How Bernie Sanders Exposed the Democrats’ Racial Rift

[YoungDemCA]

Excellent Politico article.

Though it might offend his uber-progressive supporters to hear this, the Sanders insurgency is largely a white revolution. All the talk about Sanders representing the future of the Democratic Party because of his overwhelming popularity among young people leaves out an important caveat: He couldn’t persuade minority voters to sign on. In many ways a Sanders victory, propelled by the least diverse states in the nation, would have been a step backward in American race relations. Now that Hillary Clinton has laid claim convincingly to the nomination with decisive wins in California and New Jersey, the party—and Bernie’s supporters—are at a crossroads. If they insist on maintaining their purist divide from Clinton, they will create a rift in the party that’s not just ideological, but racial.

Sanders coming from seemingly nowhere to seriously challenge Clinton while drawing historically large and enthusiastic crowds has soaked up much of the attention in the Democratic race, making it feel as though he’s hit a chord that resonates throughout the party. But his brand of idealism has been rejected by the majority of minority voters—Clinton won every contest with at least a 10 percent black population, except Michigan, and each state where Latinos make up at least 10 percent of eligible voters, except Colorado, according to Harry Enten of FiveThirtyEight.com. On top of that, they have been mocked by some Sanders supporters for supposedly “voting against their self-interest” because they refuse to believe a political revolution is at hand. That has been particularly galling to black voters who had to endure claims from conservatives in 2008 that they were voting for Barack Obama only because of race—even though they had spent their entire adult lives voting mostly for white presidential candidates. Now their preference for Clinton’s brand of pragmatism, something they’ve seen result in real progress time and again, is being questioned as well, this time by fellow Democrats.

Nate Silver at FiveThirtyEight.com has shown that Clinton’s victories look much more like the Democratic Party—which, with a projected 54 percent white vote this year, will be majority-minority long before the country is—than do Sanders’ wins. Even in Sanders’ upset in Michigan, pundits were claiming he had made a breakthrough with black voters because he lost them only by 35 percent points. And exit polling data in Nevada that showed him edging Clinton among Hispanics is widely suspected to be wrong, given where Clinton racked up votes in that state.

Minority voters have been watching in horror as millions of Republican voters choose Trump either because of, or despite, his open bigotry. The Sanders supporters who toy with the idea of shunning Clinton in November and allowing Trump to become president to force a revolution that Sanders couldn’t deliver are playing with fire. To minority voters, Trump’s candidacy feels like an existential threat. It’s one thing for Republicans to either ignore or embrace his racism; the party already seems unwilling or incapable of making the kinds of adjustments it must to attract more non-white voters. It’s quite another for white Democrats to not appreciate how liberal minorities feel about the possibility of a Trump presidency and what that would say about the state of racial progress in America. It would be a slap in the face, the latest sign that a kind of white privilege—throwing a temper tantrum because they don’t get their way despite how much it hurts people of color—is deeply rooted within liberal, Democratic ranks as well.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/06/2016-bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-democrats-race-racial-divide-213948#ixzz4BlPY6r17

[tonyt53]

1. It isn't a Democrats racial rift" though.

Most Democrats are Democrats to the core. Those are the people that backed Hillary in the primaries. Bernie Sanders is the one that wrote off minority voters and their impact on elections. Bernie Sander supporters mostly align with independents. I would rather state that the Sanders campaign exposed the still simmering racial divides in this country, but without saying out loud. he doesn't have a very diverse group of supporters as a whole. The Democrat party looks like a rainbow, and I'm proud to be standing under it.

[freebrew]

2. Opinions are just that...

stating it as fact is just wrong.

You're just stating what the HRC campaign wants people to believe.
And a lot of independents were Democrats that became disillusioned with the corporate love.

[tonyt53]

3. Sorry to pop your bubble, but I form my own opinions.

Since you said that, I can say that Bernie told you he was going to give you free stuff, and you took that bait. Only problem is that things are a bit more complex than Bernie says they are.

[freebrew]

4. Bubble?

Not sure why you think Bernie Sanders supporters are stupid.
No one promised any free stuff. That's total Republican propaganda and doesn't belong here.
Sanders has many economists on his side. Oh, but you're a businessman. That explains a LOT.

Opinions are like assholes...

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

8. Wait...he didn't promise free college education? Hmmm....

[JustAnotherGen]

13. He did

And don't engage the intruders.

[freebrew]

15. So that's your free stuff?

College is an important step in advancing the nation.
JFK's idea was that an educated populace is important to keep up with other nations.
It used to be part of National Security until the Rs made fun of smart people.

So, no, I don't consider free college as 'free stuff' it's important for the country.

This whole thread is just more demonizing of Sen. Sanders.
I've yet to see ANY HRC supporter give a valid reason why they've voted for her.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

16. Can't say I disagree, but the claim was that

B.S. didn't push for free college. My response was that he clearly did. Just setting the record straight, not in disagreement with that idea. However my issue is HOW he would be able to get that idea implemented into law. He was never clear on that, so that was always my issue.

