The DNC has the legal right to kick Bernie out of the party.

[Exilednight]

If he's so damaging to Hillary, why haven't they tossed him from the party?

People on this very board keep calling for him to drop out, and then proceed to tell us he's not a "real Democrat".

Why did they allow him to join the party in the first place, and why haven't they booted him yet?

[desmiller]

1. one word: BACKLASH

[nc4bo]

2. I have the feeling it would be epic and damaging. nt

[desmiller]

6. my thoughts exactly.

[silvershadow]

53. It would be far worse than putting up with us FDR/Union Labor types that were the party

long before Third Way.

[nc4bo]

60. Why don't they just do it! Just do it!

They keep saying how grateful he should be for being allowed to run D.

They've treated him like crap since day 1.

They make up stuff and swiftboat.

Come on Debbie and Hillary and Barbara - toss him out!!

[silvershadow]

72. They can't, and they know it. They would destroy the party. nt

[bkkyosemite]

76. Yes

[scscholar]

19. For someone that parchuted in at the last minute?

He only did it to take our money. There would be no backlash.

[Ed Suspicious]

78. This guy wants us to think he gets it.

He doesn't get it.

[Peace Patriot]

83. "Our money"? How much did you donate to Bernie?

Or do you consider MY money which I am giving exclusively to the Sanders campaign, along with millions of other people, YOUR money or Clinton's money? I guarantee you, she would NEVER get my donation. Clinton's pockets are plenty padded with scads of money from the enemies of the American people and of Mother Earth. So my money is my money, get it? Not yours. Not hers. And would never be hers. And I can only guess but I'm pretty sure that that is true of other Sanders donors as well. It is WHY we donate to Sanders, because she's taking millions of dollars from bankster thieves, health care profiteers, fossil fuel profiteers and war profiteers.

As for the corrupt Clinton machine throwing Bernie Sanders out of MY party, the party of which I have been a loyal member, voter and activist for over 50 years, if that happens, I go with him. Understand? Bernie Sanders is the REAL Democratic Party!

[Jester Messiah]

54. Yep, they dare not.

Except... they keep doing things to alienate and infuriate independents and liberals. So maybe they think they're doing as much as they can get away with. That's not going to turn out well for them.

[DURHAM D]

3. I don't believe he "joined" the party.

It was decided to let him run as a Democrat. However, he is still an Independent and has filed for the 2018 Senate race as an Independent.

I don't really care what he does.

[floriduck]

7. You really should. He'd beat Hillary in a General Election when Indies can vote.

[DURHAM D]

11. Are you talking about 2020 now? nt

[floriduck]

13. Nope.

[msongs]

17. Indies vote? they won't even register then turn out nt

[glitterbag]

40. What?

Independents can vote in some States during primary's, caucuses, and other quaint electioneering. Not every State, but that can only be addressed at the State level.

[marble falls]

88. Hey everyone: please welcome my good friend Glitterbag to DU!!!!

[mythology]

68. Except in open primaries, Clinton has beaten Sanders more times than he has her

Open or semi-open primaries won by Clinton: South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Mississippi, Illinois, Missouri, and Ohio.

Open or semi-open primaries won by Sanders: Vermont, Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana.

The talking point that Sanders wins open primaries is demonstrably false. Sanders wins caucuses, which have inherently lower turnout.

[Maru Kitteh]

14. BOOM!

Truth bomb right there.

[Jude the Obscure]

32. You mean Truth fail?

That's what it looks like.

[passiveporcupine]

51. No he didn't file as an idependent for 2018

I came across this intentionally misleading meme today. It insists Bernie’s filed for 2018 re-election to the Senate as an Independent. However, it’s not true. No such filing’s been made. You can find all the information at http://www.fec.gov/fecviewer/CandidateCommitteeDetail.do.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/3/5/1496272/-No-Sanders-did-NOT-file-for-re-election-as-an-independent-in-2018

No 2018 filing exists here.

2013 is the latest year available on this tab. While you can click on “FRIENDS OF BERNIE SANDERS” to get more documents and details, no re-election filing exists there either.

In short, this tab alone debunks the entire meme.

