Oh how it pains me to write this. My opinion of both Clintons has been consistent for a very long time. I hardly need to recount their political and policy sins again.
Also, I have not given up on the political movement Bernie Sanders represents. Yes, the system is rigged for the wealthy. Yes, income and wealth inequality are killing what remains of our grossly imperfect democracy. Yes, we need a political revolution to truly address our problems.
But that political revolution is not going to happen in 2016. Bernie Sanders has no remaining path to the Democratic nomination (other than the vanishingly unlikely and extremely distasteful possibility of convincing delegates that a majority of Democratic primary voters – and an overwhelming majority of African American voters – who voted for Clinton this year don’t matter; is that the kind of democracy we seek?).
Sanders should stay in the race until the Philly convention and continue speaking out for the progressive agenda and revolution we need. He should use all the leverage he can to influence Clinton and the party platform (though, the latter hardly matters).
But, as I have written previously, this year, our nation stands at the edge of an abyss the likes of which it has not seen in the lifetime of anyone reading this. Hard-right theocrats, racists, and Ayn Randers control the Congress, governorships, state legislatures, and school boards coast to coast. The only thing that stands in the way their agenda’s being fully enacted is the presidency.
If you need to hold your nose to support Hillary Clinton (as I do) than start holding it. It is not sufficient simply to stop attacking her (though that is absolutely necessary, since every attack from the left will be in a Donald Trump ad this fall). No, we also need to write checks, make phone calls, and knock on doors. We must do whatever it takes to keep GOP hands off the White House.
©2016 Keith Berner
