Sanders, Perez unity tour is off to a bumpy start

[ehrnst]

The DNC's unity tour this week, headlined jointly by party Chairman Tom Perez and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, has gotten off to a rocky start.

From the "Come Together and Fight Back" tour's kickoff rally in Maine on Monday, Democrats witnessed that old habits die hard.

When the leader of the Maine Young Democrats asked the crowd what brought them to the rally, the audience erupted in "Bernie" cheers.

The leader followed up by asking, "Maybe you came through because you are curious about the new DNC chairman and the future of Democratic politics?" — and the crowd cut her off with boos.

Things moved downhill quickly from there.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/19/politics/bernie-sanders-tom-perez-unity-tour/index.html

[femmocrat]

1. Is anyone else a little disappointed in Perez so far?

We don't have time for "rocky starts." I wish he would have put more time and energy into James Thompson's race in KS, and possibly Ossoff's in GA, instead of running around trying to make nice with Bernie and his supporters. Yes, it would be great to come together, but if they aren't interested, let's move on already!

At this point, I think it is way more important to put everything into those special elections and upcoming primaries.

[ehrnst]

2. I am more disappointed in the people who came to a unity tour to boo Democrats.

But yes, I think that Perez is going way above and beyond dealing with this.

[Bucky]

26. Thank you

I hope Bernie demands his supporters grow the hell up.

When I was a youngun, I saw a video of Pierre Trudeau turn a chorus of boos against Ronald Reagan into cheers of welcome by appealing to the crowd to show their Canadian spirit. It a was a deft and brilliant moment. It's the gold standard or leadership. You don't have to agree with someone to find common ground and demonstrate civility.

[Fresh_Start]

27. +1 nt

nt

[Me.]

5. Agreed

[KittyWampus]

12. He had to completely restaff the DNC. Maybe you consider that before speaking about diappointment.

[ehrnst]

13. That is a normal occurance when the leadership changes and was started before he was elected

"This is longstanding precedent at the DNC and has happened during multiple chair transitions," DNC spokeswoman Xochitl Hinojosa said. "The process was started before the election of the new chair. From the beginning, Tom has been adamant that we structure the DNC for future campaigns. Current and future DNC staff will be integral to that effort."

Maybe you consider that before phrasing your sentence that way.


http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/28/politics/dnc-tom-perez-staff-resignation-letters/

[KittyWampus]

21. Excuse me? Perez can't magically make things happen until there's staff in place at the DNC.

And I have posted about stuff the DNC has done and it sinks like a rock.

[Demsrule86]

14. This unity tour will not work...and should be abandoned as quickly as possible.

start working on elections...both special elections and the ones coming in 18.

[BannonsLiver]

16. Yeah blame the guy that's getting booed by irrational people

Makes a lot of sense.

[KPN]

28. Yup.

At least he's using Bernie -- that's a good thing.

[Cha]

3. Yeah, more divisive shite.. probably would have been

much better if Tom Perez and Keith Ellison were doing it instead.

They're friends.

[BannonsLiver]

17. And what's more, they're Democrats

[Cha]

18. Right! Hello!

[MoonRiver]

19. I agree. Bernie isn't a Democrat. He has openly stated this.

Pretending otherwise is not just fruitless, it's destructive.

[Tom Rinaldo]

4. What does it say if the Maine Young Democrats turn out a crowd that likes Bernie?

I think it means that the Democratic Party has more work to do with young voters AND that it makes sense for Perez to be out there on this tour with Bernie making those connections. I don't like CNN's choice of headline but I don't the expect media to write headlines that I approve of.

[SticksnStones]

9. The crowd doesn't give the impression of wanting to be worked with

Rather the impression is they'd like to be handed the keys to the Democratic Party...

[KPN]

29. You're correct about that in a way. Young people are fed up with

a two party system that has let them down economically. They don't believe the two parties are working for them. So they are doing the only rational thing to do, working to change the party or change the two party system. The ball's now in the Democratic Party's court. Bernie has brought them to the party. How are we going to play this? Push them away or make some concessions to them and actually support an economic agenda that has a chance of providing a secure future for today's young people (but the window's closing on that chance -- we don't have a lot of time).

So yeah. They want the keys to the party because they don't trust the past leadership to look out for them. I think they've got it right.

[Demsrule86]

15. Honestly, it means nothing.

We saw last year how crowds do not turn into votes...we need to roll up our sleeves and get to work. If people don't vote Democratic with Trump...especially young people who are now being screwed with student loan Obama protections gone then there is no point...end this tour and get work.

[KPN]

31. LOL. You are right.

It means nothing if we as a party are not genuine in supporting and fighting for their interests (as we haven't done in the last 25 years which has led us to the current state we are in). Yep, lets just keep doing the same ol' same ol'.

