The problem with Bernie world.

[beachbumbob]

He and his followers think America is a leftist country suppressed by right wingers....they fail to realize the leftist compromise one small element of America...and it's the ego of these people who blow it out of proportion...America is not a leftist country, never has, never will be....we are on a good day, a center-left...and to sanders that makes all right wingers....and why sanders message doesn't work...and why he lost...and his supporters are lost in figuring it out

[BobbyDrake]

1. This is the problem with both extremes of the political spectrum. They assume rather than work.

They believe rather rely on facts. And they expect support without earning it.

Yes, many left-wing ideas are popular in the abstract, because they are genuinely good and positive. They ARE ideas to strive for, most definitely. But the only real way to realize those ideas is to deliver concrete plans on how to deliver them. "Congress will look out the window and see millions of young voters" is NOT A CONCRETE PLAN. Lying about how much implementation will cost is not a concrete plan! Promising to raise taxes on the middle class is not a concrete plan.

Spitting in the faces of your potential allies is not a concrete plan. The America public is not as dumb as the media tries to make us believe, and they know a load of horse manure when they see a politician trying to sell it to them.

We've seen America reject two tea parties now, the right-wing and left-wing versions both. On the bright side, there are only two fringes to put us through that embarrassing process, so maybe, just maybe, they'll understand now that they have to expand their coalitions, rather than shrink them through purity tactics and litmus tests that eliminate the possibility of support from mainstream voters.

Millennials will be a major force in politics in a few years. I'm just worried they've learned the wrong lessons this cycle, that you can lie about your policies and still succeed, that you can be angry and violent and dangerous and still get votes, and that you can squander the possibility of partial progress in the name of "principles," which actually helps no one ever. Voting is not about feeling good about yourself, nor is it about demanding that a candidate "inspire" you just to do your basic civic duty of participation.

We'll see what happens over the next few years, I guess. Hopefully the passion from this year doesn't sour into permanent bitterness all because Bernie Sanders was a dissembler of massive proportion.

[beachbumbob]

2. To me leftist is not left wing...and is further to left than progressives and liberals...almost

Touching the extremist elements best represented by fringe groups....America is a center-left country...not anything remote to a leftist country

[puffy socks]

3. This..

"And they expect support without earning it."

is insulting to those who have worked tirelessy throughout the years for Progressive values.

" On the bright side, there are only two fringes to put us through that embarrassing process"

what no "moderate extremists"? I've always been taught "everything in moderation"

It's been great advice to follow throughout my life thus far.

[teamster633]

5. "This is the problem with both extremes of the political spectrum."

And it is the reason why super delegates are a good idea. We suffered under rEpublican administrations from 1968-1992 except for 4 years. In the wake of Watergate we were only able to occupy the White House for a single term. Politics is the art of the possible...good intentions aren't enough...believing that you know better than the voting public is a prescription for failure. Someone has to attend to the best interests of the Party or the Party devolves into nothing more than a mutual admiration society. I bet a lot of rEpublicans wish they had super delegates this year.

[stopbush]

4. Facts are not only bothersome, they take time and they often don't line up exactly right.

Ever notice how conspiracy theories neatly wrap up every loose end into a neat little package that "makes sense?"

Life isn't like that. We can have a really good sense of the facts and still be missing important details. The CTist simply fills in the missing details with their own agenda/prejudices. So, the AP calls a race earlier than expected, why, it's "obvious" that they did so at the behest of the Clintons...to depress voter turnout...because Sanders always does better when there's a big turnout (actually, that's not true. Hillary is the one who does better when the turnout is high - see: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/apr/19/bernie-s/sanders-largely-base-saying-we-win-when-voter-turn/)...because the evil power-that-be are colluding with the DNC to thwart progressives...etc.

Real-life narratives seldom tie up neatly, but that's what people like to hear.