I have always thought of myself as a far-left liberal Democrat. I support a liberation agenda that would free people from economic insecurity and from oppression based on their race, gender, religion, country of origin, sexual orientation, or immigration status.
However, I have never anticipated or wanted a political revolution. I believe in reformation, not revolution. I believe in compromise and consensus, not coercion. It's one reason I have such antipathy toward Sanders whose entire "movement" eschews the kinds of efforts
that would create the conditions for reform. He is not interested in party-building and changing the face of Congress in a meaningful way. So I guess he plans to pass it through diktat.
Populism can excite people, but it won't pass legislation. I despise the way he misleads and misinforms. You see the effect in the nihilist brinksmanship of his staff and supporters - Bernie or they destroy democracy.
We often say Bernie's not a Democrat, but worse than that, he is also not a democrat.
America needs liberal leftists who recognize the pluralism of this country, who are people-centered, not ideologues. The center can be pushed & pulled to the left or right and we need to push it toward the left, but the center must hold because it is what holds U.S. together
A strong political center that can be moved toward a liberation agenda is needed to safeguard democracy, to avoid authoritarianism. The left & right do not recognize each other's legitimacy. That is authoritarian and dangerous.
One reason Bernie is so ineffective and has done so little with his 30plus years of public "service" is his anti-democratic impulse, his authoritarian self-righteousness than precludes compromise and consensus.
I hate it that necessary reforms such as universal health care, affordable college, and the many other things I want to have happen are being discredited by association with Sanders fecklessness.