[Demsrule86]

41. Everything you said in your post is untrue and against Democrats.

Vote Democratic. And crowds don't translate into votes.

[ehrnst]

64. I can think of a lot of things the party has done in the last 25 years

Perhaps you don't follow the news. You may want to go elsewere to bash the Democrats.

Women’s Rights

Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
Protection against pay discrimination
Restores interpretation of Title VII of Civil Rights Act that protected women and other workers

Financial Rights

Credit CARD Act
Prevents retroactive rate increases
Requires companies to provide 45 days notice before changing rates and other contract provisions
Additional restrictions placed on fees
Prevents companies from taking advantage of students
Ends unfair double-cycle billing practices
Financial reform bill
Establishes Consumer Financial Protection Bureau which seeks solely to ensure financial institutions are being fair to consumers, and improvement in the simplicity in contracts
Prevents taxpayer bail out of financial institutions
Allows the GAO to audit the Federal Reserve
Various mortgage and derivatives reform, etc.

Education

Student loans[1]
Ends “socialistic” federal subsidies to banks and other financial institutions (Interestingly, Republicans are okay with the kind of socialism that redirects taxpayer money to banks and other financial institutions.)
Eliminates unnecessary “middle-man” in student loan process, which placed financial burden on taxpayers while banks took in profits
Annual student loan payment capped at 10% of income
Saves an estimated $61 billion over 10 years

Health Care

Children’s health insurance bill[2]
CBO said bill will allow states to cover more than four million uninsured children by 2013, in addition to seven million already covered
Requires states to provide dental and mental illness coverage to children
Tobacco regulation
Provides graphic warnings on tobacco use risks
Restricts advertising to prevent marketing to minors
Health care reform
Insurers cannot cancel coverage when a person gets sick
Requires health insurance corporations to cover preexisting conditions
Eliminates lifetime limits
Allows insurance purchase across state lines
Allows young adults to stay on parents’ health insurance policy until 26

Crime & Civil Rights

Hate crime legislation[4]
Provides protection for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people
Tribal Law and Order Act
Provide additional means to reduce high rates of violent crime, including rape & sexual assualt within Native American reservations
View the rescuetruth.com post on the Tribal Law and Order Act


More:

http://rescuetruth.com/politics/42-democratic-accomplishments-you-may-not-know-about/

[Proud Liberal Dem]

20. What more do you think that they want?

The DNC is not going to install Bernie as head of the DNC, nor are they going to anoint Bernie the next Presidential candidate. Nor are they go to adopt 100% of Bernie's agenda in the platform (which is already Bernie-heavy). And not all Democratic candidates running in every single state or every single race are going to be Bernie clones. So, what exactly does the Democratic Party/DNC need to do to make young Democrats/Bernie supporters happy/enthusiastic enough to vote for Democratic candidates next year and the year after that and so on............? There's only so much they can pander to the Bernie crowd before we might as well just call it the "Bernie Party".

[ehrnst]

23. A party with a white straight cis male centric agenda is not the Democratic Party

Last edited Thu Apr 20, 2017, 03:38 PM - Edit history (1)

that has become the big tent that it is.

When did the lefty "YOU WILL NOT DISSENT FROM WHAT OUR LEADER SAYS" minority get the idea that this was progressive?

Because yes, when he talks about "universal issues" he brings up being a white working class man, and contrasts them with mere "identity politics" and "social issues" that don't affect white straight cisgender men.

[Kentonio]

53. A 'white straight cis male centric agenda'?

Is that supposed to be a fucking joke? You're leveling that shit at a man who supported gay rights since the 70's and racial equality and womans rights for even longer?

[ehrnst]

55. Not a joke.

http://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a9203970/democrats-abortion-economic-justice/

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/bernie-sanders-democrats-identity-politics-231710


http://observer.com/2016/02/black-congressional-leader-says-bernie-sanders-has-a-very-troubling-record/

http://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2015/10/05/bernie_sanders_on_marriage_equality_he_s_no_longtime_champion.html

I find it interesting that Bernie can level that kind of "You're not a progressive" sh*t, as you like to call it, at other progressive senators who don't vote for a symbolic short amendment on a bill concerning drugs from Canada. Corey Booker, for crying out loud.

[KPN]

32. How about go all in on 100% free higher education at publkic universities in every State

and nationally?

How about going all in for a single-payer health plan ... every frigging Democratic candidate?

How about going all in on consumer protection and financial industry regulation?

How about making "global warming" and sustainable energy the party's number one priority?

How about go all in on enforcing anti-trust laws? .... The list goes on.

What else? Are you kidding?

