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-54

It's Been Ten Years. It's Time To Admit Bernie Sanders Was Wrong. (www.caitlinjohnst.one)

submitted 1 day ago by Maeve@kbin.earth to c/progressivepolitics@lemmy.world

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The first clue that Platner was a shitty person wasn’t his military service or his Blackwater stint or his tattoo or the sexual assault stuff, it was that he ran for high office in the US government under one of America’s two mainstream parties. That’s damning in and of itself.

I said this on Twitter today and some DSA guy told me the best way to make changes in US politics is to work within the Democratic Party to elect left-wing candidates and advance progressive agendas.

I said, “You guys have been trying that for ten years with nothing to show for it.”

I mean, how much longer is it going to take before people admit that the “change the party from within” strategy isn’t working? Do you want another twenty years? Another fifty? Do you need to spend the next century watching a handful of vaguely progressive imperialists getting elected to Congress and then getting primaried out by opponents with mountains of special interest funding before you admit that you’re not making any meaningful gains? Our planet could be lifeless before then.

The Bernie Sanders “revolution” was ten years ago. Large factions of the American left took up his call to take over the Democratic Party using primary elections throughout the nation, and ever since then it’s been a two-steps-forward, two-steps-back addition of zeros. The people never got President Bernie, and the few progressive gains made on Capitol Hill were either kicked out like Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman or went full pro-establishment like John Fetterman. The few who stuck around have turned out to be perpetually disappointing empire managers like AOC, who know how to straddle the line between left-wing lip service and status quo swamp monster.

Crosspost from https://lemmygrad.ml/post/12160078 by Tim Foley:

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[–] Jhex@lemmy.world 6 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

yeah, let's pile on the one guy trying to make a difference… that'll make you look smort

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 0 points 17 hours ago

I liked Bernie, but then he rolled over to support the DNC darling, HRC. I was angry and directed that at the DNC, saying I didn't like that he capitulated, but appreciated his graciousness, but that is he capitulated again, he is worthy of questioning and ire. And he did it again. Fact is, Sanders and AOC not only didn't move anyone left, they've consistently been moving right. Denial doesn't help addicts get clean, and it's certainly not going to clean up the Democratic party. Look at seventy years of history.

[–] kkj@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

Saying this about the most successful third-party or independent candidate of the last twenty years is certainly a take. When was the last time that a third-party Presidential candidate did anything except lose the election for the major party they found less objectionable (Nader 2000, Perot 1992, Roosevelt 1912)?

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 2 points 10 hours ago

Imagine if half the people parroting the dnc line that a third party vote is wasted actually voted third.

[–] Eh_I@lemmy.world 5 points 20 hours ago

I like to do a little trolling myself from time to time, but you're fishing out of the lobster tank at Red Lobster. At least stop posting that stupid emoji comment and really engage with your marks.

[–] imeansurewhynot@sh.itjust.works 25 points 1 day ago (1 children)

this crybaby misdirection shit is so irritating.

"don't effect change in the real world, try visualizing how cool it would be if everything was magically perfect instead. "

pretending that change can only occur if you make zero mistakes is counterproductive and plainly incorrect.

[–] charade_you_are@sh.itjust.works 14 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Booo you suck

[–] Fourth@mander.xyz 8 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Constantly and unsurprisingly disappointed in Caitlin Johnstone's articles. The second you click on her substack you know the exact take she's going to have for the issue: the same that a Russian asset who is trying to fuck up domestic stuff would have. Not saying that she necessarily is or isn't, but just assume what a Russian asset would say and that's what she will have for an opinion. Sometimes it's right, no doubt, but mostly it's just defeatist crap like this. 👎

[–] jbrjake@lemmy.world 5 points 20 hours ago

It says so much that on July 9, 2026, the aspect of Platner she decided to highlight as problematic was…his support for Ukraine?

[–] HootinNHollerin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 1 day ago

Lol

[–] Hawanja@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

What should we do exactly, vote Green?
Fat lot of good that's ever done

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 3 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

I'm not advocating for a particular party, I'm telling you both branches of the monoparty work for the same corporate interests. Last presidential election, there was a candidate running under Workers' Party, with a solid platform, and it's quite interesting the liberal branch of the corporate party sued and won to keep her off the ballot, but only in swing states. The candidates D or R torpedo could be evaluated. A platform is great, but a platform with a workable plan to implement it is better.

[–] Hawanja@lemmy.world 1 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago) (1 children)

Well, yeah. Why would the democrats want to allow a competing party to split the vote in a swing state?
If you're under some impression that the democratic party should be boosting smaller political parties to somehow allow them to win offices and thereby dillute thier own voter base, then you're going to be disappointed. What your'e describing only makes logical sense for a political party that actually wants to win elections.
Kinda like if I had a lemonade stand, then you tried to open one right next to me and steal my customers. Yeah I don't think I'd be obligated to help you in that situation.

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 1 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

That's not what I said.

[–] Hawanja@lemmy.world 1 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

You seemed disappointed that the democratic party sued to stop a Worker's party candidate from getting on the ballot, right?
What I'm asking is why exactly you should expect the democratic party to not try and stop a competing party from splitting the vote?

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 1 points 58 minutes ago

Because their ideas are so great. Why only keep her off the ballot in swing states? Why didn't they sue to keep libertarians or green off the ballot?

[–] Hell_nah_brother@thelemmy.club 0 points 19 hours ago

“No, you don’t get it this time is going to be different. We work from inside, we are going to dismantle the system by becoming the system. What Nazi tattoo? That's just a game, he was a kid, we all make mistakes, stop being unreasonable.”

The US (and especially the blue-no-matter-who crowd) deserves maga and everything that comes with it.