No, you can't.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

A conversation I've seen over and over again in the past week or two:



NonSandersSupporter: "Here are some reasons why Sanders would be very unlikely to win and election, and/or would not be able to implement much of what he is proposing even if he did".

SandersSupporter: "In other words, "No We Can't"!"

Moment of baffled mutual incomprehension.



Yes, "No we can't", or at least, "No, we can't in the short term", is a fair and accurate summary of what many of Sanders' critics, including me, are saying about him.

No, pointing that out is not a meaningful argument or refutation. Or, at least, it's not a meaningful argument or refutation unless you take it as an article of faith that all things are possible if you try hard enough. And if your beliefs are faith-based rather than evidence-based, you've already lost.

AS I PASS through my incarnations in every age and race,
I make my proper prostrations to the Gods of the Market Place.
Peering through reverent fingers I watch them flourish and fall,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings, I notice, outlast them all.

We were living in trees when they met us. They showed us each in turn
That Water would certainly wet us, as Fire would certainly burn:
But we found them lacking in Uplift, Vision and Breadth of Mind,
So we left them to teach the Gorillas while we followed the March of Mankind.

We moved as the Spirit listed. They never altered their pace,
Being neither cloud nor wind-borne like the Gods of the Market Place,
But they always caught up with our progress, and presently word would come
That a tribe had been wiped off its icefield, or the lights had gone out in Rome.

With the Hopes that our World is built on they were utterly out of touch,
They denied that the Moon was Stilton; they denied she was even Dutch;
They denied that Wishes were Horses; they denied that a Pig had Wings;
So we worshipped the Gods of the Market Who promised these beautiful things.

Rudyard Kipling, "The Gods of the Copybook Headings" (a poem that goes on to expound some thoroughly unpleasant views, but still a work of genius of the first order)

[99Forever]

1. Just another long winded way of saying "No we can't."

When the actual truth is, if Hillary were honest for a change, she would be saying, "No we won't even try."


WE GET IT.

We don't need spinning excuses to "understand."

Her benefactors have given her instructions as to what they will allow, and that doesn't include helping us prols.


WE GET IT.


That's why We the People are supporting Bernie.

[SamKnause]

2. n/t

FEEL THE BERN

[Donald Ian Rankin]

4. Yes! Yes yes yes!

This is, precisely, a way of saying, "no, we can't, and we won't, and *shouldn't*, try at the moment".

Trying for all or nothing at the moment will result in nothing; the right thing to do at the moment is to settle for some.


Incidentally, your claim that "We the People are supporting Bernie" is not just questionable, it's obviously objectively false. The majority of Democrats are currently supporting Hillary. If you seriously think that only Bernie supporters are people, you have a problem.

[99Forever]

6. Well you certainly have a way of twisting what others say now, don't you?

You really are very special!


Bless your heart!

[farleftlib]

5. Bra-vo

[DanTex]

3. It's become a token if the intellectual emptiness of the Bernie movement.

And also of its hypocrisy. After all, Bernie himself said "no we can't" to reparations, and of course all of his followers immediately agreed with him, smearing anyone who thought that reparations should be included along with single payer in any list of objectives that are politically unlikely and still worthwhile.

If Bernie decided that single payer was a bridge too far at this point in time, his followers would jump right on board with that as well. There's no consistency whatsoever to it, except that whatever Bernie says is correct.

[NurseJackie]

7. It seems that Sanders is the personification or embodiment of their own perfect ideals.

This may help to explain why so many of his supporters will often over-react to even the mildest criticism of Sanders or his policies. Some appear to take it too personally ... as if they themselves, or a member of their family has been brutally attacked (just just a candidate running for public office).

Based on what I've seen, such a mindset ends up being an impediment to a calm and rational discussion. Once the stage has been set, and the tone established, further attempts at dialog are futile.

To me, that's the only explanation that helps me to make sense of it all. So, in that regard, I guess I get-it. But even though I can begin to understand it... it's still something that I can't truly relate to.

[Old Codger]

8. More

Negative trash resisting change and refusing to try means you are content with the status quo. Have a great time in your little dream world...Some of us actually still have hope irrespective of the downers with their constant no, no, no. Yours seems to say that since it cannot happen over night we should not try for anything long term.