Message to Dave Talbot, Van Jones, et al

From Please Cut the Crap:

There is a strain of liberals and progressives out there who are now demanding that “the Democrats” change because they “keep losing” and because they believe the sure way to stop losing is to do what this strain of progressives thinks should happen. Well, I have one thing to say to these people…Grow the fuck up. 

I was listening to the radio this morning and one of the guests was telling me “The Democratic Party” needs to be overhauled before 2018, or they Are destined to lose again and lose big. Of course, the guy speaking was a white guy with plenty of money and no common sense. 

Also, the word “they” is a very important giveaway. Whether or not he is a registered Democrat, he sees “the Democrats” as an entity that is separate from himself or from all liberals and “progressives.” But the essence of his argument is purely childish in nature. He claimed that Bernie Sanders was extremely popular and unless “the Democrats” did everything Bernie wanted, they were destined to lose forever and ever.

What was telling was that the host, who is also a liberal, noted to the guest that Hillary had adopted about 80% of Bernie Sanders’ platform and he seemed surprised by that. That is not surprising. I deal with Bernie Stans every day, still, and they’re not very bright. 

He also seemed to dismiss the fact that Hillary Clinton received 3 million more votes than Donald Trump, that the Democratic Party gained seats in the House and Senate and that any losses could be attributed to low turnout, for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was voter suppression. (Google “Crosscheck” software.) I would also point out that roughly 90% of Bernie Sanders supporters claim they voted for Clinton, which makes him a distinct minority of a distinct minority.

If you are a Bernie Sanders die-hard and you blame “the Democrats” for the specter of Donald Trump becoming president of the United States, you are a supremely clueless individual. I know, you think you’re a political genius because you “found Bernie” and supported him wholeheartedly, but I assure you you’re kind of a moron. 

I have never had a problem with Bernie Sanders. I love him and I agree with a lot of what he has to say and I appreciate what he brought to the primaries. However, if you are dumb enough to believe the nomination was somehow “stolen” from him, you are delusional beyond measure. And if you are claiming that “the Democrats” keep losing because of anything “they” are doing, well, I believe you’re overdue for a nap.

Grow the fuck up.

Hillary Cinton won the nomination because of democracy. She received more than 57% of Democratic votes cast. Bernie Sanders virtually only won caucuses, which are the least democratic aspect of the primary process. And most of those he won only because she decided to save her money for the general election. He won very few primaries, except for his “home states” and Michigan, and his clock was cleaned in virtually every other state that mattered. Demographically, he only won white liberals. The fact that YOU think he made it close, or only lost because of “Super Delegates” is a hallmark of your delusion. 

Bernie Stans largely didn’t seem to notice that she reached out to you repeatedly and you bit her hand off, making you more like Republicans than you should be comfortable with.

“The Democrats” supported her wholeheartedly. In fact, so did Bernie. Bernie himself held dozens of rallies for Hillary Clinton (including several in Wisconsin. Ahem); I know, because I went to two he held in Arizona. Know who was missing from those I attended? Hardcore Bernie supporters. “The Democrats” ran ads and supported her every way possible, including raising tons of money for her and down-ticket Democrats as well. 

“The Democrats” have also been at the forefront of trying to kill voter suppression activities, like “Crosscheck,” the insidious software program that allows Republicans to “purge” voter rolls of as many “the Democrats” as possible. Meanwhile, all over social media, Bernie Stans were sporting hashtags like #NeverHillary and variations of Jill Stein support. So please explain to us how your constant demands that your side, who represent perhaps 5% of liberals in this country, has the stones to demand that the other 95% of us, who are actually Democrats, do what you want? How is that not blackmail?

Here’s the deal, Bernie Stans. You are almost all white, mostly male and you have means. If you want Democrats to win, you have a funny way of showing it. YOU don’t get to order the 95% of liberals who are already IN the Democratic Party to do your bidding or else. It’s time to grow up and accept that the reason Democrats lose too often is the “independent” far left “progressives” who are blind to the reality. YOU are the reason Democrats lose and YOU are the reason we now face a Trump presidency.

Like I said, Grow the fuck up.

See also The most thorough, profound and moving defense of Hillary Clinton I have ever seen.