[freebrew]

17. Thanks for the civil response...

my take was that increasing some of the higher income tax rates, removing some deductions for corporations would
help pay for some of it. Reducing waste in the MIC would be a good start, but no one will be able to do that for a while.

His idea of a revolution was, to me, removing some of the teabaggers from congress
and start electing representatives for the people.
Reversing CU would be a good start along with some of his other ideas about voting.
I understand the 'new' DNC is now considering some of this.
As a Dem since I could vote(I'm old), I find this news encouraging.

[Human101948]

29. "Free" stuff, college or whatever, is a Republican right wing frame...

When you use it, you are supporting the Republican meme that 47% percent of the voters are freeloaders.

Educated, informed people know that in many other countries they don't have to go bankrupt to get healthcare and they don't have to mortgage their future with education loans. And they know it isn't free--it's paid for by the taxes that are collected.

But every time you repeat that right wing meme you weaken the faith that people have in government, as well as the belief in the common good, a Democratic Party tenet.

[brush]

18. How about Bernie who? An independent from a small, nearly all-white state . . .

who all of a sudden joins the party to use its brand to get name recognition and national TV exposure on the debates. Then he ignored all the black voters in the early southern primaries as not being important enough to go after. And he brought on Cornell West, not well liked in the AA community because of his vile attacks against Obama, as a surrogate.

Are those reasons enough for ya?

[freebrew]

20. All that is spin from the other side...

Bernie ignored no one.
This is over. You'll reap what you've sown.

Maybe, just maybe, things will get better.

But, it's my belief that those needing help the most, won't get it from
the next president. I hope I'm wrong.

It's too bad the Democratic party excludes so many people today.

[romana]

21. What?

The Democratic Party under President Obama is more inclusive than any other national party. The Obama coalition looks like America, in all it's colorful, messy, bickering, beautiful glory.

[freebrew]

25. Tell that to the independents that didn't get to vote..

for their choice of candidates. All Democratic primaries should be open, IMO.

The party can claim support from all of our colorful citizens.
When it comes to helping them out, well, maybe later.

And, sorry, the Obama coalition has looked like all of the other presidencies.
Ideas and ideologies don't come with a skin color.

[romana]

27. Or

They could register as Democrats. If there's a party candidate you care enough about, you can join that party, vote for them, and help build it.

Nobody is keeping Independents out of the party except themselves. It's disingenuous to suggest otherwise, and honestly, you mock the real voter suppression that's going on, and blaming the wrong people for the wrong reasons.

[freebrew]

34. Register? ...

that's bull. This is SUPPOSED to be the Democratic party.

All are welcome. I have never registered as Democrat.
My state doesn't require it.
I've been Dem since I could vote, About 50 years.

I'm not mocking anyone. There are all sorts of voter problems, this is just one.

And I'm done here.

[mercuryblues]

33. No.

If you want to vote in the Democratic primaries, to have a say in who their nominee should be then join the party. It is free to do so.

When I registered to vote I asked the registrar about the independent option. She politely told me I could choose any party I wanted to, but if I chose independent I would not be allowed to vote in the primaries. That was important to me so I chose D.

If voting in the Democratic primary is important to you, choose the D party. When the GE rolls around you can vote for whomever you want.

I wonder how far left the D party would move if all the independents registered D to vote in the primaries.

If they think the are making a statement by registering I or punishing the D party for not being progressive enough for them, they are only hurting themselves. The primaries are where the candidates are selected and if they want more progressive candidates they position themselves to be able to vote for them. Again it is free.

If they want to register Independent, Green, or Libertarian vote in their primaries to select a nominee. Voting in the D primary is not a consolation prize.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

9. He said it loudly, though. He said that the smarter voters were in the North and West. Now, that's

dog whistle, subtle racial politics because the vast majority of Democratic voters in the American South are black Americans. Again, we are NOT stupid voters. When statements like this are made, we know fully well what is meant.

The problem that Bernie faced is that when he got to the North and Western state primaries, he fared no better. Black voters STILL rejected him outright. As did women, Hispanics, Asians and other traditionally *DEMOCRATIC PARTY* voters. I don't care what anyone says, Bernie's statements (and those from some of his ardent supporters) were outright racist--sometimes subtle, but sometimes very explicit.

We are not dumb people. We know what this shit means when people are making these statements.

[Human101948]

31. When did he say that "the smarter voters were in the North and West?"

I remember some Bernie supporters saying that the Southern states would not vote for the Democratic candidate but I did not see any quotes about them AA's being dumb. Maybe I missed it?

[Jennylynn]

28. Troll

No true Democrat would refer to us as the Democrat Party. Gives it away every time. Nice try.

[Larkspur]

5. Whites are still the majority in the nation

So it should not be a surprise that Bernie got a lot of support from whites.

You can argue that blacks supported Clinton because Obama gave a lot of winks and nods as to who he wanted as his successor. So the argument can be made that blacks sided with HRC because Obama indicated to them that HRC would support Obama's legacy.

Obama and HRC are pro-corporate Democrats with deep access to Wall Street. That is what unifies them even if HRC supporters want to deny it.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

7. WRONG! Black voters aren't stupid. We are not TOLD HOW to vote. Try again and stop with the

condescension. You are in a protected group.