Nice try though.

[Peace Patriot]

87. Geez, they lie just like their candidate!

And their notion that party comes before country, or before the poor, hurting people in the country, or before the murdered or hurting people in Libya, Honduras, Syria and Iraq, or before Mother Earth, is a notion so noxious that it stinks of the nutball 'christian' right and their Neo-Con generals.

If the party fails us, as it has done now for decades, and if it places corporate donors before Mother Earth--which it is clearly doing in promoting Clinton and rigging it for Clinton--then it is the party that we must discard. I say this as a very long-time Democrat. This is obvious to me. I am an ethical human being first and a party member not at all if that party becomes unethical.

[jwirr]

4. I can tell you why not - they don't have enough doormen to

hold the door long enough to let us all out behind him.

Nor do I think they have the legal right to kick anyone out of the party.

[reformist2]

9. Kicking him out would solve all their convention worries. It would "purify" the party for Hillary.

[Jude the Obscure]

34. Purify with less than probably 20% of the total vote?

Good luck there, Clinton, DWS and DNC.

I hope Clinton doesn't get to pick who the next head of the DNC. I think that should be left up to Bernie.

[jwirr]

35. Maybe - but we would all still be standing outside the

convention hall when they got there. How are they going to "purify" the party of us? I plan on being a thorn in their flesh for the rest of my life.

[floriduck]

5. Because it would force him to run as an Indie. And either Bernie or a Trump would win.

It's quite simple if you think about it.

[Else You Are Mad]

8. Because...

whether the DNC likes it or not, Sanders is the second most powerful democrat as it stands right now & by doing anything like that they would be handing the white house to Trump.

[Seeinghope]

25. Actually I think he could honestly be considered the most powerful. He has quite a large number of

democrats standing behind him AND he has an extraordinary number of Independents behind him too. If you just want to break it down to pure votes if he were somehow to remain in the race against Hillary Clinton in the GE he would beat her handily. He would take part of the Democratic Party and the Independents.

[Duckhunter935]

10. Backlash

and he has been voting with the democrats for decades. She must not be a very strong candidate for a democratic socialist to damage so badly, lol

[Maru Kitteh]

16. She's stronger than he is. Bummer for him, eh?

[notadmblnd]

44. Apparently stronger for the Primary

But the game is about to change. Then we'll see how strong she is.

[Duckhunter935]

63. Not in the match ups

With Trump. But that's ok, you do not want or need us.

[puffy socks]

12. This sounds just like something a little kid would say.

"I didn't ask to be born!" Bernie needed the DNC and they were kind enough to oblige.

He says he's not a Democrat. Are you saying Sanders is lying?

[Exilednight]

21. they're are all sorts of Democrats and they come from a

Variety of camps. Do you honestly believe he is the first democratic socialist to run under the Democratic Party banner?

[puffy socks]

33. It doesn't matter.

He's not a Democrat he said he is not a Democrat and he spit in the face of the party that allowed him to run any kind of successful campaign and that was after taking years of anti-Democrat garbgage from him already.

[notadmblnd]

47. How did he spit in the face of the party?

By running against Hillary?

[puffy socks]

50. Try the constant unfounded accusations against the DNC for rigging races.

Or for blaming and suing fore damages the DNC after his own camp breaks through the firewall. Just for starters.

[notadmblnd]

75. So, tell me what is so precious about the party?

How is it sacred?

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. Actually I think you are onto something

and yes, they are that tone deaf

They allowed him to run, thinking it would give HRC some batting practice, and be done for within two or three elections.

Ah The best laid schemes o' mice an' men
Gang aft a-gley, [often go awry]

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/the-best-laid-schemes-of-mice-and-men.html

[djean111]

18. He was welcomed into the party - and he has always caucused and voted with the Democratic Party -

because it was felt that he would enable Hillary to pretend to be pulled to the left. Also, the DNC wants his supporters, his organization, and his money. Bernie was supposed to be a Clinton accessory, and fizzle out quickly, leaving her the nomination and his supporters. Didn't work out that way. And now, if they "kick him out" - they will not be getting his supporters en mass. I would not send Hillary or the DNC a penny.