[Demsrule86]

43. You know we lost in 2016...so my vision is to regain some

power as soon as possible and save the courts...these things were on the table in 16 and we lost anyway...so please spare me the impossible dream of policy that we can not do now for sure...and if we don't win will never be able to do ...plus we need to save all we have attained for 100 years. I am sick of the attacks on the Democratic Party...you want to get rid of Trump vote Democratic period. I am not willing to twist my self in knots...for those who don't recognize true evil.

[ehrnst]

57. Because you can't make everything the top priority. There is only 100% to give.

But throwing social justice issues and women's reproductive health on the back burner in the service of what one Senator thinks is the economic plan that will make everything else "right" is not an option.

Single Payer was defeated in Colorado in November, and failed in Vermont. Until there is some analysis on lessons learned, and you can get the white working class male nationalists in this country to magically not hate and despise all things big government, expanding the ACA is the closest thing we have to universal health care - and right now that's on life support, and needs CPR, not repeal. By the way - Medicare is not single payer, most developed countries achieve universal health care coverage in multi-payer systems, and Canada didn't get federal single payer until all the provinces did so independently over a period of 20 years, then a very liberal adminstration made it a federal payer in 1964, and it was still being tweaked and developed in 1999. So we're not going to get single payer like Canada did, and certainly not in the space of even two administrations. OK?

So, yeah, sometimes you grab the low hanging fruit, because there is no ladder. That's not selling out, that's just doing what is possible with what you have.

Right now, yes, many of those things are being dismantled. The fact that we are fighting fires in many different places does not mean that we have given up on building that brand new city.

But to call anyone that isn't working on that brand new city right now in the midst of an all out battle to save even our government agencies "Corporate shills" or "Progressives in Name only" is shooting ourselves in the foot.

[Tom Rinaldo]

39. Dialog is a good starting point, and this tour is a good starting point for dialog

There are lots of cliches about the idealism of youth and the wisdom of experience etc. etc. And others about the young being open to change and the old being set in their ways etc. etc.

I see it as a positive thing when the Chair of the DNC speaks to a crowd of young left of center activists even if everyone isn't necessarily starting out on the same page. I give Tom Perez credit for doing this.

[Demsrule86]

44. The tour is a disaster and should be ended...we don't need

interviews where the Democratic party is trashed.

[ehrnst]

63. The tour is tanking fast:

https://newrepublic.com/article/142152/bernie-sanderss-unity-tour-failed/

[Demsrule86]

65. It should...we have to get on with working to stop Trump

I feel that we put out a strong message, work hard and not worry about unity anymore...too much shite going on... and when the DNC party co-chair Keith Ellison ( I like Keith but...) criticizes a popular Democratic president like Obama...it has gone to far.

[Blue_Tires]

6. Somebody please tell me this shit didn't really happen...

Link to tweet

[Cha]

7. So deluded.

[KPN]

33. Well we know that Hillary didn't. So ... delusional?

Maybe, but we'll never know will we? My opinion is maybe Bernie would have won -- but I also don't know that that's true. Just an opinion, like yours.

[Blue_Tires]

40. it's just the principle of it

that stunt is the entirely wrong message to send at a supposed "unity" conference...

[Demsrule86]

45. Neither Hillary nor Bernie will be on the 2020 ballot.

Thus who cares who would have won or who wouldn't have won...time to move into the future and leave 2016 behind.

[m-lekktor]

8. Geee. That's too bad. nt

[fun n serious]

10. A message that has a boogie man you can hate on is always better than planned policy detail

to most voters. It's sad. Anger is an emotion and people react to emotion easier than they do reason.

[KPN]

34. It's what brought Trump the White House. No?

[fun n serious]

38. Yep.

That is why I say it's sad. Emotion Trumps logic. Bernie had the same tactic. Be mad, hate this, hate that...

[Ezior]

11. What's wrong with them?

"Maybe you came through because you are curious about the new DNC chairman and the future of Democratic politics?" — and the crowd cut her off with boos

That is horrible.

As a European leftist, of course I hoped during the primaries that Bernie would win because he promoted all that European hippie stuff. :-D Then Hillary won, so of course I hoped she'd win the general election because out of the 2 candidates, she was the left-leaning one!

How can you support Bernie and boo the DNC / democratic party at the same time? That is so dumb! DEMOCRATS ARE NOT YOUR ENEMIES! Republicans are!

[flamingdem]

24. Let's be careful here, if a handful of people are jerks it can be used to promote negative memes

about the Democratic Party.

Who wants to take Perez down?

Trump

Who wants to take Bernie down?

