Thread by @kgosztola

Bernie Sanders' decision provides an opportunity for those in struggle to come to grips with reality of our politics.

Democratic Party elites mobilized with great fervor to crush Sanders' campaign, and their efforts greatly benefited from coronavirus pandemic.

Countless news reports show it was an anybody-but-Bernie primary. Democrats did not support Joe Biden until they needed to coalesce around him to cynically stop Bernie from getting near their party's nomination.

It's been clear for weeks Bernie Sanders couldn't win, but I believed there was some utility in staying in race. I still do. However, COVID-19 pandemic crystallized electability narrative manufactured by media pundits. Nothing over next months would alter its sway over voters.

COVID-19 has further exposed capitalist economy. It's exposed for-profit health care. It's exposed crumbling public institutions. It's exposed extreme poverty and structural racism. And it's exposed the dark underbelly of our country's two-party political system.

For example, both Joe Biden, who will be Democratic Party's nominee, and the Wisconsin GOP defended holding in-person voting during a deadly pandemic. They each had their own craven reasons for putting politics before protecting the public's health.
shadowproof.com/2020/04/08/joe…

There are several months until Election Day in November. In the meantime, media and political elites will fixate on the mythical "Bernie Bro" they conjured to divide and turn people against Bernie Sanders' campaign.

Nobody owes elites anything. They deserve nothing.

Vote shaming will dominate our political discourse over the next months. Take whatever opportunity you can to challenge and expose this bullying. Maintain your independence, and stay or become further engaged in grassroots organizing outside of electoral politics.

I'll be smeared as part of some #NeverBiden cult or Russian disinformation campaign as I engage in journalism. But that won't alter my commitment to covering true nature of Biden, his campaign, Democratic Party, and what it will mean if we "return to normal" should Trump lose.