None of the young people I know, who all registered to vote for Bernie, will be voting for Hillary, if they vote at all.
That is Hillary's and the DNC's problem, and they brought it on themselves.

[jmousso75]

39. He was welcomed into the party

I agree. I still don't understand why Hillary supporters think its democratic for super delegates to pledge support before even one vote was cast. It was in the bag for Clinton from the start. This Bernie supporter will not vote for Hillary in the general. The Democratic Party no longer represents the people. It is just a corrupt as the Republican Party, bought and paid for. And I have been a democrat for over 40 years. I am done with the Democratic Party. Time for a viable third party.

[Jude the Obscure]

42. Indeed. I think these DNC and Clinton are still stuck in early 90s

and are embarassing themselves.

2016 Dems aren't what 1992 Dems were, and even in that, there was a three way dance with Perot, Bush and Clinton. Clinton only won when Perot got enough Bush vote to be a real spoiler.

Don't get me started with the 1996 elections. Dole is and will remain a joke that is permanently embedded in my memory in the form of Norm MacDonald's humorous imitation of Dole.

[apnu]

71. He's been basically a democrat his whole career.

When has he ever caucused with Republicans.

Bernie is fine, its the myths around him that are the problem.

[Skwmom]

20. Ever heard of BACKLASH? You will guarantee a Trump win.

[RobertEarl]

22. The party needs Bernie and us Berners, duh!

Most of the party hierarchy are not dumbasses like some here would like them to be. They are the quiet types who are really just now thinking how wrong they were to ever discount Bernie.

Let this be a lesson to all of you who wish to kill the best of what this campaign has brought to the party: New Life and inspiration. And some of you want to kill that golden goose?

[Doctor Jack]

27. Including just card carrying democrats

I would say Sanders supporters make up at least 40-45% of the party.

[Doctor Jack]

23. We don't live in a dictatorship

This isn't a one party state where the chairman can decided he can and can't run. I think Sanders in an asset to the dems. I just wish at this point he would bow out gracefully. Its time to stop leading people on.

[djean111]

29. Whether Bernie bows out gracefully, or not - all the new voters will not pivot to Hillary.

Before Bernie - actually, Bernie's platform, his ideas, his plans - they were not going to bother with politics at all. They see Hillary as Same Old Stuff, which does not bode well for them. All the scorn and sarcasm in the world can't change that.

[Doctor Jack]

36. I think most will

Time will tell which of us is right

[djean111]

48. Over at reddit, they are talking about Jill Stein, if Bernie is not the nominee.

They are more interested in issues than labels.

My grandson and his buddies are adamant - no vote for Hillary. They will be changing their registrations back to unaffiliated.

[Ed Suspicious]

81. If Bernie is out I'm voting Stein.

I don't say that to persuade, just to inform, so please don't boot me from this site.

[Exilednight]

37. political parties are private organizations, and while

Rare, both major parties have kicked people out of their party and prevented them from running for office umder their banner, including preventing them from voting in primaries.

Many of those instances have been challenged in court and the courts, as far as I have discovered, have sided with the political parties.

[Doctor Jack]

41. Sanders is hardly such an extreme case

He might be a thorn in the side of some at the DNC but I doubt many there see him as being so reprehensible that he needs to be expelled from the party.

[Exilednight]

45. it's all in who you ask, and the varying degrees of their anger.

[passiveporcupine]

58. Anger did you say?

A whole lot of us would love to kick Hillary out of the party.

It's all in who you ask, isn't it?

[onecaliberal]

24. Sorry but he's s more reliable dem vote in the senate than a lot of dems.

[JPnoodleman]

26. It would be utterly suicidal to do so, but please, be my guest. n/t

[Jude the Obscure]

28. Kick Bernie out, and the Democrats who back Bernie leaves en-masse in protest

leaving DNC with less than 20% of the total vote.

[winter is coming]

30. For all I know, they also have the "legal right" to stand on the stage in Philly and moon us.

That wouldn't be a good idea, either.

[PufPuf23]

31. At this stage they would likely lose POTUS and perhaps destroy the Democratic party as a brand.

A very thorough house-cleaning is in order with the Democratic party.

