It's a simple question: Will the many Bernie supporters here on DKos take the Bernie Pledge to support the 2016 Democratic nominee for President, regardless if it's Bernie or Hillary?
Bernie Sanders, on ABC News "This Week" May 3, 2015.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So if you lose in this nomination fight, will you support the Democratic nominee?
SANDERS: Yes. I have in the past.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Not going to run as an independent?
SANDERS: No, absolutely not. I've been very clear about that.
This is, after all, the race for the Democratic Presidential Nominee for 2016. America is at a crossroad, and the 2016 Presidential race is crucially important. A Republican President with a Republican House and Senate would likely spell the end of the Affordable Care Act. Republicans are pretty vague about what they would "repeal & replace" the ACA with, but one thing is certain: Want heath care? Then expect to pay out the ass for it, It's the American way! A Republican President and Congress would likely doom the Iran Nuclear Deal, with John McCain (war hero or not) whispering his advice into the President's ear "Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb-bomb Iran". We have a number of Supreme Court Justices getting up there in years, do we want a President who sees Clarence Thomas as the ideal Justice, or one who sees Ruth Bader Ginsburg as the guiding light of what the SCOTUS can be?
On the other hand, a Democratic Presidential nominee winning by a comfortable margin would likely bring the Senate back to Democratic control, and put a big dent in the most Republican House since Herbert Hoover was President. Just as important, a Democratic Presidential nominee winning by a comfortable margin would make inroads into state legislatures and Governorships, so that in 2020 Republicans don't get to gerrymander the hell out of districts like they did in 2010, effectively allowing politicians to chose their voters instead of voters getting to chose their representatives. A Democratic nominee winning by a comfortable margin will continue and improve upon the wonderful transformational changes to American domestic and foreign policies of President Barack Obama. And an amusing sideshow would be Republicans reaching for their blood pressure medication every time a Reagan SCOTUS appointee sneezes or catches cold.
I deeply respect and admire Bernie Sanders. I absolutely get why he's running and why he excites his supporters. But, in my heart -
As a 63 year old male I think it's way past time we had a woman President, and what a perfect point in history to follow our first President of Color with our first woman President. August 2020 will be the 100th anniversary of passage of the 19th Amendment which gave women the right - and the power - to vote, what a more perfect celebration of that achievement than to have a woman President sitting in the Oval Office? And what a perfect opportunity for future female political candidates to have our first woman President the most qualified President in a generation. Yes, the most qualified President in a generation: First Lady of the State of Arkansas. First Lady of the United Sates of America. U.S. Senator from the great State of New York. And engaging, successful Secretary of State who laid the groundwork for our Dubya/Rumsfeld dismissed allies in "Old Europe" to join with us in fighting Russian aggression in Ukraine, and to join with us and our not so close allies in Russia and China in negotiating the most far reaching non-nuclear proliferation treaty
ever.
But as a strong Hillary supporter, should Bernie Sanders win the nomination, I absolutely would not only vote for him, I would work for his election. As a Bernie supporter can you say the same should Hillary win the nomination? Can you take the Bernie Pledge? If not, then please stop with the cheerleading diaries - this is a Democratic site, and this is a race for the Democratic Presidential nomination. Politics can be like a game of football in that while Cheer Leaders can make for an entertaining sideshow, it's the real players who bust their butts and win the game.
So, tell it like it is - will you support the 2016 Democratic Nominee, regardless whether it's Bernie or Hillary?