Monday, September 12, 2016

Political Revolution: Top Democrats Are Defying the People

Bernie Sanders ran an unprecedented campaign as an outsider - literally an outsider - for the Democratic nomination for President. He did not get the nomination, and he has accepted his role in the Senate as a powerful voice for progress. He has also started movements for progress in politics.
Bernie brought unprecedented numbers of people together with the message that things need to change, and they need to change quickly.

He is still touting that message, but the numbers of people who once thought him saintly, and now consider him an insider, significantly reduced the number of people who are still listening to his message. He never lied about the need for his progressive platform to go through the Democratic party, but, to them, more of the same was something they could not support.

Even though many people defected from his message because his message now is to elect Democrats, including the office of President, people I know who preferred Clinton because “she has been Democrat from the beginning” liked the compromised party platform it took to get Bernie’s endorsement.

Bernie is holding up his end of the bargain. He is endorsing Hillary, and he is making noise in the Senate.

The party, however, is not seeming to live up to its end of the bargain. Its leaders, namely President Obama and nominee Clinton, have done or said little about the issues Bernie is talking about.

The TPP is still on the table. I am hearing nothing from the party leaders to withdraw it or oppose it.

The Dakota pipeline issue is unresolved, and there seems to be no commitment from the leaders of the party to resolve it the way the vast majority of people want it resolved.

When the people are on one side, and the money is on the other side, we should expect our leaders to side with the people.

Banks are still committing crimes that are seemingly being punished by the culpable parties retiring with a hundred million dollars. Most people don’t like that and would rather have those who perpetrate such crimes tried and put in prison if they are found guilty.

Again, though, we have the people on one side, and the money on the other, and not a peep from the party leaders taking the side of the people.

It is as if the money is more important to the party leaders than are the overwhelming numbers of people who are clear in their positions on these matters.

Throughout his entire campaign, Bernie was clear and honest that the progressive political revolution must take place in the Democratic party. It must happen at all levels.

Revolutions take time. Battles are won, and battles are lost. If the cause is not lost, the battles continue.

Those who supported Bernie and who understand the importance that the changes be made in the Democratic party, and those who supported Hillary but who also like the more progressive party platform, must make it known to party leaders that we really want them to sacrifice the money they get in donations, and take the side of the people.

Much of President Obama’s legacy is already set. Some will have to play out and be considered for its historical significance. Will he, or won’t he, withdraw the TPP, stand with the people on oil pipelines, and instruct the Justice Department to quit prosecuting protesters and focus on prosecuting banking criminals?

If not him, will Hillary do so?

We cannot expect change while standing idly by watching our leaders conduct business as usual. We certainly are past the point of excusing people for major indiscretions because he is better than the last guy or she is better than the alternative, and those are not the legacies our leaders should want.

They should want the legacies of being the two administrations that brought back the power of democracy for the people. However, they need to actually do it in addition to start talking about it.

So do the people who support Hillary, and like the more progressive platform.