The fault is on the DNC and Democratic party leadership even more so than on Hillary Clinton.

I am very angry but do not intend to leave a party where I have been a member for 45 years over the self-centered greed head power mad idiots that give little care but to their own position and vanity.

[jwirr]

55. I hear you but what I want you to tell me is what we do to

change the party? I have been to two conventions as a delegate - nothing we did at any of those conventions will change one damned thing. Most of the committees were reelected because like in NV it was Hillary supporters running the show and presenting us with slate of candidates to vote on.

They maintained their power hold on the state party thus far. It remains to be seen if any of this changes at the state convention next month.

[PufPuf23]

66. Patience and fortitude like never before.

Don't leave the Democratic party nor threaten to but bring in more like minded people especially the young.

Don't give money or support and criticize the neo-liberals as the Machiavellian liars they are.

Do not vote for incumbents. Shun them. Withhold votes otherwise except if you really trust and have confidence in a candidate.

Find young like minded folks willing to hold office at the local level willing to progress.

Be strong in support of social and cultural equality, social justice, and a guaranteed security in medical, housing, education, child care, old people care, and so on - FDR's 2nd bill of rights.

One problem is that we a base income to participate in society and have the freedom for happiness yet modern times do not require full employment to maintain and grow an economy. Wealth and income can be much better shared.

I am against neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism as both are cruel short term social Darwinism, flawed and self-fish models that justify rather than form and enact policy.

I really don't have a complete answer except that an answer for the USA can't be found in violence. Those who tried would be crushed beyond Saddam's or Gadaffi's wildest dreams.

It is going to take some face to face rudeness. But also love and a true and enduring heart by many.

Right now the anti-war liberal Democrats are kin to the abused spouse that cannot leave by circumstance.

I don't think we want to leave the Democratic now, that is what they want.

Some of those that are most wrong minded now will tend to adopt whatever is the style at the time may work in the future in our favor.

I am wandering all over the map because I also do not see a clear path.

The neo-liberals and neo-conservatives can only fail so many times and then there may be an opening.

The GOP and Democratic establishments have mucked up POTUS 2016.

I could even logically see the general election Fall 2016 being something like Biden versus Ryan in their desperation.

What are your ideas as I am floundering (and old)?

[jwirr]

70. Thank you. I am tempted to go to bed after answering this

post as you have given me some hope in this. I am also older and am in MN so I do not see a lot of what the rest of the country is suffering. We in MN have for the most part refused to make the austerity changes that the feds have called for.

Having said that I think you may be correct in standing up for what we believe in as we make changes. Telling our elected leaders when things go wrong for them "see I told you!". In my state we still have a pretty strong Union so we have a lot of support but unfortunately their leaders are endorsing Hillary. Funny when our elected candidates came to talk to the last convention they all talked Bernie issues and got standing ovations. 3 out of the 4 have endorsed Hillary.

The rank and file are another matter. My own family are for Bernie and do not care what their Union leaders are saying.

Thank you for some hope and some direction.

[PufPuf23]

73. You are most welcome. Have a good sleep. eom

[napi21]

38. I don't think they do. And why would they? Bernie is NOT damaging Hillary.

His speeches have turned to ONLY pointing out differences between them, and if THAT"S damaging, what the heck is she going to do with Trump?

Bernie is so close to the end of the primary season, he wants all the people who support him, contributed to his campppaign, and called, waled the neighborhoods, etc. to be able to vote for him is they wish.

When this season is over, there will be a meeting and offers will be made to gain Bernie's support and that of his supporters. Hillsry NEEDS those voters, so why not just let it play out. We're only talking sabout a month more!

[jwirr]

57. Bernie has already answered that - he told a reporter that

he does not control who his supporters vote for and he is right. I don't know about the rest of you but I am not a piece on the chess board to moved around by the king/queen.

She is the only one who can make me vote for her and she has a very long way to go to do that.