That's a bit more complex but the truth is that we all need to stand together NOW

[KPN]

35. That is a rational view.

[FSogol]

22. K & R. n/t

[mfcorey1]

25. And this is what will split the party and cause us to lose election

after election. The split sad. If we don't find some fresh faces for the 2020 election, we are f*%#!

[GulfCoast66]

37. Lots of good Democrats do not agree with you

I do not support universal basic income, free college education for everyone, nor Medicare for all because there are many was to insure guaranteed health care, which I do agree with. Could care less about weed but would most likely vote for it.

And I notice in your list de jour there was no mention of race, gender or sexual orientation. I consider those pretty important issue as well.

And I will vote in the primaries for candidates who support my position. Of course I will vote for any Democratic candidate in the general.

And there are many, maybe even a majority like me. Maybe not on DU but certainly in the Democratic electorate as a whole not to mention the electorate as a whole.



Have a nice afternoon

[GulfCoast66]

47. I have not and will not call you names

I agree we need to focus on the economy and economic issues. Especially wealth inequality. And I think we win by promoting the right to health care not the right to buy insurance if we can afford it.

But we have to realize that the most difficult compromises are the ones we make with our own party as exhibited by the republicans dumpster fire over health care.

We may both support universal health care but may fight to the death over what shape it takes. No one loved the ACA but it was all that comprise allowed and because of it most Americans see health care as a right. The republicans just do not realize it yet. At least the pee party ones. Their Senators know it well.

Unfortunately we live in a polarized world and comprises is seen as bad.

[GulfCoast66]

50. I am happy to call the republicans names!!

Nice back and forth. Have a great day.

[Justice]

66. Completely misstated. Here is correct statement

The Sanders side wants to focus on income inequality and universal healthcare. No social issues.

The Clinton side wants to focus on income inequality, strengthening ACA AND social issues.

I think Warren is on Clinton side, frankly.

[tonedevil]

36. Can Democrats learn...

to appeal to a crowd? It was quite obvious that Senator Sanders was who the crowd was excited about. The attempt to turn attention to someone else fell predictably flat. A wise man once said "Democrats want to fall in love; Republicans just fall in line.” At this point I would be really happy if we rank and file Democrats could be allowed to fall in love and not keep being pestered to fall in line.
I am quite aware that common wisdom here would have it that the crowd was disrespectful to the speaker by booing. For my part I think the speaker needed to be more respectful of the audience. Perhaps this: "Maybe you came through because you are curious about the new DNC chairman and the future of Democratic politics?" was meant to transition back to the agenda at hand and I can see that is legitimate. The abrupt nature of the transition caused a rift in the crowd that should be avoided.

[Demsrule86]

46. Sen. Sanders will not be on the 2020 ballot nor will Hillary Clinton.

And that is a good thing...we will have new candidates and hopefully crush the GOP.

[tonedevil]

49. On that...

we completely agree.

[Demsrule86]

51. So let's not worry about the past!

[tonedevil]

52. Are you saying...

I am?

[Demsrule86]

59. No...just a general comment...I think we have a chance to take the house.

Lets roll...

[Charles Bukowski]

54. The 80,000 votes that caused HRC to lose

Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan can easily be attained without making desperate attempts to unite with people who clearly have no interest in doing so.

Cancel this tour and tell the independent from Vermont to take a hike already, sheesh. He bashes Democrats with all the gusto of a Republican anyway.

[YOHABLO]

56. Is this site a big 'D' discussion or a little 'd' discussion? Never quite understood.

[DeminPennswoods]

58. What Dems need to do

is stop pandering to Bernie. If he wants to work with Dems, fine. If not, that's fine too, Dems will move on without him.

[ehrnst]

61. Yeah, the tour is already tanking

https://newrepublic.com/article/142152/bernie-sanderss-unity-tour-failed

[Vesper]

60. Just saw this on twitter.

[link:https://mobile.twitter.com/GOP/status/855156662965084161|

The GOP is now chortling over this? Come on now.

This is just bad politics, and deeply petty and immature on all sides.

[NastyRiffraff]

68. "...nobody tells Bernie Sanders what to do.

Per Sanders' former press secretary, Symone Sanders (no relation):

Symone Sanders, who was Sanders’s campaign press secretary (no relation), said her former boss does want to bring Democrats together, but acknowledged that his focus is to push progressive policies. “He told all y’all,” she said. “He’s not a Democrat. He’s an independent who cares about the issues.” Moreover, Sanders has no patience for the tightly scripted messaging that might have benefited a tour as delicate as this one. “Nobody puts baby in the corner,” she joked, “and nobody tells Bernie Sanders what to do.”

In retrospect, she said, “Maybe Bernie Sanders isn’t the guy for the unity tour.”
via New Republic

Yeah, maybe he isn't.