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Joe BidenCongratulations to our presumptive Democratic nominee, Joe Biden!
 

Gothmog

(157,920 posts)
41. Why Can't Bernie Accept That Democratic Voters Didn't Want Him?
Thu Mar 26, 2020, 05:52 PM
Mar 2020


https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/03/bernie-sanders-democratic-primary-joe-biden-2020-voters-establishment.html

Even many progressives who accept Biden’s nomination as a conscious, non-flukey choice by Democratic voters have insisted on portraying the Sanders agenda as the true winner. Many of them have cited polls showing a majority of Democratic primary voters favoring Medicare for All.

It is certainly true that most Democrats would prefer a single-payer system. I would absolutely prefer a single-payer system, and would happily pay higher taxes to say good-bye forever to employer-sponsored insurance. But Democrats are not unaware that Biden opposed this policy. It was heavily — nay, obsessively — litigated throughout the campaign. The topic consumed large portions of almost every single debate. If Democrats overwhelmingly chose Biden anyway, perhaps they bought his argument that the political barriers to full single payer are prohibitive, and that building on Obamacare to expand coverage makes more sense.

The Sanders campaign was highly successful in turning the race into an ideological referendum. What Sanders failed to anticipate is that doing so would ensure his defeat. Asked last year if they “would rather see the Democratic Party become more liberal or become more moderate,” Democrats chose more moderate by a 54-41 percent margin. Slightly more than half of its voters identify as either moderate or conservative, and slightly less than half identify as liberal. And Biden ate heavily into the liberal vote, dominating among those who identified as “somewhat liberal.”

The Democratic Establishment certainly played an important role in the contest. Its party elite helped coordinate the non-Bernie vote, foiling his plan to capture the nomination without expanding his share much beyond a third. The Sanders movement has remained genuinely indignant that it was unable to win the nomination and steer the party in a direction opposite of the desire of most of its voters by exploiting a divided opposition. But the Sanders plan for minority-faction rule, while it briefly seemed likely to prevail, always required denying the rest of the party a chance to vote up or down on his revolution. He lost for one simple reason: The process gave the voters, right or wrong, what they wanted.
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden

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BS at his persoal core, seems more like trump than Dem Senators empedocles Mar 2020 #1
I do not compare Bernie Sanders to Donald Trump. MineralMan Mar 2020 #3
At the personal ore level, we agree, the personality traits needed by a President are lacking empedocles Mar 2020 #8
Exactly! showblue22 Mar 2020 #38
+1 nt pazzyanne Mar 2020 #24
I'd give Sanders Turin_C3PO Mar 2020 #2
I would not, actually. MineralMan Mar 2020 #6
+1000 Thekaspervote Mar 2020 #9
I agree to a point LakeArenal Mar 2020 #28
My take on it is this frazzled Mar 2020 #4
His brand is ruined no matter what he does. I would argue Bernie not voting on the bill is the most beastie boy Mar 2020 #15
was 4 trillion before they voted out some of the bail out crap amendments-even HR6201... Sunlei Mar 2020 #16
I don't care what failed bill he voted for frazzled Mar 2020 #20
The bills with some corona virus 'relief help' passed. Sunlei Mar 2020 #21
EXACTLY! It will be like the War Bill bluestarone Mar 2020 #26
The Sooner People Get It Through Their Heads, Sir The Magistrate Mar 2020 #5
Very well considered and stated, Sir. MineralMan Mar 2020 #7
OMG! welcome back The Magistrate, you were so right about Ukraine! its been 4yrs Sunlei Mar 2020 #18
Thank You Very Much, Ma'am The Magistrate Mar 2020 #19
Sander's Pyrrhic Victory BlueIdaho Mar 2020 #25
And they are acquitting themselves admirably mcar Mar 2020 #10
I forgot to include Booker. I've edited the OP to add his name. MineralMan Mar 2020 #12
I would like to know where the delegates that would get him to 1991 are - which states? George II Mar 2020 #11
We know that. Sanders knows that, too. MineralMan Mar 2020 #13
It is appearing that he cares only about himself and his ego NCProgressive Mar 2020 #14
Well, I believe he cares about some ideas, as well. MineralMan Mar 2020 #17
Bernie is single-handedly responsible for bringing the issues that now define Democratic values Ravenspace Mar 2020 #22
I don't hate Bernie Sanders, but I do understand him. MineralMan Mar 2020 #23
From the Hoarse Whisperer Gothmog Mar 2020 #40
His campaign continues to attack Biden ...sowing division even as I write this ...so he is not Demsrule86 Mar 2020 #27
None so blind as he who will not see. LakeArenal Mar 2020 #29
No he's not. These have ALWAYS been Democratic Principles. I don't understand people ... marble falls Mar 2020 #31
So why do you think he was a no-show for the first vote on the emergency funding bill? ehrnst Mar 2020 #32
Yes, he's trying to have a positive impact but his tactics are backfiring. As they say.... George II Mar 2020 #33
"I'm not gonna be ignored, Dan." NurseJackie Mar 2020 #34
This message was self-deleted by its author NCProgressive Mar 2020 #35
Bernie Sanders didn't win any larger argument Gothmog Mar 2020 #39
Why Can't Bernie Accept That Democratic Voters Didn't Want Him? Gothmog Mar 2020 #41
No he isn't. lapucelle Mar 2020 #42
Sanders's secret is out: He has no movement - The Washington Post Gothmog Mar 2020 #43
Really??? Gothmog Apr 2020 #44
The way he has run campaign, who he has hired, his supports have consistently shown the difference LizBeth Mar 2020 #30
Exactly. The hiring of JILL FUCKING STEIN supporters to run his campaign... NurseJackie Mar 2020 #36
Right on. And he wanted to be President. What kind of thinking does it take to hire anti the people LizBeth Mar 2020 #37
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