[seabeyond]

43. Dems have more integrity... than Sanders.

[Retrograde]

46. Adults have to live with the consequences of their decisions

even when they don't like them. I don't think the Democratic party should have given Sanders a platform in the first place, since, even though he was generally sympathetic to their views, he wasn't a member. But they did, and now the mature thing to do is to see it through to the convention - or even to November if he somehow manages to win the nomination.

Sanders, on the other hand, needs to remind his followers that they are playing by the Democratic party rules at state and national caucuses and conventions, and that means knowing what those rules are in advance, what the timelines are for challenging them, and what happens when things do not go exactly as they want. A lot of people-years of political neepery went into formulating those rules and procedures (I've listened to nuts and bolts discussions from people active in the CA Dems., and things are not always peaceful), with people representing many viewpoints, in order to be as fair as possible to everyone. I don't know if the Sanders campaign had its act together to get enough of its people on key committees - although it seems that the Nevada Dems tried to have an even number representing each candidate on key committees - but them's the rules, and both candidates need to make sure their supporters know them in Philadelphia.

[Exilednight]

61. although I don't fully agree with your argument, I will

Commend you on a thoughtful, and honest response.

I can tell you why they let him run; they were scared he would run third party in the GE and split the vote in a few swing states costing Hillary the presidency.

I do believe that the DNC was caught off-guatd by how close he had come to winning the nomination. Remove the SDs and he will probably miss the nomination by about 10% of the delegates.

While I do agree about the nuts and bolts discussions on rules, I do believe that the primary calendar was set to favor Hillary.

[saltpoint]

49. The DNC would do itself a favor

to ask why a Democratic socialist from Vermont, relatively unknown around the country, stole from the "inevitable" Democratic frontrunning candidate such bright fire, and what in that frontrunning candidate' candidacy was so lacking that such a significant and motivated percentage of the Democratic primary base rejected it, state after state.

Perhaps someone could mention this to Debbie Wasserman Schultz if she isn't busy at the mall or something.

[Maedhros]

56. Why?

Why is the Democratic Party some sacrosanct institution? Political parties come and they go. If the Democratic Party leadership stakes out policy positions that half the rank-and-file can't abide, then it should split.

Why should liberals and progressives support a Party that doesn't believe in their principles?

[2banon]

59. DNC should have done that, at least it would have been more direct and honest.

As for your suggestion the DNC to do something even more stupid than the bullshite they pulled in Nevada this past Saturday...

Don't know if you were around for the Chicago Convention in '68..

Here's an important piece of history to put it all in context:

There was a notion "whether or not the Democratic Process itself was being Torn Apart"

[George II]

62. Why haven't they tossed him from the party? He was never IN the party?

[postatomic]

64. The DNC isn't the monster so many people want to believe it is

The Democratic Party of the United States shall be open to all who desire to support the Party and who wish to be known as Democrats.

I guess you could argue that whole desire to support the Party thing. I don't see Sanders doing much, if anything, to support the Democratic Party.

In my opinion, and I'm nobody, everything I've read suggests that he has failed to meet several of the guidelines for continued participation in the Democratic Party. I'm sure Debbie would love to push the EXIT button on Bernie. As would I.

[Exilednight]

65. there have been a handful of occasions where the Democratic party

Has kicked people out of the party and prevented them from running for office.

[postatomic]

67. I know

I'm sure the discussion has come up more than once. The concern is probably that the Democrats don't want to create a scenario where Sanders supporters cast the Democratic Party in a negative light like the Clumpers have with the Republican Party. Oh. Wait.

[larkrake]

69. Civil war, dogs and cats sleeping together, torching establishment buildings

that would be the last straw . They allowed him in because he has supported dem legislation for eons, and they dont want a 3rd party run from him. That would destroy Hill's chances.

They will ignore him at the convention, and lose all Independents for the next few elections

[Nye Bevan]

74. You make a good case for stripping him of his Senate committee posts.

But hopefully it won't come to that.

[riderinthestorm]

93. The Clintons are viciously vindictive. Bernie’s committee posts are already gone

The DNC (aka Team Hillary) is already signalling they won't even let him speak at the convention.

He knows what's up.

More incentive to stay in and get his message out there loud and clear to the convention.

He needs to reach as many people as possible.

