Black and Wordy.com: What the Sanders Unelectability Argument Says About Black Lives

[grasswire]

http://blackandwordy.com/2016/02/01/what-the-bernie-sanders-what-the-bernie-sanders-unelectability-argument-says-about-black-lives/


When we were inflamed with President Obama’s “Hope” and “Change” campaign, we rejected many of the notions that said President Obama was unelectable, and when we were asked if America was ready for a black president we responded with a resounding, “yes”.

But now we face a new question: is America ready to vote for a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, who explicitly and openly critiques the structural inequalities within capitalism, and advocates for policies that are directed towards the poor, middle class and Black Americans?

The polls say yes.

Perhaps we should change the narrative: A politician who does not believe healthcare is a human right is unelectable, a politician who votes for preemptive war is unelectable, a politician who supports policies that lead to mass incarceration is unelectable.

[99th_Monkey]

1. KnR - Good one grasswire.

"We live in an America where people have to be explicitly reminded that #blacklivesmatter, we live in America where it is unordinary for a presidential candidate to advocate for health care as a human right, and we live in an America where it’s unusual for a presidential candidate to critique capitalism for all of its inherent inequities. We live in an America where advocating for expanding access to higher education is “radical”.

A candidate advocating for change and equality shouldn’t be castigated as radical; the candidate should be propagated as the standard."

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Thanks I subed to the blog

and lord knowns I usually do not

[Uncle Joe]

3. That's an excellent article.

Thanks for the thread, grasswire.

[grasswire]

4. it is very thought provoking, isn't it? nt

[Betty Karlson]

5. That is one stinging rebuke to the (1%) 'common wisdom'.

Love every word.

[Paka]

6. K&R

[LiberalLovinLug]

7. Highly K & R!

I wish everyone on DU would read this.

When people say Bernie Sanders’ ideas are not politically viable, what they are really saying is:

Satisfying the needs of the people his policies would support is not politically viable, therefore, we should not vote for him.

Not only does this language illegitimize the needs of those people, but the language implies there is something unviable about those people—at least politically.

Ex-fricken-actly!

[highprincipleswork]

8. Big K and R

[PatrickforO]

9. Very nice. Smacks of truth.

[Hydra]

10. I need to read this later

But the essence of the Establishment Dems' arguments always screams at me that most of us just don't matter to them except as votes and support to exploit.

Their rallying cry this year is: "No we can't! And we don't care!"

[grasswire]

11. yes, this is one to file away and re-read

I'm going to do that myself.

[grasswire]

12. interesting how the usual critics of my posts are silent about this.

crickets.

[MisterP]

13. they're already starting to turn on BLM

it was hunky-dory to ride kids shot in the back when some non-affiliates were shoving Sanders around--but BLM quickly found its way into the Clinton campaign events (for $500 a pop now) and now we're not "permitted" to even mention BLM on DU; now pointing out that Clinton's the only candidate they *have* to protest is "not caring about AAs until you could use them as campaign fodder"

they honestly think DU's just as bad as a Trump rally

so why do they keep coming here?

[grasswire]

15. hmmm?

Hillary DU-ers think that BLM peeps only have Clinton to protest? I don't quite understand what you are saying. Please tell me more.

[MisterP]

17. oh, now that BLM's repeatedly protesting Clinton (since, y'know, they still have to),

the Clintonistas say now it's exploiting BLM to bring that up!

[grasswire]

18. oh, okay. thanks. nt

[Hydra]

19. Team Hill was pretending BLM were their BFFs until they were no longer politically useful

Now if BLM comes up in discussion, they say it's a smear and how dare those ungrateful firewall people be uppity and talk about issues Clinton doesn't want to.

I suggested from the beginning that Team Hill was using them and would drop the social justice support ASAP. Sucks being right.

[MisterP]

20. they're saying DU didn't care about racial issues until "our candidate was insulted" and now

it's shameful, SHAMEFUL how we Berniebros are DARING to bring up BLM after how we, well, we didn't actually attack them, and we're not "bros"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511368075
http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511364733
http://www.democraticunderground.com/118743179
http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511355655

IOW they're *literally trying to discredit BLM protests*

[Hydra]

21. They've said as much

Basically, "BLM doesn't matter now."

After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I remembered this is all a game to them- screw the people who are suffering.

People first. That's why I started fighting the Hillary campaign from the start- for them, it's money and power first.

[libtodeath]

14. Bernie is the best choice for all of us together.

[grasswire]

16. yes. Thus the US in his rhetoric.

US

All.

[LiberalLovinLug]

22. K again

It deserves it.

[grasswire]

23. thanks! nt

[grasswire]

24. well, 893 people have read this OP. So that's good. nt