- Awards
- 9
Bernie Sanders polled higher than Hillary Clinton against Trump during the primaries, but many Democrats are still convinced that he would have lost the election as well. The narrative being peddled by the Democratic establishment and their followers is that the racists, sexists, and xenophobes would have given the election to Trump no matter what. They ignore the fact that Trump came out against job killing trade deals that Hillary was in favor of, and did a better job of campaigning on the promise of protecting jobs and social safety nets.
Of course, it seems Trump was full of crap. His cabinet picks all seem hell bent on destroying the departments they were put in charge of, and the GOP members of Congress are plotting to gut Social Security and Medicare. None of that is surprising to me, but the fact is America wanted a populist. Trump said all the right things in terms of promising to protect jobs and social safety nets. Meanwhile, Hillary did nothing to change her image of being out of touch with the concerns of the working class and millennials. Trump's foreign policy and immigration policy are typical neocon positions, but Hillary's not a progressive in those areas either.
If the Democrats had run a progressive populist instead of an establishment hack, it is my belief that he would have easily beat Trump. Like in 2008, the message of this election was that people wanted change. And for better or worse, that's what Trump offered. Not everybody that voted for Trump is a deplorable. Sanders held a town hall with Trump supporters, and exchanged ideas with them. One woman in particular was concerned that the people who pay into Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid were not being listened to. By the end of the discussion, she was in agreement with Sanders regarding the wealthy 1% paying their fair share. She said "They got rich off us, so it's time they put back." Members of the audience applauded in agreement.
Establishment hacks like Nancy Pelosi are in denial if they believe the Democratic Party isn't in need of a new direction. If the election had been between two populists, only one was sane and the other was a hawkish, petulant bigot, I believe the outcome would have been much different. Unfortunately, Democrats will stay in denial and continue to blame their loss on the "deplorables," the "Bernie bros," and on third party voters.
As Trump would say, "sad."
Of course, it seems Trump was full of crap. His cabinet picks all seem hell bent on destroying the departments they were put in charge of, and the GOP members of Congress are plotting to gut Social Security and Medicare. None of that is surprising to me, but the fact is America wanted a populist. Trump said all the right things in terms of promising to protect jobs and social safety nets. Meanwhile, Hillary did nothing to change her image of being out of touch with the concerns of the working class and millennials. Trump's foreign policy and immigration policy are typical neocon positions, but Hillary's not a progressive in those areas either.
If the Democrats had run a progressive populist instead of an establishment hack, it is my belief that he would have easily beat Trump. Like in 2008, the message of this election was that people wanted change. And for better or worse, that's what Trump offered. Not everybody that voted for Trump is a deplorable. Sanders held a town hall with Trump supporters, and exchanged ideas with them. One woman in particular was concerned that the people who pay into Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid were not being listened to. By the end of the discussion, she was in agreement with Sanders regarding the wealthy 1% paying their fair share. She said "They got rich off us, so it's time they put back." Members of the audience applauded in agreement.
Establishment hacks like Nancy Pelosi are in denial if they believe the Democratic Party isn't in need of a new direction. If the election had been between two populists, only one was sane and the other was a hawkish, petulant bigot, I believe the outcome would have been much different. Unfortunately, Democrats will stay in denial and continue to blame their loss on the "deplorables," the "Bernie bros," and on third party voters.
As Trump would say, "sad."