Making another donation tonight.

Thanks!

[felix_numinous]

77. It must be nice to have all that money

enough to pull off that stunt in NV. Be proud.

[GoneFishin]

79. They would be doing him a favor. He is the proverbial enemy who they wanted to keep closer.

They have fucked him over from day one. They hoped he would draw fresh voters into the party for exploitation by Hillary. They had no idea that his campaign would take off the way it did.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

80. Hillary is damging to herself

why is she not dropping out

[MirrorAshes]

82. No one is trying to punish Bernie.

Just for him to accept reality. He had moments of being a firebrand against Trump tonight, which is valuable. That was the Bernie I thought we'd be seeing all season. He has a lot to offer, and the party is better with him.

[djean111]

84. You mean the party is better USING him?

He is not a Hillary accessory. And reality is that a great many of his supporters are there for the issues, not some tattered old party. They will not support Hillary.

[MirrorAshes]

90. He's running as a Democrat, so he's already using them isn't he?

Everyone is better off working together. We have a common enemy named Donald Trump. If you don't approve of Bernie and the Democratic Party to work together, why did he join in the first place?

[djean111]

91. The Democratic Party welcomed Bernie so that he would not split the vote by running as an

Independent. With a side order of assuming he would only last a few months, and then turn over his grassroots organization and his supporters to Hillary, with a few insincere lies from Hillary about moving to the left. Surprise! Even after all the dirty tricks and slime thrown at him, Bernie has been making this a real race. because so many people prefer Bernie on the issues to Hillary on the issues.

If Bernie had not run, I would still not be supporting Hillary. Simple as that.

Bernie has always voted with and caucused with the Democrats in Congress. He is a more reliable vote than many many DINOs, as a matter of fact. And the smears are the thanks he gets.

Working together - i cannot work with or for a warmongering Third way corporately owned candidate.

[MirrorAshes]

92. So you'll stand by and let Trump win?

Will you give yourself a big pat on the back as he appoints Supreme Court justices and generally wreaks havoc on the country/world?

What planet do you live on where a Trump presidency is an acceptable outcome? I don't even like Hillary but I'll still work my ass off for her to make sure Trump and his goons don't set the world on fire. It's literally the only moral thing to do.

[Recursion]

85. I'm not sure that's true just as a rules question (nt)

[slipslidingaway]

86. The establishment Dems and Clinton underestimated the pain that is being felt by a ...

large segment of the populace, they are so out of touch.

AND they never thought Sanders would capture so many followers, Dems are out of touch with the populace. They count on people to blindly vote for a "team" and have not taken notice of the number of millennials and disenfranchised long time Dems.

This is a similar reason the Repubs are stunned that Trump has now become the Repub nominee, although their solutions and clarity of issues are total opposites. They are out of touch with the people of our nation.

[Exilednight]

94. I could make a better case as to why Trump should have never

Been allowed to run in the Republican primary, but then Republicans ran into the same situation, only worse. A billionaire with an ego that would allow him to run as a 3rd party candidate that would certainly split the white male vote.

[cliffordu]

89. If they do, I'll leave the party.

And I'll toss a chair or two, just to keep the pearls cliched good and right around the campfire.

[libdem4life]

95. They badly misunderstood the demographic that does not vote.

Bernie spoke to them about Revolution and rigged political and financial sectors and since we all knew it, these felt they now had a voice. That's the new crowd, plus some older Liberals like myself, who see the Party moving towards Republican Lite.

I think it's the genie in the bottle situation...can't put it back in. The turn back to fiscal sanity has begun. I hope.

[Exilednight]

96. Bernie recently addresses this and he was right. the lower your

Income bracket, the less likely you are to vote.

[libdem4life]

97. Financial self-esteem is mighty powerful...and cuts both ways.

Ii think though, the son of a working union father, is beginning to wake up this category. They are the ones who need him the most, and he will not fail them. Maybe not in the first 100 days, but the proper programs will be put in place, as well as a changing of the intent and focus of the new President. Those are the folks he "owes".

PBO did that for LGBT...I remember his speech. It was wonderful. Of course he also was the example for PoC, as well.