[uponit7771]

36. Or, black people couldn't stand him having a person who called Obama a form of nigger last

... year stump for him in front of white people?!

Do you understand how condescending your post is?

tia

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

6. Many of us people of color here at DU have been making these arguments from the very beginning and

were essentially told that we had Stockholm Syndrome; that we didn't know what was best for us; that only Bernie is the genuine champion of civil rights; that if we didn't support B.S., then we're stupid, ignorant, don't know politics. The amount of racism and disrespect has been absolutely mind-boggling, many of us have been FFR's, suspended, any time we took those racist remarks to task. I know this very well. If we dared say anything to defend ourselves, it was alerted on. Some folks are still on suspension for speaking out loudly...and truthfully! The Admins. did nothing to stop it.

[SusanCalvin]

10. A Bernie supporter agrees. nt

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

11. Thank you!!

[SusanCalvin]

12. Well, it was obvious to the most casual observer,

as my mom would say.

[Number23]

14. And we've got 2-3 black people who do absolutely nothing but love to run around DU acting as though

all of this was something that the black posters here made up in our heads. That the alert stalking wasn't real. That the kicking and rec'ing of racist/sexist posts by WillyT, MannyGoldstein and others never existed. Even when Skinner himself came out and said that even he could see that there was a problem, they still tried to act like we were all making this up.

I don't understand people like this and I pray that I don't have to come in contact with anyone like this enough to have to. We all saw what happened. We all saw how black posters and clued in whites (geek tragedy, joshcryer and others immediately come to mind and they too were Sanders supporters) got hidden right and left for trying to get people to understand how clueless, paternalistic and downright hostile they were being.

Now Sanders' campaign has gone down in flames for the EXACT SAME REASONS that the people in this forum said that it would and people are still hostile or pretending that we made everything up in order to try to salve their wounds from their candidate's spectacular fail in this primary. It's absolutely astonishing.

[brush]

19. Woohoo! That's how to tell 'em.

[zappaman]

23. All of this.

[Quayblue]

24. Yep.

People that they were just gonna roll up and tell folks what to do and how to do it.

What happened? Blexit. And props to uponit for this term. I literally lol'd.

[lovemydog]

37. Yes, it's true.

We've been talking here for a long time about these exact issues. One of the first things we discussed here and in the Barack Obama group, shortly after Sanders announced his candidacy, was how difficult it would be for him to get the large majority of Obama coalition behind his candidacy in large enough numbers to beat Clinton, who helped campaign for President Obama and who served as his Secretary of State.

There were a lot of nasty paternalistic posts from anti-Clinton and pro-Sanders people. To me now, it's all water under the bridge. I haven't forgotten how ignorant they were though, they were so full of righteous scorn and wishful thinking. It most definitely opened my eyes to ignorance and hate and white privilege that can exist among people who call themselves 'progressive' or more precisely 'more progressive than thou.' I've even stopped using the term progressive because it sickened me so much. I now call myself liberal. Attacking people online for not being 'progressive enough' has got to be one of the stupidest wastes of time I can possibly imagine.

Another thing the Sanders campaign has taught me (and I blame his most rabid supporters more than I blame Bernie) is that one doesn't convince others by berating and insulting them at every turn. I've also found that I prefer talking with my friends here in this group over talking with some dangerously hysterical people in other groups who seem to rack up thousands of posts with nothing but hatred and scorn for every liberal who actually spends their entire lives trying to make the world a better place.

Ah well, it's over now. I do hope his campaign has sparked some good things among those who supported him. Primarily, the desire to get involved to improve the political system by running for local and state and congressional elections. And by interacting with many more people like us, who recognize that social issues and political and economic issues are largely about treating others with dignity and respect.

[jazzwinders]

35. I agree

[ismnotwasm]

22. Hot damn

Why? Because many white Democratic voters missed the sentiment shared among black Obama voters in 2008 that, once again, the “first black” was being handed a seemingly impossible task—two ground wars, a collapsing economy, a record deficit—and if he wasn’t able to perform a miracle, it would not only be his failure, but that of black people in general. To downplay what he has been able to achieve despite the obstacles, which also included an unprecedented level of obstruction from the GOP, confirms a fear shared by many people of color—Democratic or otherwise—that no matter what they achieve, it will never be enough. Sanders and Susan Sarandon may sincerely believe things are so awful only a revolution can heal the country’s ills. But their overwrought rhetoric, and no more than lukewarm support of Obama’s accomplishments, taps into that deeply-held frustration among minorities.

[diligent sleeper]

26. Informed voters

I thought support for Bernie was mainly about informed voters.

He had significant non-white support among the youth.

If people didn't join on after supposedly hearing Hillary's and Bernie's position, its not his fault.

https://therulingclassobserver.wordpress.com/2016/06/25/of-labels-the-doors-of-perception/

[emulatorloo]

38. Enough with the "AA voters are ignorant because they won't vote for Bernie" bullshit.

Oh, and welcome to Du!