This is my first ever diary. I am in the middle of moving to a new home, and as an educator I’m in the busiest part of the school year right now. I’m totally overwhelmed with everything going on, but I am still so sick and tired of what I’m seeing in this community that I just created an account so I can write a diary, after two friggin years of just being a reader around here. If I don’t get this off my chest I feel like I’m going to explode.
Up until recently, I felt proud of both of our candidates in the Democratic primary. I’ve always leaned towards Bernie, but I really had respect for Hillary, as well. I respected that she has worked hard especially for children and women throughout her career. I respected her experience. I respected that she made a speech in China about women’s rights in the 1990’s against the advice of the White House and I watched the full video. There are many things that she has done that I highly respect.
I did eventually vote for Bernie in the Arizona primary, but definitely spent time thinking about that decision. It wasn’t an easy one. I asked myself, am I being too unrealistic in choosing Bernie? Would Hillary be a better president because she is more realistic in her goals? Because she has more foreign policy experience? And if most of the Democratic party is backing her, does that show that she can build up the party more?
I also don’t hold it against her that she has changed her views on various issues. I used to be a Republican mostly due to my family’s influence until 2006. That was when I realized I couldn’t support the Republican party anymore. I gladly voted for Obama both times he ran. I can completely identify with Hillary changing her views and growing as a person over time, because that’s what I did.
I also realize that Bernie has a very small chance of getting the nomination. I have seen the math. And truly, if Hillary gets more pledged delegates, I totally understand that superdelegates shouldn’t be expected to switch their vote.
So after thinking so long and hard about who to vote for, I eventually voted for Bernie. Why? Numbers. You heard me right. I said NUMBERS. I love numbers, data, etc. And I’m familiar with the numbers of delegate math like I said earlier. I’m not talking about those numbers.
For example, numbers (polling) have shown that Hillary Clinton has the lowest favorability rating of any candidate still running for President besides TRUMP among the whole U.S. population. I realize that her favorability is higher among Democrats, but for a community that says it’s dedicated to electing Democrats up and down the ballot, why has it not been mentioned that she is less likely to attract new voters from other parties? And I don’t mean that as an insult to Hillary, I’m just looking at numbers. Facts.
Numbers have shown that only Bernie is bringing new people into the party, which would logically translate to big wins for Democrats in November. We know thanks to numbers that it’s independents and young people that are his biggest supporters, TWO OF THE HARDEST DEMOGRAPHICS FOR DEMOCRATS TO CAPITALIZE ON. Numbers show that 2014 was such a disaster for Democrats (I literally felt sick I was so heartbroken) due to low turnout. Numbers show that the higher the voter turnout is, the better Bernie does.
Numbers show that yes, the Democratic party still has higher favorability ratings among the general public than the Republican party, BUT THEY’RE BOTH REALLY BAD. You know who has really high favorability ratings? BERNIE. Has anyone stopped and thought that because of that Bernie would be a huge boost to the Democratic party?
Now, because of numbers and polling, I also know that Bernie’s chances are not good. I have known all along he is not likely to get the nomination. But I liked his ideas. I LIKED THEM EVEN IF THEY WERE UNREALISTIC. I LIKED THAT HE WAS WILLING TO DREAM. And even Bernie acknowledges that none of his ideas can come to pass just by him being elected. He said that at both rallies that I’ve attended of his, but somehow that’s always left out in discussions of Bernie supporters and how “unrealistic” we are. Do you get it yet? We can support him because we love his values and we know that it may still be impossible for him to achieve those ideas ALONE OR RIGHT AWAY. We know those ideas may take a lot of time, and a lot of fighting, and that it won’t be easy. It’s not that we’re naive and “haven’t done our research”.
