a critical catalyst to stimulate actual change, it is certainly not ever enough). And so I hope that Team Sanders ultimately learns that it really does not have to be about him - as Bernie himself has insisted - and that it really can be all about you.
Secondly, realize that incremental change - albeit often greeted with derision - is likely to be the best way and probably the only way to get to where you want to get. Social changes which we all collectively celebrate in 2016 did not happen overnight. Political change of all sorts may not move at a pace which you prefer, but it will move nonetheless. The willingness to work for change has been amply demonstrated in this primary and results will come. However, the movement needs to learn that it takes time, it takes persistence, but results will come and it will be worth it. One must stick with it. Change does not begin and end with a Presidential campaign, regardless of success of that candidacy or not.
Most importantly - realize that what you are building goes way beyond a Presidential campaign. Know that to achieve real change, your movement which started in 2016 must act on the knowledge that power actually starts at the state level. It is great to see folk getting excited and working hard for a movement, for a “great man”, for a “revolution” - but that’s not going to mean anything if you lose and you just go home. Your “revolution” must evolve beyond the national stage - because unless the D party starts winning in state legislatures, state houses and AG races, none of it is going to matter. Gerrymandering will frustrate any and all attempts to change the system - any aspect of the system - and the GOP will likely stay in power in the House.
It’s exciting to administer a shot of adrenaline to the D party and to get the attention of Hillary Clinton, but what is effective is the less exciting (yet even more meaningful) work at the state level - and that means committing that energy during off-year cycles. I hope the movement can learn that, separate from Presidential years, it can achieve lasting change at local levels. Folks, that is how the tea party and the GOPs extreme right got it done.
Sure, the GOP looks like a mess right now, but they have statehouses, they have state legislatures and they have the House as a result. If (and this is a huge “if”) the Sanders movement can pivot to off-year election cycles after this primary and general election, true believers can be a catalyst for change - lasting change far beyond what can come from putting any one person in the White House - can happen. I dearly hope the movement will learn that and act on it.
So perhaps what’s been seen in this election cycle is not exactly a “revolution”, but I do believe it could be the beginnings of an evolution. I think that can be enough - and far more than just “enough”. I hope the Sanders team learns that can be a tremendous achievement - and works to that end - because evolution is absolutely essential for the D party and would be so far removed from what we see from the stuck-in-the-50s GOP.
Team Sanders has already shown they’ve learned - they know - how to reach financial parity. Just imagine what such a committed and active movement could achieve in off-year cycles. The Sanders team can work hard, fight hard, and their voices will be heard. I truly hope that movement can and will learn to exercise that power, to speak with that voice, well beyond this cycle. When that happens, regardless of “delegate math”, Team Sanders just may have won a victory of a more far-reaching and significant consequence, far beyond the Presidency.
Because ultimately, its not just about the Presidency, folks. Its about bringing pressure for progressive change to the D party, maintaining that pressure, capturing state houses, re-drawing districts to give greater opportunities to candidates we want in the House and changing the party - from within. It’s not going to be overnight, but it is not nothing. I hope the Sanders team chooses not to discard their hard-gained leverage in a show of protest, I hope they lean - hard - on that lever which they have worked so hard for and have paid so dearly for. I’m with Hillary, but I’m with the evolution, also. Hang on to - and wield responsibly — that lever.
Remember, it takes a lever to roll a large stone out of your way.
Peace.