I understand and respect your disagreements with the author but I have just a few disagreements with your response. I think you inadvertently supported some of his points and simply ignored others. Whether intentional or not, your post strongly implies that “Leftists” care about things that Democrats don’t. That isn’t true. Democrats want the same things “Leftists” want.
I vote for the person whom I believe is best qualified for the job, and when it’s a Presidential election I look at how much that person will or will not help down ballot; a Democrat or “Leftist” President can’t get much done unless the House and Senate are both Democrat-controlled. I once even voted for a Republican Senator because I trusted him more than his Democratic opponent but have voted for the Democrat in every election since, 40 years of voting in every election, including local elections. There’s some truth in the saying, ‘all politics is local’ But I don’t label myself as Democrat or leftist or progressive. Labels inherently divide and a divided populace is a weakened populace, easier to bend to the will of the rich who own our government.
If someone labels themselves then I use that label. But respectfully, never in an insulting way. If someone tells me they’re a “progressive” I might remind them that by “progressive” they should remember the key to that is to “make progress”. For which I typically get a response such as “ok, boomer” or am told I’m “living in an alternate reality”. And those are some of the less angry responses I’ve received. That isn’t helpful to rational discussion with anyone about our, and our nation’s future.
“Making progress toward your goal” is not the same as ‘instant gratification”. Believing that progress doesn’t require walking the path makes as much sense as clicking the heels of the ruby slippers three times and awaken to a technicolor future.
If I provide solid evidence that disputes someone's “belief”, in Bernie usually but not only him, them I’m attacked because, well, facts often don’t matter to some “Leftists”.
And we’re in a sad state of affairs if facts are willfully ignored. That’s Trump’s world and none of us want to be that. Leftists, progressives, Democrats all want the same things but have different ideas of how to “progress” from where we are reach those goals. If we don’t learn to work together we’ll lose.
It’s as simple as that. If we don’t unite we’ll lose. And none of us want that.
Attacking Democrats just because they’re Democrats or leftists because they’re leftists or progressives because they’re progressives or any candidates supporters just because you support a different candidate is, to be brutally honest, stupid.
After all, a house divided cannot stand. The division has to end, soon, or we’ll be giving Trump and the Rethuglicans at least four more years to screw over the country and any hopes we have for our children and their children. I get criticized, mostly by Senator Sander’s supporters if I say vote blue no matter who but to get any of the progress we want Trump and the Rethugs have to go. That’s job number one and it can’t be done if people on the left vote for him again as happened 4 years ago. If the eventual nominee isn’t your choice then act like an adult and bite your tongue if you have to and vote for the Democratic nominee or sit out the vote entirely. If Democrats get control then policies can be pushed through. You don’t have to like the Democrat who wins as long as those important initiatives, universal healthcare, free education, lower taxes on the middle class and poor and higher taxes on the rich and corporations paying tax, and more have the best chance of being enacted.
The only chance.
And I’ll vote blue no matter who in November and I have hope that four more years of Trump and the Rethugs is a frightening enough that everyone who actually cares about our future more than about one candidate will join me in doing just that.
See you at the polls.