I like that because of him, regardless of this primary, millions of people have gotten engaged in the political process that weren’t before. People are talking about money and corruption in politics now. Even without Bernie winning the presidency, look at the fire he has lit in other progressives who will carry on the message and push for change! I’d think Hillary supporters could at least appreciate that. But no, instead there’s calls for him to drop out. Gleeful comments in this community about how soon he will just be a blip in history. Fuck you. On behalf of all of the people who will continue this push for a better democracy and country with or without Bernie. We can all remember how crushed we all felt as a community after the 2014 elections. That was pretty rough. And now some of you delight in that feeling coming on progressives in your own community because they don’t support Hillary? You want them to feel like all of their work was meaningless? To feel like all of our campaign contributions to Bernie, the work of his volunteers, the passion of his supporters, means nothing? You are seriously telling fellow progressives that you delight in our dreams about healthcare and education being a right being flushed down the toilet? Gone? Just a “blip in history”? And you people have the nerve to call Bernie supporters not real progressives if we don’t fall in line?
I left the Republican party because of the rank hypocrisy and false morality. I WILL NOT tolerate hypocrisy from people just because they are liberals, either. I’ve seen Hillary supporters complain endlessly about Bernie supporters being “trolls”, but I’m supposed to just turn the other cheek and accept Hillary supporters saying rude things about Bernie (red baiting, making fun of his age, etc.)? News flash: there are supporters of BOTH CANDIDATES that have said horrible things. Just look up the US Uncut article that showcases some racist tweets made by Hillary supporters.
Do I support what Bernie said about Hillary being “unqualified”? Absolutely not. I thought he should have taken it as an opportunity to explain why he is qualified and be positive. I’ve really been bothered when I’ve seen Bernie supporters calling other progressives “corporate shills” (I know there was another diary on that and I really took it to heart). It really made me step back and ask if I still supported him. But you know what really makes me mad about that situation? Right before he made that statement, Clinton had gone after him about Sandy Hook. She went after him about a national tragedy. She echoed the smears that were reported about him. And they were totally unfair smears. He voted FOR an assault weapons ban. He voted FOR gun control on multiple occasions. So he disagreed on one gun control bill with her. So he only has a D- from the NRA instead of an F (which he actually got most years). I guess that makes him part of the gun lobby. Just like one vote from Hillary makes her “not a progressive” (I don’t actually believe that, but I say that to point out how wrong it is to make a generalization like that based on one statement or one vote).
She had also said right before his statement that he isn’t even a “real Democrat” (even though he’s caucused with them for decades and helped FOUND the Progressive Caucus). Has he not been a voice for the past few years loudly condemning the obstruction Obama has faced from Republicans? Has he not called out their moral hypocrisy? So his goddamn letter next to his name didn’t say “Democrat”. I guess that matters more than decades of progressive actions. Where the fuck were the calls for her to apologize among Democratic party members and people in this community?
Even as a Bernie supporter I’ve encouraged others to vote for Hillary if she gets the nomination. I’ve tried to tell them she has real progressive cred. I’ve refrained from attacking her entirely. I haven’t agreed with all of the attacks that Bernie has made on her and would wish he’d stop at times. But guess what? Bernie supporters are allowed to support a candidate that makes mistakes, too! We don’t have to agree with every action he takes to believe in him!
I am entirely sick of the double standards I’ve been seen around here lately. You want Bernie supporters to rally for Hillary in the general? Quit demeaning our passion. Quit telling us we’re naive. Quit allowing your candidate to behave in a way that is wrong and expect us to denounce ours when he does the same. Quit casting all Bernie supporters as “Bernie Bros”. We’re not all in the “Bernie or Bust” movement. A lot of us actually respect Hillary, but I can’t promise anything if she keeps making statements tying him to Sandy Hook and calling him not a “real Democrat”. Demeaning his supporters is not going to unite this party the way it needs to be united for November. If you want us to join you behind Hillary, value our perspectives! Have real policy based discussions with us on why we differ in our approach to solving many of the country’s problems, even if we have so many agreements in what we see as problems. Tell us our voice still matters whether our candidate runs for President or not. Tell us we MATTERED.