The lesson of Bernie Sanders

by | Jul 27, 2016 | Democrats, DNC 2016, Features, Politics | 7 comments

It was hard not to get emotional watching women older than their right to vote nominating Hillary Clinton on the floor of the Democratic National Convention.

It was almost as hard not to tear up watching Bernie’s brother cast his vote in the city of brotherly love.

Whether or not you like Bernie, whether or not you agree with his politics, whether or not you think his primary campaign will help the party long term, you have to admire the guy; he’s come so far.

There’s a rule in politics that it’s ok to lose your first big race. Bill Clinton lost his initial bid for Congress, as did George W. Bush and Barack Obama, but it’s the persistence and perseverance of Bernie Sanders befits the character of Rocky that Philly is known for.

After a period of civil rights activism, Bernie Sanders moved to Vermont and joined the anti-war Liberty Union Party.

He ran for governor in 1972 and 1976 and lost, badly. He ran for U.S. Senate in 1974, and lost badly.

But he never stopped trying and after a stint selling documentaries on Eugene Debs, he ran for mayor of Burlington, Vermont and won, barely.

He went on to be one of the best mayors in the United States and his record in Burlington is the New Testament of local progressive policy change. And the rest is history.

Bernie did not win the Democratic nomination, because Clinton was too well known, because he lacked interest or clout in foreign affairs, and because he never connected with enough people of color.

But Bernie’s political revolution will go down as the most successful progressive insurgency in our history.

George McGovern won the nomination, but he was still an insider, a former member of the Kennedy administration, and he helped write the primary rules before his campaign.

Bernie didn’t write the rules. And he’ll be remembered now, perhaps more than Nader, or McGovern, or his hero Eugene Debs.

The question is what he does next?

He’ll have tremendous influence if Democrats win the senate and Hillary wins the White House. And he can leave his mark on the future of progressive politics, if he changes the system from within.

But for one week he’s a hero inside the arena, a champion of the young and the dispossessed, and the idealists.

His lesson to all of us, is to keep showing up, to keep trying, even when it’s hard; even when you lose. Hopefully his delegates, who walked out, learn that lesson and decide to try again.

7 Comments

  1. Born n N.C.

    Clinton is a neo-liberal, pro-bank, pro-corporate Democrat, so was Bill. That’s at the center of the left’s complaint — the global economy is destroying the environment, enslaving people across the globe, and buying democracy. So do we care about LGBTQ rights, police brutality and womens rights? Absolutely. But those of us who support Sanders recognize that it is the neo-liberal economy that is the foundation for those abuses and ultimately America’s demise. We don’t have time to waste on Clinton or Trump.

  2. Born n N.C.

    Clinton is a neo-liberal, pro-bank, pro-corporate Democrat, so was Bill. That’s at the center of the left’s complaint — the global economy is destroying the environment, enslaving people across the globe, and buying democracy. So do we care about LGBTQ rights, police brutality and womens rights? Absolutely. But those of us who support Sanders recognize that it is the neo-liberal economy that is the foundation for those abuses and ultimately America’s demise. We don’t have time to waste on Clinton or Trump.

  3. Ghost of Elections Past

    The self-righteous babbling by disappointed Bernie supporters upsets me. I’ve seen this type of spitefulness before to help good Democrats lose elections–Jimmy Carter, Al Gore for a few. Sandra Babb’s comment to “grow up” is right on. Bernie supporters who somehow think that they are honoring Bernie by helping Trump get elected are actually pushing Bernie to the side where he will have absolutely no influence in a Republican fascist, racist administration. If HRC wins the presidency, Bernie will continue to have some standing to pressure her policies. Although he is still not willing to call himself a Democrat, he can be a force in the Senate. Do you think Herr Trump will pay any attention to him?

  4. Sour Grapes

    There is no way to know whether the unscrupulous deeds of the Blonde Bimbo and others running the DNC definitively changed the outcome of the Democratic primaries. But with incontrovertible evidence of improprieties via the email hack I am having a hard time swallowing the pill of voting for Hillary. I had convinced myself it was the right thing to do but in the wake of recent events I am leaning towards a “write-in” campaign for Bernie. I honestly don’t believe my conscience will allow me to vote for her now. It is truly sad that politics has sunk to such a despicable level of obscene behavior.

    • Sandra Babb

      Grow up!!

      • Ryan B

        Suck off Sandra Babb. Oh, and Ghost, Hillary cheated. If Trump wins, its because of her, not Bernie or us.

  5. Steve Blake

    Wow, its refreshing to read a progressive comment on this deeply neoliberal publication. What NC desperately needs is a Brand New Congress. Check it out.at http://brandnewcongress.org/

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