Of an "enthusiasm Gap" for Hillary
Disclaimers: I was asked to make this an op over here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1280&pid=45612
Second, as I say in the piece I realize that I need, not just want, need the GOP to lose, period.
Now, on with the piece:
There have been people since well before 2008 who have wanted Hillary, and who frankly will not care what they have to do to get her. Some parts of this is "It's about time we had a woman in power" types, people who genuinely feel that this is their best shot to elect a woman. Now, even the thickest headed people would fail to understand why someone would want battles over matters like Abortion Policy or Equal Pay to be fought by someone who has been at the brunt of such problems herself, especially in a culture where there is no shortage of very "serious" men who will happily defend the way women are attacked by this society. Even on Du, we have people chime in and say things about women that they would never be as free to say about any other minority.
However, this is where politics of identity fail. I would warn that the UK and Brazil have shown an ugly fact: just because the ruler is a woman does not mean she will govern for the benefit of women. Of Thatcher, so much was been written, but even Dilma Rouseff, someone who on paper looked so great, turned out to be a major disappointment. She allowed the World Cup to ravish Brasil, starve women and children, and plans to do the same in the Olympics, not to mention allowed many of her corrupt friends to steal. This was the former revolutionary, openly LGBT person who was going to help re-define the post cold war era. We need principles, not identity, as sadly many woman politicians will prove just as harmful as the males, and that is not even touching the group that the conservatives seem to have an abundant supply of, you betcha.
Then there is another type of Hillary enthusiast, less sincere, but more virulent. They are those who say they are liberal, but are really scared about the fact that many on the left are tired of liberals, namely because they have been leaning right for so long that the party's rudder snapped off! No matter how far the GOP goes to the right, many self declared "liberals" will seek that spot which is never too far from the right, thus assuring that even if the GOP wants to drive off the cliff, we will follow shortly. Sadly, the person that embodies that idea is Hillary Clinton who has defended the enemies of the left, the Military Industrial complex and Wall Street. What is worse is that when she defends these enemies of the left, she does it with a smirk, as she did when she made the "we came, we saw, he died" joke.
No one is saying she had to be Bernie, but people should not scratch their heads and wonder why great enthusiasm cannot be whipped up about someone that the left KNOWS will start working with their enemies the minute she gets in. It's is not enough that we are the ones working in the kitchen, but then we will be expected to throw ourselves into the soup, so that the Lloyd Blankfelds and Bibi Netanyahus can give Chef Hillary four stars.
And again, I know that would still be better than Chef Jeb Bush or Chef Donald Trump, but when you suddenly realize that you need ENTHUSIASM to get that one spare inch of turf that will get you over the finish line, do not yell at us and wonder where it is. I need, not want, need the GOP to lose, period, but that does not mean I will not keep my energies ready for the fight or flight I will need come January 2017, which is when Hillary's dinner patrons will start demanding their supper.
= new reply since forum marked as read
It's all anecdotal, of course, but around here, I've seen several Bernie bumper stickers and everyone's talking about him.
I've seen no HRC stickers and no one is mentioning her unless it's to talk about the emails.
Of course, most people are talking about Trump because he's all that's on the news, but most people also mention that he's an idiot. 
:large
