This is my first diary at DailyKos but I have been a follower of the site for years. I am a Hillary Clinton supporter for the 2016 presidential election. I have always admired her tenacity and ability to reach out to those with the means to build bridges for funding projects that benefit the poor, women and children worldwide. In the process she has made many connections to super wealthy individuals.
I am writing today to point out how the politics from Bernie Sanders camp is designed to impugn Hillary Clinton’s integrity and character. It is very disheartening. No other politician has been insulted to the degree that Hillary Clinton has and many of the tactics utilized by her political opponents on the right and left in this election cycle are repugnant. There is no difference between the right and left wings with the display of moral superiority they project on everyone in the Democratic party. The Democratic party in which Senator Sanders is running for president. He is under that umbrella too in case you forgot. That type of behavior has become expected from the conservative right but seeing it from folks who call themselves progressive or liberal goes against everything Democrats stand for. The lines are blurred.
I have news for the Bernie brigade. Not all super wealthy people are greedy or “evil corporatists” (whatever that is). Wall Street may have some powerful and greedy executives but not all individuals should be lumped into the same category as those who are. That is what the right does to the poor, people of color and women. Politicians who are supported by Wall Street are NOT automatically guilty of quid pro quo. And in case you missed it, corporations cannot donate to political campaigns. The donations come from individuals who may work for a Wall Street financial firm. So when you use the word “corporatist” it sounds pretty silly. Are Bernie’s people going to tell me that every single individual who works for a financial firm is a greedy evil person?
Truth and respect have gone out the window in the Bernie camp. If he or anyone on his campaign team had any proof of any unethical behavior or wrongdoing on the part of Hillary Clinton with regard to campaign contributions from wealthy donors or fees paid for speaking engagements (which, by the way, are donated to charity for the most part), don’t you think that would have been revealed by now?
I have no ill will toward Bernie Sanders. He is a great advocate for the little guy. But his politics alienates those who can make huge differences. Believe it or not there are good, compassionate people who have lots of money. I know and work with some pretty amazing people who are super wealthy, compassionate and full of goodness. They do exist. Most reasonable and mature voters, rich and poor, are not buying the smear campaign and it, frankly, turns them off.