As someone who was working at a state party in 2016 and was literally on the convention floor walking to turn in my state's papers as the official word came down that Hillary was the nominee, but who nonetheless voted for Bernie in that primary; I really can't stand Bernie Sanders anymore. His class first, class only, and class forever stuff is grating and as you point out, Noah, it leads to some pretty poor analysis of the problems with the Democratic party. We will continue only doing half and quarter measures if the only problems the party chooses to fight is the shit Bernie, and kind of ironically the centrists and consultant class, wants to talk about.
Which leads me to the other reason he grates on me, that being the dude has the audacity to criticize the Democratic party after decades of intentionally being an outsider and after he failed to become the Democratic nominee for president and realized "oh wait, I need the party in order to get the power I want". Dude found the need for working within the party at the 11th hour and thinks he's got all the answers for holding together a fragile and vast network of individuals/groups/orgs/interests/etcs. And it's entirely "working class working class omg the billionaires aaaahhhh". It's insulting to the people who have done the work to try and fix the party and those that make up the party who will be left behind if all we did was listen to Bernie Sanders.
Bernie's a mixed bag, like anyone. He can be frustrating...but then he keeps pushing on restricting aid to Israel, and getting more and more Senate Ds on board. Or he puts time and effort into boosting Zohran....
I was in Bernie's camp in 2015-16. I left when I started getting flashbacks to the evangelical churches I grew up in.
he endemic misogyny, cult like inability to accept any criticism of the leader, and the conspiratorial garbage that went around* got to be way too much to bear. To say nothing of the constant harassment of everyone else. Him picking fucking brie brie was the last straw for me ever supporting him as my first pick in a primary. I'll vote for him if he ends up being the candidate in the general election, but there are other people (specifically, NOT OLD WHITE DUDES) that I want to see heading the party.
*(OMG HILLARY CHEATED US OUT OF THE CANDIDACY!!!!!1!!!!1!1!!!!1!)
Great article, but I would quibble with you on one aspect, re Obama and Civil Rights... gay marriage across the nation became legal under Obama, if I recall.
Joe Biden was the one who championed marriage equality and pushed Obama on the issue. It was significant to have the President and Vice President come out in favor for the first time ever.
Agreed, while it was a SCOTUS ruling, it was still a civil rights achievement under their administration, and while O played it safe when running for office, I always thought he was playing rope a dope with the politics of it. He definitely was in favor it is, however it came about.
It's true that this democratic party is the best we've had.
...
*Drinking intensifies*
As someone who was working at a state party in 2016 and was literally on the convention floor walking to turn in my state's papers as the official word came down that Hillary was the nominee, but who nonetheless voted for Bernie in that primary; I really can't stand Bernie Sanders anymore. His class first, class only, and class forever stuff is grating and as you point out, Noah, it leads to some pretty poor analysis of the problems with the Democratic party. We will continue only doing half and quarter measures if the only problems the party chooses to fight is the shit Bernie, and kind of ironically the centrists and consultant class, wants to talk about.
Which leads me to the other reason he grates on me, that being the dude has the audacity to criticize the Democratic party after decades of intentionally being an outsider and after he failed to become the Democratic nominee for president and realized "oh wait, I need the party in order to get the power I want". Dude found the need for working within the party at the 11th hour and thinks he's got all the answers for holding together a fragile and vast network of individuals/groups/orgs/interests/etcs. And it's entirely "working class working class omg the billionaires aaaahhhh". It's insulting to the people who have done the work to try and fix the party and those that make up the party who will be left behind if all we did was listen to Bernie Sanders.
Bernie's a mixed bag, like anyone. He can be frustrating...but then he keeps pushing on restricting aid to Israel, and getting more and more Senate Ds on board. Or he puts time and effort into boosting Zohran....
Thank you for summarizing why I have never been a Bernie supporter.
I was in Bernie's camp in 2015-16. I left when I started getting flashbacks to the evangelical churches I grew up in.
he endemic misogyny, cult like inability to accept any criticism of the leader, and the conspiratorial garbage that went around* got to be way too much to bear. To say nothing of the constant harassment of everyone else. Him picking fucking brie brie was the last straw for me ever supporting him as my first pick in a primary. I'll vote for him if he ends up being the candidate in the general election, but there are other people (specifically, NOT OLD WHITE DUDES) that I want to see heading the party.
*(OMG HILLARY CHEATED US OUT OF THE CANDIDACY!!!!!1!!!!1!1!!!!1!)
he’s not running in 2028, it doesn’t look like….
Great article, but I would quibble with you on one aspect, re Obama and Civil Rights... gay marriage across the nation became legal under Obama, if I recall.
that's a good point.
thanks to a ruling by SCOTUS, though, not because of any policy pushed by the Obama administration.
Joe Biden was the one who championed marriage equality and pushed Obama on the issue. It was significant to have the President and Vice President come out in favor for the first time ever.
Agreed, while it was a SCOTUS ruling, it was still a civil rights achievement under their administration, and while O played it safe when running for office, I always thought he was playing rope a dope with the politics of it. He definitely was in favor it is, however it came about.
What're "Cishet" men?
My local SEIU in Los Angeles was FULL of Black & Brown people, all staunch Dems, when I was working! I retired in 1998. (yes, I am real old now!)
"cishet" is shorthand for cissexual and heterosexual; ie, straight and not trans.
OT, so cool to see HCR cite you the other day! Rock on